The walk back was brutal. Like every year he has waited until it got so late Grammi was forced to bring him back. It pained her to, but she knew if she didn't do it nobody else would.

She knew he was heart broken to find himself in the same situation as he did last year.

"There's dinner waiting for you at home."

"I'm not hungry."

"Well, if you change your mind it'll be there."

"I'll be alright."

Having heard enough Grammi steps in front of her old friend stopping him from there walk.

"Don't you think its time you gave up on him Gruffi? Hasn't been long enough? Haven't you suffered long enough?"

Her to?

"No. Even if I have to be there for the next ten years I'll be there! It's the Gummi way."

"For heavens sakes Gruffi! You keep babbling about the Gummi way this and Gummi way that but you know what? What Gusto did was NOT the Gummi way and you need to understand that! To see a grown gummi act the way you do is shameful. If Sunny, who loved him more then anybody, was able to understand that it was time to let him go then why can't you!?"

Shock couldn't even begin to describe what he was feeling. Grammi, the bear who was so loving and forgiving was giving up as well?

Trying to keep his cool he looks down not wanting her to see his tears forming. He had too much pride to have her pity him.

"I…I just wanted one more day."

"Why Gruffi?"

"Maybe he just needed that one more day you know? Maybe he would have told me what was going through his head. I need to know Grammi."

"Gruffi…"

"I need to know why he left and sided with Igthorn."

"Gruffi darling, it's been 10 years. The Great Gummies will here soon. No point in chasing ghost."

"Doesn't it bother you!? Doesn't it bother any of you that he never came back to tell us why or better yet on why he never even said goodbye! Because I can tell you now it's killing me!"

His reaction had scared her. Gusto was always a sensitive subject at the Glenn.

"Well, its getting late dear so I think we should just get back and go to sleep."

Knowing this conversation was going to go no where he walks back defeated.

"Yeah, sleep would be nice."

They enter the Glenn to only be greeted by even more drama.

Standing there was the youngest of the three cubs. Not only had he grown into a man, but into a knight. His hair maintained a Gusto like hair style and he even grew out a soul patch beard. There was now a huge scare slashed above his right eye. It was an injury he sustained a past battle against Igthorn. He was never the same after that. He did everything in his power to become a knight so he decided to take refuge with the Barbics. There he trained for 5 years only to come back stronger but cold.

"Chasing ghost old bear?"

"I'm not in the mood for your antics Cubbi."

Grammi is so tired by there constant bickering that she attempts to stop it from getting to a point where everybody in the Glenn is needed to separate the two.

"What antics? I'm not the one standing like fool by a tree that has no meaning for the traitor bear. Tell you what? Next year I'll go with you and we can share stories on how we both love and miss him. Oh isn't that what you already do with Sunny?"

Grammi jumps in between the two pushing Cubbi away.

"Enough Cubbi! Either you go back to sleep or leave!"

He grabs an apple from the table and takes a bite.

"No need. I just got up because I was hungry. I'll be leaving early to meet up with

Buddi. We're going to go over on how to make sure the Great Gummies arrive with little

to no interruption from Duke Igthorn."

"OK dear. Then goodnight."

Cubbi waves her and heads back to his room.

"I wish you two wouldn't fight so much."

"I don't know what's wrong with that kid."

"Maybe that's just it Gruffi. He's not a kid. Not anymore. All this time all you have

been doing is chasing Gusto that you've forgotten the one's who are here. You never

even congratulated him after he became a knight."

"I really don't want to talk about this. Not now. Not tonight."

"Then when Gruffi? When everybody around you decides enough is enough and leave

you? Will that be the time?"

Not wanting to continue with the conversation he gets up and heads into his room.

He closes the door behind him concluding his day.

Turning around is always the painful part but he does it any way.

His room was enriched in nothing but his past. Paintings hung all over that have been

drawn by the artist bear. The tears always build up around this time. He walks over to a

small table where there is a small painted picture of them all. It was the last of Gusto's

drawing. Picking up he takes a closer look. They were all so happy. Cubbi was still his

happy innocent look. Sunni was but a girl who was filled with both love and hope that is

now forever gone. Grammi looked less stress and a lot younger. Zummi being clumsy as

usual along with Tummi who had what is now a rare sight…a smile. Gruffi stood front

and center looking annoyed by the fact that he had to stand there for a portrait instead of

working. There was no sign of the artist since he was the one painting the picture. He

sometimes asked himself if Gusto had looked the way he imagined or had he forgotten

throughout the years. He puts the picture down and lies down on his bed ready to sleep.

The one thing that did warm his heart is that he could never forget the sound of his laugh.

His exhaustion from the days openings had made it is for the bear to drift off just to

awaken to another day without his friend.