Can we all take the time to appreciate the fact that I FORGOT MY MUM'S BIRTHDAY! What a terrible daughter I am. But don't worry; I've got something up my sleeve for tomorrow. I'll stop burbling now and let you get on with reading the next chapter!

Sapphire heard the door open and she looked up thinking it was Axel.

Suddenly, she froze.

It wasn't Axel.

A complete stranger walked into the room. A green frog.

"Good grief," he said when he spotted Sapphire.

Sapphire was trembling. "Who are you?" she asked fearfully. "Don't throw me out onto the streets, please, I beg you! Don't hurt me please!"

"Hey, hey, calm down, Saph," said a familiar voice.

Axel appeared and put his arm around Sapphire.

"This is Kermit, my dad," he said. "He owns this place, he's here to help."

Sapphire sat in stunned silence for a few seconds, but then she yelled: "You lied to me!"

"What?"

"You said you wouldn't tell anyone! You promised!"

"I had to; it's for your own safety! I couldn't keep you up here; I was worried something would happen to you!"

"I'm fine!"

"Oh really? When was the last time you ate?"

Sapphire was silent.

"Exactly. Now Dad doesn't mean any harm, he's trying to help."

Kermit moved forward. He bent down so he was around the same height as Sapphire.

"What's your name?" he asked.

Sapphire still looked afraid but she was willing to co-operate.

"Sapphire," she said.

"And why are you here?"

"My dad left me here."

"Your dad?"

"Yes sir, I'm Sam's daughter. Well…I was."

"Sam had a daughter? No way," Kermit said. "So, that's a problem. Don't you have a mother who can look after you?"

Sapphire shook her head, too choked up to speak. She looked like she was going to cry.

"Sapphire's mum died a while ago," Axel said softly.

"Oh…"

Luckily, they were saved from the awkward moment by Jasmine.

"Hey, what's – oh…" she finished abruptly when she realised what was going on. She turned to Kermit. "I guess he told you at last, Dad."

"Jasmine? You knew too?" Kermit asked disbelievingly.

Jasmine shrugged.

Unfortunately, Jasmine had a very loud voice, so soon she had attracted the attention of all of the Muppets. They all crowded around the entrance peering at Sapphire and loudly asking bewildered questions.

"OK! OK, since you've put me on the spot," Sapphire said. "I'll tell you all my story. My mum died a few months ago and my dad, Sam, hid me up here convinced that her death was my fault.

"It was a hard life, he often locked me in, forgot to feed me for days on end. One night, when I hadn't eaten for four days, a whole new record, I couldn't take it anymore. I was lonely, afraid and starved half to death, so I called out. And after hearing the reply, I begged them to come to the attic. That was when I met Axel."

Everyone stared at Axel so he continued the story.

"I tried to look after her, Dad, I really tried. I kept her company, snuck her food from time to time. I wanted to tell you sooner, but Saph was afraid and she made me promise I wouldn't.

"After what happened with Sam, though, I got worried, I knew it was time to tell." He turned to Sapphire. "I'm really sorry I broke my promise. It's just…I love you, Saph, I don't want to lose you."

Axel and Sapphire hugged tight.

"No, I'm sorry." Sapphire said. "I was stupid being this scared."

Kermit sighed. "Sapphire, I think it's time we did move you," he said gently.

Sapphire's head jerked. "You are throwing me out!" she cried. "I was just starting to trust you!"

"No! I'm not going to thr-"

"Dad, how could you?!" Axel snapped.

"I'm sorry, Axel, but we have to," Kermit said. "Sapphire needs someone to take care of her, she needs a home, and with this mistreatment, it's possible she could have a…eating disorder."

He turned to Sapphire. "Now, I'm not going to throw you anywhere, least of all the streets. I'm going to find a nice place where you can be looked after."

Axel and Sapphire glanced at each other worriedly.

"You don't mean…a care home?" Sapphire whimpered. "But…but…"

She gave up. She flopped against Axel and cried.

"I-I guess this is goodbye," she said to Axel.

"I hate goodbyes," Axel replied. He was fighting back tears himself.

"Me too," Sapphire said. "But I need to say thank you. You gave me hope, you were there for me, and I'd probably be dead without you."

Axel did cry then.

The two managed one final hug before Axel and Sapphire were torn away from each other forever.

Axel was comforted by Jasmine, and told by Kermit that he had 'done the right thing'.

But all Axel could think about was a beautiful girl with hair as gold as a summer's day and sad blue eyes with just a glimmer of hope.

Aww, *wipes away a tear* that almost wraps up this fanfic, but in order to complete it properly, I've got to have one more chapter. eH