Hey guys, sorry it's been so long, college got in the way. College comes first, sorry but that's just the way it is. I'm pretty much just trying to update this story at least once a month, I figure that gives me enough time to write more for this story. Okay, well this chapter is pretty short, but it has a lot of important stuff in it. Quality not quantity.

I froze for a beat, then I registered his question.

"Huh, Melody is this true? Are you afraid to go back to your village?" Hefty asked, befuddled with Gutsy's query.

I ignored Hefty for a second, "You overheard my conversation with Slouchy, didn't you?" I asked him quietly.

He nodded, "Ay lassie, I didn't mean t' eavesdrop on ya, but I heard ye were too scared t' go home."

I nodded back. I wasn't mad, I was just surprised and saddened that the truth would have to come out to the others so soon.

I turned away from Gutsy then, and brought my knees up to my chest. I crossed my arms over them and then rested my head on my arms. I glanced over to Hefty; he looked shocked with the information, but not outrageously so. I looked away then as I felt tears well up in my eyes. I just couldn't help it, my village's situation right now was hard to think about.

"Did you hear what I said about being too afraid to go somewhere because you don't know what it's like?" I asked timidly.

"Ay, I remember hearing you say dat." Gutsy replied.

"Right now I feel that way because…because I don't know what's smurfing for me, in my village." I replied in a wavering voice.

"How come?" Hefty, surprisingly, asked.

I couldn't reply, I was too choked up with tears. I was struggling with keeping them in; then the dam broke. A sob escaped my throat, and tears started to track down my face. Immediately Hefty and Gutsy were close by my side.

"Whoa Melody, you don't have to tell us if you don't want to." Hefty said as he patted my back.

"Ay lassie, we can forget all about this little conversation we had if ya want." Gutsy offered.

"N-No, I want to t-tell you guys, but all of it is hard to say." I explained tearfully.

"Just take your time then, Melody. We can wait as long as you need." Hefty said.

All I could smurf was a nod as I wiped away my salty tears. They waited, like they promised. When I was finally able to speak again, Hefty and Gutsy immediately gave me their full attention, if I didn't have it before.

"A-About a day before the hawk captured m-me in the woods, s-someone…attacked my village. H-He destroyed everything, and h-he even s-started a fire to burn everything e-else. He began c-capturing Smurfs and Smurfettes, and throwing them into a bag he h-had with him. I was so scared, for the first time in my life I was deaf. Smurfs rushed past me, but I couldn't hear anything, I couldn't call out, I felt mute. All I knew was that I had to smurf it out of there, and fast." I explained, my voice quivering.

"So I ran, I ran with the rest of the villagers; but I tripped, and when I looked back I saw the human towering over me. He was going to grab me, but I was too smurfed to move. Before he got me, Mama Smurfette pushed me out of the way, and he grabbed her instead. As soon as she was captured, I could hear again and I heard Mama yell to me. 'Run Melody, you have to run!' I screamed for her, he was taking Mama Smurfette! But I couldn't save her, so I ran. I ran away, I didn't help anyone, I should have tried to help.

"I should have done something, anything to scare that human away. I should have smurfed up one of my voices; but I didn't! It's my fault Mama got captured, I couldn't save her." I was sobbing now, crying harder with every passing second.

I couldn't save her, it's all my fault. I smurfed up so bad, Mama Smurfette is never going to forgive me, if she ever can.

Suddenly, I was being pressed close into a Smurf's chest, and I was hyperventilating. One quick glance up at the Smurf's arm told me Hefty was holding me. I buried my face into his shoulder and sobbed. I clung desperately to him as he tried to calm me down. He was softly shushing me, as he rubbed my back comfortingly. He whispered comforting words to me, but I wasn't really hearing him. Gutsy was also by my side, he had one hand resting on my shoulder.

"It's not your fault Melody," Hefty said to me gently, "it sounds to me like your Mama Smurfette would have done anything to protect her Smurfs, even at the cost of risking herself."

"Besides lass, what could ye have done? When something like that happens, it's easy to get confused. You're lucky you escaped lass." Gutsy said on my other side.

"B-But what if my freedom was at the expense of the ones I care about." My voice cracked towards the end, and more tears streamed down my face.

"That is what love is all about, giving your all to save those you care about." A voice said from behind the two Smurfs comforting me.

I looked over Hefty's shoulder, and saw Papa Smurf standing there, a gentle smile on his face. Hefty let me go, and rested his hand on my other shoulder, like Gutsy. I looked up at him tearfully, I couldn't speak at the moment. He knelt down before me, the gentle smile still on his face, and took my hands in his.

"Melody, your Mama Smurfette loved you all dearly, and like any other parent she wanted to keep you safe. A parent will do anything to keep their children safe, your Mama did and so would I for all of my children. Your Mama does not regret her decision to save you, she would have done the same for any of your fellow Smurfs. She would never consider it to be your fault either, Melody." Papa Smurf said as he wiped the tears from my eyes.

How does he know that? How does he know, that Mama would have that mindset? Does he…really understand Mama that well, just from hearing about her? Does that mean he would do the same thing for his Smurfs? I think…I think it does, he would act just like Mama did. He cares about his Smurfs the same as Mama cares for us.

"I…I was so scared Papa." I said as I wrapped my arms around him and clung to him.

"I know dear, I know." He said as he hugged me back.

We finished hugging and I started to wipe my remaining tears away, Papa Smurf stood back up, with the rest of us following suit.

"I'm sorry lass, I didn' mean to bring up painful memories for ya." Gutsy apologized, there was a regretful look in his eyes.

"I'm sorry too Melody, I didn't mean to pry." Hefty also sorrowfully said.

"It's okay you guys, Gutsy you were only being curious and also, a kind friend. I could tell you were worried about me when you asked, I appreciate your concern. I also appreciate your curiosity Hefty, it's nice to know that you guys want to know more about me, even if it's a sad subject." I gave them a small smile, the best one I had at the moment.