Disclaimer - I don't own Harvest Moon.

Her

Once again, his grandfather was shouting at him.

However, this time even Gray could admit that he had a pretty genuine reason. He'd been bringing the hammer down over and over again onto a sickle that belonged to - who else? - but Jack. And of course he couldn't concentrate at all. Soon enough, his attention had wandered just far enough to turn the metal into a burnt, twisted mess that would be no use to anyone, and that was when Saibara started yelling.

Normally, Gray would have just muttered something scathing under his breath, then repaired the damage.

But not today, today was different. Today he shouted back. It was mostly incoherent rambling, but it felt good to just let his emotions out.

Unfortunately, things went wrong when it came to the dramatic finale of throwing down his hammer and storming out. The hammer caught his thumb, for one thing, causing pain to shoot all the way up his arm and a variation of curses to come frothing from his mouth. Then, to top things off he pushed the hammer aside (still swearing) and felt a horrible stinging sensation as the sickle sliced into his hand.

Apparently it wasn't completely useless.

As Gray just stood, watching warm, dark blood trickle down his arm, Saibara stormed across the floor and into his tiny bedroom. He emerged a second later carrying a grubby, grey cloth.

"Put this over it," he instructed his grandson gruffly. "And get yourself to the Clinic. It's not like you're getting any work done here..." As his words died away, the old man wandered back to the anvil, sighing, as Gray made a hasty exit.

The street outside was refreshingly cool in comparison with the shop, which was always sweltering. Gray was almost grateful to get away from it. It was a bright, but frosty early Fall morning and Gray was almost tempted to avoid the Clinic all together and just wander off somewhere. He almost did, too, but his injured hand was now throbbing painfully and he decided he'd better go just in case. Knowing his luck it was probably getting infected...

He turned the corner that led onto the path heading North, throwing his grandfather's rag into the bushes as he did so. Putting that onto the wound was just asking for trouble really; he'd simply say he lost it.

The town was unusually quiet as Gray walked along. Sure, it was early, but there was normally someone about. All he could hear today, though, were the faint chirping of the few birds that ventured away from Mother's Hill. In fact, when he turned onto the road that ran along North Mineral Town, he noticed that even Rick and Karen were absent from their usual bench.

It was odd, but then, he thought, if there were less people around at least he would be spared the embarrassment of having to explain what had happened.

"Gray? Hey, wait a second!"

It was her - Mary. He knew her voice instantly and it sent a strange shiver running through him. A shiver that was now just a pointless, painful motion, as far as he was concerned. After all, she was a married woman, so how could he act on feelings like that?

Gray turned to see Mary stood by the open door of the Library. As usual her long, dark hair was pulled back into a braid and her thick glasses seemed to highlight her soft grey eyes all the more. And, of course, she was smiling. Just as she always did.

"Oh - hello," he mananged stammer, once he'd found his voice. "Er...nice day, isn't it?" Suddenly, he wished his voice had stayed hidden.

But Mary was perfectly kind about his nervousness. "Oh, it's lovely," she agreed. "I thought I might go and do some writing outside this afternoon, actually - "

"What about the Library?" Gray blurted out without thinking. His cheeks burned as he wished someone had gagged him for real. Why did he have to say anything? It was not like he even went there anymore.

Yet again Mary managed to be unbelievably tactful. "Well, Jack's always saying I should be taking more time off," she mused aloud. "And I've got say I quite - quite - " She broke off, starting to frown.

"What?"

"Gray, your hand!" she cried. "What on earth happened to it?"

He tried to explain, pointing out that he was fine, but soon Mary was bustling about trying to help and insisting she'd take him to the Clinic. Gray tried to protest to this, but his weak argument was lost completely when she grabbed his good arm (he wasn't about to complain about that) and yanked him along (well...she was scarily strong for such a small woman).

"I was going anyway," Gray explained feebly, as he was dragged through the Clinic door.

Soon, he was explaining the story over again to Elli and Doctor Tim, and creating wildly imaginative excuses for why he didn't come in straight away. The fact that he'd bumped into the now off-limits love of his life may have been true, but he certainly wasn't confessing that to all present. Or anyone ever, for that matter.

It quickly transpired that he would need stitches for the wound, so while he had them put in, Mary stayed in the waiting room with Elli. Gray had told her not to bother from the start, but she wouldn't listen and was actually insisting on accompanying him home later. He'd wanted to die with embarrassment when she'd suggested that.

But it soon became apparent that Mary staying behind to wait was actually a very lucky thing. Just as the Doctor finished the stitches there was cry from the waiting room and Elli came rushing in. "Doctor, come quick!" she uttered breathlessly. "Mary's collapsed, it was completely out of the blue."

Before he knew it, Gray was being ushered out and Mary ushered in. There were suggestions of him going to fetch Jack, but he was too sick with fear to move. Instead, he stayed alone in the waiting room, pacing back and forth, desperate for knowledge. He just couldn't understand what had happened, as she'd been fine earlier. Hadn't she? Or had he just not been paying enough attention? Most of all he prayed to the Goddess that she'd be fine...she had to be...please...

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A few hours later, Gray left the Clinic. And he wasn't alone.

He'd been asked to accompany Mary back to the farm to deliver the 'good' news to Jack.

She was pregnant.