Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to these characters or this gaming world that it takes place in.
Gill woke up to the sound of birds chirping. The sun was shining, and the clinic cot that he had fallen asleep next to was made. Wait, what? Angela was gone? Gill jumped out of his chair and rubbed his eyes. What was she going to do? Who knew what her mindset was like? She had gotten a bump on the head, but sometimes a bump was all it took to make her forget everything she had ever been. Filled with worry, Gill's heart raced. What if she had wandered off? She could have easily drowned without someone there to watch her. Why hadn't he woken up? Everyone was probably still sleeping, and even if somebody found her, Gill felt like it was his responsibility. Nobody could care for her like he wanted to. Gill saw a piece of paper on the table next to him out of the corner of his eye. He swiftly took it from its place and scanned it.
'Dear Gill,'
Well, she remembered who he was. That was a start.
'If you're reading this, I have a message from your mother.'
She really was crazy. He had to go find her before she started spouting nonsense of seeing ghosts to the rest of the townspeople. It would devastate his father and humiliate him.
'Gilly-Bear.'
Gill froze.
'My my, how big you've gotten. I've been watching you, ever since I passed. I watched you grow older, and I watched you grow colder. I was ashamed when I saw the way you looked at Angela. I raised you to be such a nice little boy. I gave you love, and taught you to love others. When did you lose your love, Gilly-Bear? When did you lose me?'
Gill looked out of the window for a moment, holding back tears. Gill's brain refused to function for a moment. Nobody knew that his mother used to call him that. Angela had been telling the truth. She had seen his mother, and his mother had brought her back.
'Believe me when I say that I would have come back to you if you would have left me. I have never left you, and I will not leave you until I'm certain that the son I raised, the boy I was proud to call my son, is back. Will you come back, Gilly-Bear? I don't want you to lose anymore than you have already. But if you're not careful, you may lose the only chance at happiness you'll have.'
Gill's eyes snapped up. He heard the helicopter that had landed just one week ago start.
"Angela!" Gill shouted, dropping the paper to the ground. He grabbed the handle of the Clinic and fumbled with it. Finally, it turned, and Gill burst out of the clinic, running back to the beach where the helicopter was now off of the ground.
"Angela!" Gill shouted again, running as fast as he could. Some of the villagers waving goodbye turned to look at him. Luna was the first to join Gill in calling her name. The helicopter rose slowly off of the ground. It was a good twenty feet in the air now, and rising.
"Angela!" Gill screamed. The door of the helicopter opened, and Angela looked down. Her eyes widened as she saw the entirety of the town looking at Gill. Angela looked at him, still rising. Everybody was waiting.
The seconds seemed like minutes. Gill's heart raced inside of him. She couldn't leave, she would never come back. She had to stay because-
"I love you!" Gill shouted. Everyone was silent. The helicopter went higher and higher. Angela's face faded from view as they flew across the ocean. Gill's heart sank. He fell to his knees. It was all over.
Then, Candace screamed. Gill looked up.
Angela was standing on the outside of the helicopter, over the ocean. She jumped. Gill, breathless, jumped up and frantically waded into the ocean. He started swimming in her direction as fast as he could. The islanders cheered him on, and Toby scrambled to get out his father's motorboat. Gill searched and searched. He didn't see Angela. She had to have resurfaced already, didn't she? The ocean was deep... was she lost forever beneath the current? She couldn't be. No. As Gill swam, he had to believe that she was okay. His heart told him.
Gill kept on swimming for what seemed like forever before Angela's head broke the surface. She gasped for air and saw Gill only twenty feet away. Gill swam up to her and embraced her. He was breathing heavily, wishing he had at least taken his pants off for the swim. Gill let her go, and Angela laughed happily. Gill grinned and stroked her face.
"Please," Gill said, "Don't leave me like this." Angela looked into his eyes, her smile fading.
Gill pulled Angela close, and kissed her. He never wanted to let go. Her lips were cold and tasted like salt, but he didn't care. Angela let herself be pulled closer and kissed him back, letting her heart finally be free. Gill heard a motorboat and pulled away. Toby grinned at the two as Angela blushed and Gill cleared his throat.
"Need a ride?"
The Harvest Goddess watched from above with a large smile. She dabbed at her eyes.
"Oh, I just love happy endings," she said through tears of joy, "I've got to tell Maryanne."
The Harvest Goddess left her mirror just as Angela and Gill were pulled up into Toby's boat to be taken safely to shore. She walked through her house to one of the very back rooms. Inside was a cradle. The Harvest Goddess watched happily as a toddling Maryanne used the bars of her cradle to stand up. Maryanne beamed. The Harvest Goddess picked up Maryanne and walked her back over to the mirror.
"See that, Maryanne? There was your human." The Harvest Goddess pointed. Maryanne laughed an infectious laugh, grabbing hold of her bright yellow dress. "He doesn't need you anymore, but soon, his child will. As you wished, you will be given to their child. You won't have to wait long. A few seasons perhaps."
Maryanne reached out at the mirror. The Harvest Goddess sighed.
"To think, I'll have to teach you all of this again." Maryanne made a gurgling noise. The Harvest Goddess looked down at her. Then, she got an idea.
"Maybe I won't teach you again..." The Harvest Goddess ventured, "In fact, I think I'll let someone else teach you this time."
A few years later...
"Good Morning Honey!" Angela whispered across the bed, "It's time to get up!"
Gill yawned and stretched his arms over his head happily. His soft blue eyes gazed at Angela with all of the love he could possibly give. Angela beamed back, and kissed her husband lightly before getting out of bed.
"I'll make you lunch. I know it's going to be a busy day with that new family moving in." Angela said. Gill laughed quietly and slowly sat up. He looked at his clock; 7:00 AM. He went over to the dresser and put on a white shirt and khakis. He left off the sweater vest. He realized that if he got something on the white shirt, he could just cover it with the vest before going to work to avoid having to change his entire outfit. Being a parent was messy, this he had learned quite quickly.
Gill rubbed his eyes and walked up the stairs. He could see a soft light coming from the early morning cartoons that the island picked up. Gill heard a laugh, and smiled.
"Maryanne?" Gill softly called out. A little girl with an impossible amount of brown ringlets turned her head. Her sharp green eyes lit up.
"Good Morning, Daddy!" Maryanne said excitedly, jumping into her father's arms. She embraced him and gave him a swift kiss on the cheek.
"Daddy daddy, guess what!?" Maryanne laughed, "I drew on the paper and not the floor like a good girl this time! And and I used ALL the colors and I even stayed inside- inside the- the lines! I drew you and Mommy and the Harvest Goddess! I drew Papa Hammy and and I drew me!" Maryanne scrambled down her father to grab the picture.
Gill smiled as he looked at it, but noticed that she had used a black crayon to color herself in. Gill laughed.
"Honey, why did you color yourself black?" Gill questioned, "Auntie Maryanne is, but you aren't." Maryanne beamed.
"That's how it- that's- that- I'm like that! We're all like that!" Maryanne said. Gill laughed and ruffled Maryanne's hair.
"Come on, Mommy's making breakfast." Gill said with a smile.
Maryanne raced down the stairs and embraced her mother. Gill watched affectionately as the love of his life embraced the most beautiful thing on the island. He felt... complete.