Find Shelter: Part Four (Epilogue)

Author's Note: I'm not sure how I feel about this one; it took FOREVER to write. I like, have these ideas, but it's so hard to string them all together, but I think it turned out mildly ok. I'm glad you all are liking this so far! It's different from ILYMM, but y'know, I think it's got its own charm, don't cha think? Anyways, without further ado, enjoy!

This wasn't the first time John Dory had started to go gray. It had happened once before.

He'd snuck back into Bergen town, keeping low as he watched the large creatures lumber about. It was about a week after Trollstice, so odds were they weren't going to be as vigilant as to the goings on at the Troll Tree. Despite this, John Dory moved carefully, making absolutely sure he wasn't seen approaching the tree. However he couldn't help but pick up the pace as he drew closer, his head swirling with worried thoughts.

He should have never left, he knew that. He'd just been so angry, so hurt… He had absolutely flipped out when Spruce and Clay had said they were quitting, and at that moment, he just had to get away. But after months out in the wilderness …maybe even years?… he'd come to the conclusion that he really messed up. He hated being alone, and he missed his brothers. He was ready to throw himself at his family, to apologize for everything, and hope that they could forgive him, even though he probably didn't deserve it.

But there was another thing too. Trollstice. He hadn't realized how close this all was to Trollstice. He'd tried to come back a week ago, but the tree was absolutely crawling with Bergens. He couldn't have made it back if he tried. So he waited; seven agonizing days until Trollstice had come and gone. And as he slunk through the town built for creatures twenty times the size of himself, he only had one thought on his mind:

He needed to see his brothers. He needed to know they were ok.

He reached the outer cage of the Troll Tree without being spotted, brushing himself off as he breathed a sigh of relief. He was safe inside here. Well, as safe as a troll could be in Bergen town. He turned around towards the tree, ready to start climbing, when he stopped dead in his tracks, feeling as if all the blood had drained from his face.

The ground surrounding the tree was torn up, deep gouges ripping across the earth like claw marks. Pods lay scattered and broken, their colors soiled by the mud and dirt covering them. And the tree… there were no lights. There were no sounds. It looked completely empty.

John Dory had felt his heart drop into his stomach, hardly registering as his feet began to move, racing across the torn ground and up the Troll Tree. There was no one. No colors, no music, nothing. But he didn't care. He had to see his brothers. They had to be there.

But they weren't.

Their pod was empty. Abandoned and quiet… more quiet than it had ever been. John Dory had desperately searched the pod. Then he searched the tree. Then he searched the tunnels that had somehow appeared underneath, each leading to devastating dead ends, collapsed by the creatures above. There was nothing. He had lost them. He had lost everything.

He'd walked back to the pod in a trance, laying down in his bed. No little hands grabbed him, begging for a story. No voices called out to him, asking about this or that. No music or laughter echoed through the halls. It was completely and utterly quiet. They were gone, and it was all his fault.

He probably cried. It was hard to remember.

John Dory stayed there for days. He couldn't bring himself to leave. He could hardly bring himself to move. He was alone. The color had left his world.

It wasn't until he noticed himself passing by one of Spruce's mirrors, the movement causing him to nearly jump out of his skin, that he seemed to jolt back to life. He could have sworn he saw his father. But it was just him, dark circles under his puffy eyes, skin ever so slightly muted and pale, his hair just a shade closer to matching his father's dark green. He had never looked more like his father than he did in that moment. And it scared him. He needed to leave.

He had grabbed every sentimental thing he could carry, shoving it in his camping pack until it was nearly bursting at the seams. He slung the bag over his shoulders, surprised it didn't pull him down to the floor. And he left.

He started running. And he never stopped.

That is, until now.

John Dory opened his eyes blearily, groaning as he pushed his head up from where it was resting against the steering wheel. He rubbed his face tiredly, looking around. He'd spent a better part of the night pacing around Rhonda, which he hoped hadn't been too annoying to his critter, before passing out in the driver's seat. He looked down at his hands, hoping maybe the hint of gray had disappeared overnight, but to no avail. He groaned again, letting his head fall back against the wheel.

This didn't make any sense. Last time he'd nearly turned gray, it was because he thought he'd lost his entire family, that they were all dead. Now, he literally had a perfect life. So why was this happening? John Dory shook his head, coming to the same conclusion he had last night.

It didn't matter why. He just had to make it stop.

John Dory forced himself to leap to his feet, his back voicing its complaints at his sudden movement. He ignored it, practically throwing the door open and stepping outside, stretching as he let out a yawn. Then, he planted his hands firmly on his hips, trying to drum up as much bravado as he could.

"Morning Rhonda!" he called cheerily, giving the large critter a pat. "Whew, crazy night, amiright?" She turned back to look at him, blinking her large eyes. If John Dory didn't know any better, he would say she looked almost concerned. "Aw, don't give me that look," he said, rubbing his forehead into her side. "I'm good. You know I've got a flair for the dramatics."

Just then, John Dory caught a glimpse of his new pod in his peripheral. He felt his ears droop down a bit, that heavy feeling in his gut again as guilt churned in his stomach. Branch had worked so hard to get it for him. He knew how much this meant to little brother, and yet, last night, he just couldn't stay there. Not after he'd already managed to scuff it up. He pursed his lips together, letting his gaze fall to the ground. What was he supposed to tell Branch?

Suddenly, John Dory noticed how bright it was starting to get. His heart skipped a beat, eyes flicking out towards the horizon. What time was it? He had been so caught up this morning, he hadn't even realized the time. The sunrise was going to start any minute! He quickly spun around, grabbing at his hair. "Ah, Rhonda! We're late! We gotta go, c'mon!" He took off into the woods, heading towards the hill as he heard Rhonda trot happily along after him.

By the time he reached the crest, he saw Branch already standing there, facing off into the distance and silhouetted by the growing light. His brother turned around, giving a small wave as John Dory approached. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but John Dory immediately cut him off.

"Sorry, I'm here!" he said breathlessly, his hands on his knees. "I'm here. Give me like, two seconds, and I'll get everything out. Rhonda? Rhonda, c'mere…"

"Woah, John, chill," Branch replied, holding up his hands in a calming fashion. "It's fine. We can just sit on the grass–"

"No no, I've got it," JD replied quickly, leaping inside Rhonda. Ok ok, two pillows, two blankets, big blanket… He went through a mental checklist, grabbing and hauling them all outside. He dropped them on the ground, hurriedly starting to spread them out, when he jolted to his feet again. "Ah! The hot chocolate! I forgot about the hot chocolate! Hold on!" He spun around to race back inside when Branch grabbed him by the back of his coat, pulling him back.

"Yeah, maybe that's not a good idea this morning," Branch said, a concerned look on his face. "You seem wired enough."

"What?" John Dory let out a nervous laugh. He looked into his brother's eyes, worry flashing between them, and tried to reel himself back a bit. He took a deep breath, attempting to regain his composure as he cleared his throat, adjusting the goggles on his head. "Uh, yeah. Sure. Maybe you're right," he conceded, slowly lowering himself to the ground and smoothing out the blankets before sitting on them uncomfortably. Branch stood still for a moment before sitting down as well, his body slightly stiff.

The sunrise started, and it took all John Dory had to keep his eyes focused on it. It was beautiful, as always, and he could feel his racing heart begin to steady as he watched. But the whole time, he could feel his little brother's apprehension, noticing the way he kept shooting looks over at him. JD started feeling apprehension prickle up his own neck as he stubbornly refused to look over at his brother. However, it became clear Branch wasn't about to let this go, so with a sigh, John Dory turned towards him.

"Sorry, B, I–" he began hesitantly, but his brother immediately cut him off.

"What's going on?" Branch practically demanded, shifting his body so he could face his older brother.

"I… don't know what you're talking about," John Dory replied, turning his gaze away innocently.

"You ran up here like somebody set your hair on fire," Branch said in a monotone voice, his eyes narrowed. "And your 'John Doryness' is cranked up to, like, level ten right now."

"John Doryness?" JD repeated, bewildered. "What in the heck does that even mean?"

"It means something's got you on edge," Branch replied smoothly, jabbing a finger towards JD's chest. "I just want to know what."

"I'm not on edge. I'm just… hyped up this morning," JD insisted, leaning back against his arms and turning his gaze back out towards the sunrise. "Also, you're missing the sunrise, so, you might want to fix that."

"John," Branch said, his voice firm. "You're doing that thing again."

"Oh yeah?" JD replied, shooting his brother a side eye. "What thing is that?"

"Deflecting. You're deflecting. We talked about this," Branch said in an exasperated voice, rubbing his forehead. "And you said you were going to try to stop doing it."

"I'm not deflecting," John Dory grumbled defensively, sitting up a bit straighter. "I was just worried I was going to miss the sunrise, alright? And I was mucking it all up because I was late."

"Uh huh…" Branch replied, unconvinced. "Look, John Dory, clearly it's a bit more than just 'being late to the sunrise,' which you weren't even late to. What's really bothering you?"

John Dory went to speak, but felt the words die in his throat. He didn't really have a good explanation. At least, not one that didn't include his little freak out in his new pod yesterday. So his jaw just kind of snapped shut, and he didn't say anything.

"Right…" Branch mumbled, looking frustrated as he faced back out towards the sunrise. After a moment of silence, he let out a groan, turning back to JD. "Ok, we're just going to give this a whirl. John?" JD perked up a little at the change in Branch's tone. The younger troll seemed to hesitate for a moment, looking uncomfortable, before continuing, speaking slowly. "I feel like something's bothering you, and when you deflect like this, it makes me… worried."

John Dory blinked, completely confused.

"Look, Poppy's just having me try this new thing. This, 'talk about my feelings' thing, or whatever." Branch rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "So we don't have anymore… incidents like before."

JD nodded, memories of a storm, Branch's bunker, running through the pouring rain, and a collapsing cave. The thought made him shiver.

"Anyways, I feel like you're hiding something," Branch continued. "And I want you to be honest with me."

"I…" John Dory stammered, completely taken aback.

"Is it the pod?" Branch asked. "Or the photos from last night? Did I do something wrong?"

"No!" John Dory shouted, a little too loudly. He cringed slightly, toning himself back a bit. "No no, Branch, it's nothing, alright?"

"Clearly it's something," Branch pushed. "You can just tell me, I'll understand–"

"It's me!" John Dory practically spat out the words, his jaw tight with frustration. "It's not you, it's not anything ok, it's just… me." Branch sat back, as if waiting for an explanation. So JD forced himself to speak.

"I, hoo, ok, I am just… working through some stuff right now. Stuff I can handle on my own." He attempted to give Branch a reassuring smile, hoping it might put his younger brother's mind at ease. "So you don't have to worry about me, ok? If I need help, I'll ask. Alright?"

Branch seemed to scan his face, as if looking for a hint of a lie. John Dory hated that his brother felt the need to do that. He hated that it was justified. After a second, Branch let out a sigh. "You promise?" he asked, a quiet intensity behind his words.

After a momentary pause, JD nodded. "I promise," he replied, his brother seeming to relax ever so slightly at his words.

"Ok," Branch said, looking a bit relieved. But he still turned to give JD a hard look. "Just, don't wait until we're buried in a cave to talk to me this time, ok?"

John Dory smiled, patting his brother on the shoulder. "You got it, B."

Branch nodded, seemingly satisfied, before he squinted at John Dory. "You sure you're feeling ok? You still look a little pale–"

"I'm going to visit Bruce!"

JD was just as surprised by his outburst as Branch was, the words just seeming to leap from his mouth.

"You are?" Branch replied, confused.

"Yep!" John Dory continued. I just decided about two seconds ago… "Just uh, thought it might be nice, y'know? See how he and Floyd are doing." However, the more he thought about it, the more it made sense. He clearly couldn't stay here right now, what with his perfect pod he couldn't step foot in. Plus, he was stressing Branch out as well, which wasn't good. And if Branch started to catch on to John Dory's little… problem… No, he needed to chill, and there was no one who knew how to chill better than Bruce. "You want to come with, Bitty B? I'm sure Bruce and Floyd will be happy to see you!" he said, already feeling slightly better now that he had a plan.

Branch's face brightened at the invitation, but he slowly shook his head. "Sorry, I already promised Poppy I'd help her out over the next few days. Apparently there's a lot of parties happening, and she has a tendency to… overdo it sometimes."

"Pft, I can believe that." JD laughed, reveling in the way his brother's face seemed to soften at the mention of his girlfriend. He really was head over heels for her, and it was adorable. "Well, I'll let the bros know you said hi," he said, standing up. He looked out at the now completely risen sun. "If I leave now, I'll bet Rhonda and I can make it there before sunset."

Branch climbed to his feet as well, reaching up into his hair. "Here," he said, passing JD an envelope. "I was going to send this to them, but if you're already going to visit…"

"Aw, are you guys pen pals?" John Dory teased, causing Branch to roll his eyes.

"Just take it to them," he muttered. John Dory saluted him cartoonishly, causing Branch's scowl to deepen. He then got a dark look on his face, like he was remembering something he didn't want to. "I'll uh, see you when you get back then."

John Dory knew that look. He walked over to his brother, wrapping him in a side hug, which Branch begrudgingly accepted. "Don't you worry, Bitty B. You can't get rid of me that easily. I'll see you later, ok? You've got the JD guarantee," he said, ruffling his younger brother's hair until it was a giant mess. He licked his hand, mimicking like he was going to smooth it down, and Branch quickly made his escape.

"Ugh, just go, you idiot," he grumbled, fixing his hair with a huff. John Dory winked at him, starting to climb into Rhonda when Branch piped up again. "Oh, hold up!" John Dory leaned out the side of Rhonda as Branch seemed to spring to life with excitement. "You should invite them to come visit. We could give you a pod-warming party! Just between all of us, of course."

"A.. party?" JD asked, feeling as if ice were starting to crawl into his veins.

"To celebrate you finally having your own home," Branch replied, his eyes dancing with enthusiasm. He shot an affectionate glance at Rhonda. "No offense to Rhonda. I think it could be just the thing to make your pod feel like a real home, don't you think?"

John Dory's face hurt from the way his jaw clenched tightly in a strained smile. "I… don't think there's any reason why we couldn't," he said finally.

Branch's ears perked up, his eyes practically sparkling. But he seemed to rein himself in, shrugging nonchalantly. "Cool, cool. Glad we're on the same page." He cleared his throat. "Anyways, safe travels. I'll see you when you get home." He began walking off towards Pop Village, humming to himself as he did.

"Yeah," JD said, his entire body growing heavy as he thought about his perfect pod. "Home…" He shook his head, giving one last wave before he and Rhonda took off, heading towards Vacay Island.

As JD drove, the conversation between him and his brother now replaced with the quiet rumble of Rhonda, he felt his thoughts begin to turn grim. Was he… running away again? No, it wasn't running away. He was trying to solve a problem. A huge problem. He was turning gray, and he needed it to stop. He couldn't go on like this. Not when everything was finally going well for him. Maybe, just maybe, Bruce would be able to help put things in perspective. That man did have a way with words.

He pushed in an old BroZone tape, listening to the music play as Rhonda made her way down the road. And for the first time in a long time, John Dory didn't really feel like singing.