Wow! I was planning to make this story short and sweet, but it's turning out longer than I expected. Hope you don't mind!

Warning: this one contains panic attacks.

"Everybody! Up the cloud berry trees! Now!" Branch yelled.

Biggie with Mr. Dinkles, Guy Diamond with Tiny, Satin and Chenille, Cooper and his brother obeyed, but the kids The little ones all ignored Branch's warnings and went on picking berries or playing their happy games. The other grownups tried to grab them and lead to the safety of the trees, but the kids threw tantrums and refused to listen.

The scrimps were closing in on the group. "Everyone, run! NOW!" Branch ordered frantically.

Now that the monsters were in sight, nearly upon them, the kids screamed and ran in every direction. "NOO!" Branch shouted. He and Cooper and the rest tried to grab the little trollings and make a run for it, but it was too late! While Branch had managed to pull Chris to himself, he heard a pitiful scream and saw little Maple and Pita be crunched to death inside one of the beast's mouths. "Don't look!" He told Chris, covering the kid's eyes as he watched in horror.

Cooper and Prince Darnell managed to grab Shimmer Boy and Colin, but Guy Diamond couldn't reach little Honey Lemon in time. The evil scrimp swiped her with his hideous paw, killing her instantly with his claws. When she didn't move, he opened his jaws and pulled her into his mouth.

"No! No! This isn't happening!" Branch cried.

"HELP ME!" It was Jenny! Satin and Chenille were flying down to her with their joint hair, but she was trapped on her back, pinned beneath a sinister looking bludger! Branch passed Chris to Cooper and Prince D as they ran as fast as they could out of the berry patch. Branch to help Jenny. But she'd already been stung, a huge gash in her stomach and she was seizing.

"Jenny!" Branch gasped, trying to reach inside his backpack. But it wasn't there! The kids had swiped it when he'd been on the lookout, curious to see what fun things he had inside. He needed it now, but had no idea where it was! Then came another horrible scream as Guy Diamond was caught between two scrimps, tugging on his arms like a chew toy. Jenny was seizing in Branch's lap, her eyes became bloodshot, and a putrid orange goo came gurgling out of her mouth. "Jenny, no!" Branch turned her over onto her side and held her. Then a bone-chilling wheezing sound escaped her throat, and her small body stilled. "No! Jenny, no! We'll get you home!" Branch promised desperately. But it was no use. She was gone.

Branch watched Guy Diamond become scrimp chow, and everything around him shook violently like a tidal wave. He tried to get up, to help his friends, but his feet refused to move. He struggled to stand upright, but his legs were like bricks. No! His friends were dying around him. He was supposed to protect them! It was...his fault…

"Branch! Branch! Branch!"

No, no! It's my fault! I was supposed to take care of them! It's my fault.

"BRANCH!"

I was…

"BRANCH!"

A high-pitched voice hollered right down in his face, shaking him by the shoulders. The rough manhandling made his head pound.

"St-STOP!" Branch begged them. He abruptly sat up, causing a fiery jolt of pain to run through his belly and he felt dizzy. His head swam as his chest pounded. He felt like ice was being poured onto his body and he couldn't stop shaking.

"Branch! Are you okay? It's me, Poppy!" Poppy called to him She grabbed his face and held it still, trying to make eye contact. Branch noticed her beautiful, pink face but it was blurry. "Branch? Can you hear me?" Poppy asked worriedly.

"Y-yes." He nodded shakily.

"Hey, look at me." Poppy told him, not letting go of his face. Branch blinked to force his eyes into focus, and suddenly, there she was, her fair features clear and alluring as ever. "Branch, you with me?"

"Poppy? Where…are we?" Branch asked, between huge gasps of air.

"Home, Branch. We're in your bunker. You're in your bed. Are you okay? You were crying in your sleep, and hollering. Did you have a bad dream?" Poppy asked with concern, gripping his hands and squeezing them.

"I...I…" Branch panted profusely.

"Shh. I'm right here, Branch. Try to calm down. You're not alone." Poppy assured him, never letting go of his trembling hands.

"Th-thanks." Branch tried to speak, but his heart was beating out of control and every second felt harder and harder to get a full breath in.

"Branch? Look at me." Poppy said. Branch stared wide-eyed down at his hands. They wouldn't stop shaking. "Hey, look at me." Poppy said more firmly, tucking her fingers under his chin and directing him to face her until their eyes met, just like when they were trapped back in Chef's serving pot and she kept turning away his gestures of comfort. "You with me? Good. Now breathe with me. Come on. Breathe when I breathe." Poppy smiled encouragingly.

Branch stared at her with fright in his eyes, as if he was afraid she was going to disappear right in front of him! Come on! Come on, he told his heart, trying to calm it down but he couldn't. Not by himself.

"Come on, Branchifer. Breathe with me. Like this." Poppy closed her eyes. "Blue skies in...and gray skies out. Blue skies in...and gray skies out." Poppy continued to repeat these phrases over and over again, rubbing her thumbs in circles over his hands. This physical gesture began to soothe his body and he finally followed her lead. "That's it, Branchifer! You've got this!" Poppy smiled. "Come on, let's keep going."

Branch breathed in through his nose, blue skies in, and out through his mouth, gray skies out! He was still shivering, but breathing was becoming easier and not so much of a tumultuous struggle. He clung anxiously to Poppy's hands, and her hold never wavered. Soon, he was able to breathe normally again, but he looked quite shaken.

"That's my Branchifer. I told you you could do it!" Poppy praised him. Then she reached forward, and brushed some sweaty, bedraggled hair strands out of his face. He was sweating. "Feel better?"

"Yeah. Some." Branch nodded in a small voice.

"Good. Do you...want to talk about it?"

"No."

"Are you sure? It might make you feel better."

"No, it's okay. What I dreamed about wasn't real. That's not how things happened. So...I'm good." Branch pasted a sad smile.

"Okay," Poppy gritted her teeth, not believing that was the wisest choice, but she'd just gotten him calmed down and wanted to keep it that way. So, she let it go for now. "But it you want to, I'll listen. I'm here for you."

"I know that. Thank you." Branch said.

"Aww. You're still shaking. Here, let me get your housecoat. And some hot peppermint tea." Poppy began to hop off the bed but Branch grabbed her wrist.

"Poppy, wait!" He cried out frightfully. Poppy whirled around to face him, concern and confusion in her eyes. "S-sorry. I just...just...don't go." Branch hung his head shamefully, his ears drooping. "Will you stay with me? Please?"

"Of course, Branch." Poppy grinned sympathetically. She crawled back onto the bed, closer to him until his head was in her lap. "Always. I'll always be here when you need me." Poppy assured him, gently running her fingers through his hair.

"I was dreaming about...what happened at the berry patch."

"I thought you were." Poppy nodded. "You kept screaming that it was your fault. What was that about?"

"In my dream, not everybody made it out of there. The kids didn't listen to my warnings, and by the time the scrimps came, it was too late. Some of them got eaten. And Jenny...I couldn't save her!" Branch grimaced sorrowfully, starting to tremble again.

"Shh. It's okay, Branch. You did save her! You saved all of them!" Poppy reminded him cheerfully.

"Barely." Branch winced.

"Hush. You protected all of them, because that's what you do." Poppy's face fell. "I get it though. I've learned the hard way that sometimes, you...you can't always protect or save everybody." She said dismally. "It can make you feel so small, so...useless. But you know what I've learned through all of that?"

"What?" Branch mumbled.

"That all you can do is your best! Sometimes, that's enough. And sometimes...it's not. But you do whatever you can, whatever is in your hands to do. The rest, isn't up to us." Poppy said solemnly.

Branch looked up at her wearily, a proud smile on his bandaged, scarred face. "Who is this wise queen that just dropped from the stars, and what has she done with my pesky, pretty, positive Poppifer?" He asked flirtatiously. Poppy narrowed her eyes playfully and tousled his hair. Branch curled his fingers around hers and brought her hand to his lips and kissed it. Shivers of delight ran down Poppy's spine. She hadn't been expecting that! "I'm glad you're here, Poppy. I feel better now." Branch sighed.

"You do? I'm so glad. Try to go back to sleep. I'll stay with you." Poppy promised. She gently ran a finger up and down his nose then caressed little circles around his forehead.

Branch moaned heavily. It felt so good! His body settled and he felt sleep trying to take him. He stared up at Poppy, his blue eyes brimming with fond admiration. Gosh, she was so beautiful, and sweet, and kind! What had he ever done in his life to deserve her?

And then...she began to sing to him.

" Soft kitty

Warm kitty,

Little ball of fur,"

Branch's eyes widened and he gaped up at the pop queen. He hadn't heard that song for years! But he remembered it very well. His grandma had sung it to him endless times when he was little: whether he was missing his older brothers, having a nightmare, miserable in bed with a tummyache, running to her bed for cuddles in the middle of the night during a thunderstorm, getting discouraged when one of his projects didn't come together the way he'd hoped, the other kids made fun of his singing, or he heard a Bergen's footsteps outside the Troll Tree. A thousand memories wrapped into that song filled his chest with warmth but also longing. How he'd missed hearing it all of these years! He wasn't sure if anyone else knew it or cared to.

Poppy continued,

"Happy kitty,

Sleepy kitty,

Purr

Purr

Purr."

Poppy's soothing voice lulled his aching body, and soon he was asleep with a smile on his face.

But, sadly, that wasn't the last time that he had a disturbed sleep that night. He woke up three more different times from more nightmares about the skirmish with the scrimps. Not only that, but his leg was hurting, his belly hurt, and his head hurt. Every time, Poppy was right there, speaking kindly to him, holding his hands, helping him calm down, giving him his medicine and some hot chocolate, fluffing his pillows, getting him comfortable, and then singing him back to sleep. Finally, a few hours before dawn, he fell into a restful sleep.

Poppy decided to risk leaving him for a little while to take a quick nap and then make fresh coffee. She curled up on the couch, covering herself with a cozy blanket, and singing herself to sleep, which only took ten seconds.

Poppy wasn't sure what time it was, but it felt as if she'd only been asleep for a few moments when she heard the Snack Pack knocking on the big stone door on the surface.

"Poppy! Ya in there?" Cooper called.

"You coming up, Popster?" DJ Suki added.

"We brought presents!" Satin and Chenille hollered.

"We came to help!" Biggie chimed in.

"Ugh. I'm coming." Poppy groaned groggily, and slowly shifted herself off the couch. She trudged her way to the trap door.

"Poppy? It's us!" Guy Diamond shouted.

"We only have all day to stand here, Aunt Poppy!" Tiny exclaimed.

"Can't keep us out forever!" Smidge's growly voice pierced the morning quiet.

"I'm COMING!" Poppy yelled so they would hear her and stop banging on the door. She'd just gotten Branch actually settled for rest a short time ago, and the sleepy nurse felt like she would snap at her friends if they woke her poor sick man up again! Especially with all the noise they were making! The last thing she needed was for Branch to wake up with another panic attack!

"Guys! I hear you! Please quiet down!" She begged.