The couple pulled away from each other, but something was off. The quiet between Poppy and Branch stretched on, thick with unspoken words. The party was still underway outside, the sound of laughter and music faintly filtering through the walls of the Pod. But inside, Poppy's heart felt heavy, weighed down by a fear she hadn't fully admitted to herself until now.

"I just keep thinking about the Hard Rock tour," Poppy said, trembling. Her words came out slowly, each one laced with anxiety. She pulled her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them. "It's not just what happened to you, Branch. It's... it's everything. Queen Barb, the Rock Trolls—what if it's not over? What if she hasn't really changed?"

Branch frowned, concern etching into his face as he sat beside her. "Poppy, we've been over this. Barb apologized. She handed over her guitar. She's been working with the other Troll tribes to keep the peace. She's trying."

"But what if she's not?" Poppy's voice cracked, and she shook her head, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "What if it's all an act? What if she's just waiting for the right moment to try again? To take over? She almost destroyed everything, Branch. And I was this close to losing you."

Branch's expression softened as he reached for her hand, but she pulled it away, trembling.

"You saw how determined she was. How far she was willing to go. I can't stop thinking about it. What if it's not really over? What if she's just biding her time? And next time..." She swallowed hard, her voice barely above a whisper. "Next time, I might not be able to stop her."

"Poppy," Branch said gently, leaning closer, "you're letting your fears get the best of you. Barb's different now. It was hard to trust her initially, but she's proven herself. She's even joined some of the council meetings! If she were planning something, don't you think we'd see it?"

Poppy looked up at him, her eyes brimming with tears. "You don't understand, Branch. I don't just see her. I see what could've happened—what almost happened. I see you, with that blank look in your eyes, turned into one of her rock zombies. I see a world where she wins, and everyone loses. I see you slipping away, and I can't stop it." Her voice broke, and she buried her face in her hands, her shoulders shaking. "What if it's not over? What if it happens again, and I lose you for real now?"

Branch's heart ached as he watched her crumble. He reached out and gently pulled her hands away from her face, holding them tightly in his. "Poppy, look at me. Look at me." She hesitated but finally met his eyes, her lip trembling. "I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere. Barb's not who she used to be. She made big mistakes, but she's trying to make things right. And even if she weren't, even if she tried something again, we'd stop her. Together."

Poppy sniffled, shaking her head. "You don't know that. You don't know what she's planning or what's in her heart. What if she's fooling all of us? What if she takes you away from me again? I can't—" Her voice cracked, and she let out a shaky breath. "I can't go through that again, Branch. I can't lose you."

"You won't lose me," Branch said firmly, his voice steady but full of emotion. "I'm not going anywhere. You've got to trust me, Poppy. Trust that we can handle whatever comes our way, just like always."

Poppy stared at him, her tears spilling over. "But what if I can't stop her? What if I'm not strong enough? What if I fail you, Branch?"

Branch's heart broke at the pain in her voice. He cupped her face, his thumbs gently brushing away her tears. "Poppy, you're the strongest Troll I know. You've faced every challenge with courage and kindness, even when it scared you. You don't have to carry this fear alone. I'm here, and we'll face whatever comes next together. You're not alone in this."

Poppy closed her eyes, leaning into his touch as more tears fell. "I want to believe that, Branch. I do. But it's so hard to shake this feeling. I love you so much, and that makes it so much scarier. What if loving you this much makes me weak?"

Branch shook his head, his voice soft but resolute. "It doesn't make you weak, Poppy. It makes you stronger. Love is what gives us the courage to fight for what matters. And you've got more of it than anyone I've ever met. Don't let fear take that away from you."

For a long moment, Poppy just let herself cry, her head resting against his shoulder as he held her close. The sound of the party outside had faded, leaving only the quiet of the Pod and the steady rhythm of Branch's heartbeat beneath her cheek.

"I just don't know if I can trust Barb," she murmured after a while, her voice small. "And I don't know if I can trust myself to keep you safe."

Branch kissed the top of her head, his arms tightening around her. "Then trust me, Poppy. Trust that I'll always return to you no matter what happens. And trust that we'll face whatever comes next together. Okay?"

Poppy didn't answer immediately but nodded slowly, tears beginning to subside. "Okay," she whispered, her voice shaky but sincere.

As they sat together in the quiet, the weight of her fears didn't disappear completely, but it felt slightly lighter for the first time.

The welcome-back party was in full swing, the air alive with laughter, music, and clinking cups of glitterberry juice. Trolls of all tribes mingled, sharing stories of their recent adventures. Confetti rained down from above, thanks to Cooper's improvised "Confetti Cannon 3000," which occasionally misfired and coated unsuspecting Trolls in glitter.

"Oops, my bad!" Cooper shouted cheerfully as the cannon went off again, blasting Biggie's hair with a cloud of sparkles.

Biggie sighed, holding Tiny Diamond out at arm's length to protect him from the fallout. "Can we not have one party where I don't end up looking like a disco ball?"

"Where's the fun in that?" Cooper replied, winking before bouncing off to reload the cannon.

Amid the chaos, Queen Viva stood at the snack table, frowning as she watched the door to Poppy's Pod. It had remained firmly shut for hours despite her and Branch's earlier attempts to coax Poppy out.

"Do you think she's okay?" Viva asked skeptically, her arms crossed as she glanced at Branch, who was standing nearby. "She's usually the first to hit the dance floor, not the one hiding in her Pod like a sad burrito."

Branch ran a hand through his hair, his brow furrowed with worry. "She said she needed time, but... I don't know. This isn't like her. She's usually all about keeping the party going, and now—"

"She's the reason we're throwing the party and not even here," Viva finished, grabbing a cupcake and taking an angry bite. "I don't like it."

Guy Diamond, overhearing the conversation, slid in dramatically. "Maybe she's just recharging her sparkle, darling. Even Poppy can't be sunshine all the time. Trust me, I know." He flicked his hair for emphasis, sending glitter everywhere. "Glam is a full-time commitment."

"It's not that," Branch muttered, his voice low. "She's still shaken up from the Hard Rock tour. About what happened to me. And... she doesn't trust Barb."

At the mention of Barb, Viva raised an eyebrow. "Oh, come on. Do you mean to tell me she's still holding onto that? Barb's been playing nice for months now. She even sent us that fruit basket. The pineapple was a little aggressive-looking, but the thought counts."

Branch sighed. "It's not just Barb. Poppy's scared of what might happen if things go wrong again. She's scared of losing people. Losing me."

Viva's expression softened, and she set her cupcake down. "Okay, but hiding in her room isn't helping anyone. She needs us to remind her who she is. She's Poppy. Queen of Positivity. The Troll who literally hugs problems away."

Guy Diamond gasped. "We should stage a hug intervention! A Hugtervention!"

Biggie, still picking glitter out of his hair, frowned. "You really think crowding her with hugs will make her feel better? Because I'm not cleaning up another group hug pile."

Smidge stomped over, her tiny but mighty voice cutting through the chatter. "We don't need hugs. We need action! Let's drag her out and force her to sing a power ballad. Nothing fixes a bad mood like a dramatic song!"

"Or maybe," Viva said dryly, "we don't ambush her with hugs and power ballads. Let's just talk to her. Like adults."

Cooper bounced over with another confetti cannon. "Or we could blow the door off her Pod and yell, 'We're worried about you, Poppy!' Really loud. That's how I get my siblings to open up."

Branch groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Okay, nobody's blowing anything up. Or yelling. Or singing—yet." He paused, glancing back at the Pod. "Let me check on her first. If she's still not ready to come out, then... maybe we can try the Hugtervention."

Guy Diamond clapped his hands, sending another burst of glitter into the air. "It's settled! But don't wait too long Branch. This glitter isn't going to stay fresh forever."

As Branch walked toward the Pod, Viva watched him go, muttering. "This family sure knows how to make everything dramatic. At least there's cake." She grabbed another cupcake and returned to the party, where Cooper accidentally fired confetti at the punch bowl.

Branch reached the door, hesitated for a moment, and knocked gently. "Poppy? Everyone's worried about you. Even Biggie and you know how he gets around glitter."

From inside, there was silence, followed by a muffled voice. "I'm fine. Just... tell them to enjoy the party without me."

Branch sighed, leaning against the door. "Poppy, they won't enjoy it if you're not there. You're the reason we're celebrating. You don't have to be perfect, but... we need you. I need you."

For a moment, there was no response. Then, faintly, Poppy's voice came through the door. "Branch... you think Biggie's really covered in glitter?"

Branch chuckled softly. "Oh yeah. He's sparkling like a disco ball."

A small, weak laugh came inside the Pod, and Branch smiled. "Take your time, Poppy. But just so you know... there's still some cake left. And Guy Diamond's already planning something called a Hugtervention. So, you know... no pressure."

Viva yelled From behind him, "You better hurry, Poppy, or Cooper's gonna replace your glitterberry juice with confetti punch!"

Branch smiled as he heard Poppy let out a genuine laugh. It wasn't much, but it was a start. And that was enough for now.