1Title: Raindrop Hearts

Rating: K

Category: General/Romance

Pairings: ;)

Summary: When Grumpy Bear is in one of his moods EVERYONE always wants him to talk through it. This time though, a certain someone tries something a little different.

Spoilers: None

Notes and Disclaimer: All rights and properties belong to Nelvana and Dic. This was inspired by both the fanfiction work of Fauna Greywolf and my habit of constantly playing Tim McGraw's 'She's my Kind of Rain'. :) Takes place about a month after the end of the first movie.

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Grumpy Bear didn't know why she had done it.

A serious disagreement with Tender Heart Bear over arrangements for Funshine Bear's birthday party had caused Grumpy to retreat to the farthest cloud behind the Hall of Hearts he could find. Once there he had sat down, conjured a medium-sized rain cloud from his tummy and glared out into the open sky in front of him as his own personal raindrops pelted him from above.

It was a miserable setting. One that had only served to prove his miserable mood.

So why had she decided to share it with him?

He glanced over and saw that the rain had matted her fur and plastered her ears to the back of her head. She hadn't tried to shake herself dry or anything yet. Any other Care Bear or Care Cousin surely would have by now, once they had tried their best to sooth him and 'make him feel better'.

Swift Heart had done neither, opting instead to just sit beside him in silence and send an occasional quick look his way. Grumpy Bear sensed that she wanted to talk but for some reason she didn't. Maybe because she knew that he didn't want to? That would be nice. Most of his Family was so concerned about comforting him when he got into one of his moods that they never stopped to consider if he even WANTED to be comforted.

It was strange though. Swift Heart was usually so full of life and energy that sitting still seemed almost impossible for her. She always had to be running around, playing or laughing. It had been that way since the Care Bears had declared the Cousins family about a month earlier. Calm silence from Swift Heart was kind of like calm silence from a giant waterfall. It just didn't seem natural.

Not that her peaceful presence was unpleasant. Grumpy Bear was just more used to the livelier side of the rabbit. He wasn't sure how to handle the calmer side yet.

He shifted on the cloud and put a paw under his chin. Maybe she was waiting for him to say something first like everyone else usually did. So Grumpy Bear muttered –more to the raindrops than Swift Heart-, "Birthdays are always very important to Tender Heart. He wants everyone to have a good time and the Bear of honor to have a day he won't forget. I'M the one who forgot about that and got mad about all the things he wanted me to do. He wanted everything to be perfect and I just didn't feel like being perfect."

Swift Heart remained silent for a few more moments before she gently said, "You don't have to explain anything to me, Grumpy Bear."

He turned and stared at her in surprise. "What? I don't?"

She smiled. "No."

That was certainly something he hadn't heard before. Grumpy Bear wondered for all of three seconds how he was supposed to respond before his brain, already used to these conversations with the other Bears and Cousins, decided for him. "I'm used to explaining myself. Everyone else…they always want to know why I'm down and why I'm hurt or angry. They want me to talk and smile and feel better, even if I don't feel like it."

The rabbit's nose twitched at these words and she tilted her head to look up at the rain cloud above. She seemed a little far away but nevertheless repeated, "You don't have to explain anything to me."

Huh. Now annoyed, Grumpy turned back to the raindrops in front of him and rubbed his chin. Well, if Swift Heart didn't want him to talk about his feelings then what was she doing there?

"Maybe you're the one who should explain some things to me," he informed her without taking his eyes from the raindrops.

Swift Heart hesitated at the harshness in his voice. "Like what?"

Grumpy Bear gawked at her and she giggled at how funny he looked. Then he frowned and demanded, "Are you serious?"

She nodded. "Sure. What do you want to know?"

Grumpy Bear wondered if she was trying to trick him. They hadn't known each other that long and he knew how playful she could be. But they were family now, so maybe she just thought that it was time they got better acquainted.

Okay, he could do that first and then ask about her presence.

He thought for a second. "Why do you run around so much?"

Swift Heart blinked. She hadn't expected that one. "I like to run. It comes in handy when I need to get somewhere in a hurry or if I need to escape." A moment. "And sometimes...sometimes when the speed is just right I can just barely feel the ground beneath me as the wind blows by. It's the closest I can get to flying without a cloud car."

Hmmm. He thought again. "You always have tons of energy. Don't you ever get tired or grumpy?"

"Of course. No one can be energetic and happy all the time. I can get tired and sad and grumpy and upset, too."

"But...you aren't any of those things right now and you aren't running around. Why?"

The blue bunny looked around and came to a stop when her eyes met Grumpy's. They sparkled with her words. "It's quiet here. I don't want to be energetic and ruin it."

Grumpy Bear scratched his head. He was still a little confused. "So...that's why you followed me here? Because it's quiet and you don't have to be energetic?"

"It's nice here."

Grumpy Bear grunted and glanced up at his rain cloud. "I made it rain here."

"It's still nice."

Now he glanced at her. His voice was incredulous. "I made it rain on you. How can it still be nice?"

Swift Heart blushed a bit as her mouth went dry and she cupped her paws together in order to catch some of the rainwater for a drink. When she finished, she wiped her face and smiled at Grumpy Bear once again as she took his paw.

"It's nice...because you're here."

The action startled Grumpy Bear so much that he would have fallen completely off the cloud if Swift Heart hadn't had hold of him. He dangled off the side until she was able to pull him back up. Once he was safe, she surprised him again by giving him a tight hug. "I'm sorry."

He could feel his face heat up and tried to clear his throat. "It's okay. It was my fault."

He patted her awkwardly on the back and Swift Heart released him. They looked at each other for a second and then turned away.

"So...are you ready to go back yet?" Swift Heart asked after a minute.

Grumpy Bear considered. Boy, did he consider. "I think I'll stay here a little longer." A moment, and then a hesitant, "You can stay too, if you want."

Swift Heart nodded happily and then made herself comfortable beside him once again. Then on impulse, she reached for his paw a second time.

And this time, he let her take it.