I highly recommend you read The Tangled Webs We Weave and The Love We Have to Give before reading this if you don't want to be confused :) I hope you enjoy this latest story!

She sat there listening to the night sounds. It was nights like this where it was the only thing that could soothe her. She hugged her knees tighter to her chest. She was tired of always having the feeling like she was forgetting something. Her family had been there for her after the incident, whatever that was. She strained her mind again, trying desperately to remember what incident they always kept referring to. The incident that left her with no memory of it. Crysta looked out at the dark forest, listening to the frogs. She thought she saw a flicker of green, but she played it up to be something she saw in her mind.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGG!"

The hollering made Crysta jump in her skin.

"It's happenniiiiiiiiiiiiiing!" Fern's voice came shrieking her way. Crysta leaped off her sill and hurried to her sister's aid. Lily was already there.

"Breathe, breathe, come on you need to breathe, Fern," Lily was saying calmly.

"Breathe my ass!" Fern shrieked. "This h...hurts s-so muuuuch!" Mother had joined them by now and was helping Lily to get Fern settled. Fern was almost hysterical. She let out another scream, to which Lily responded by slapping her in the face, hard. Fern stared at her in shock.

"Damn it, Fern! You need to calm down or you will put this baby in distress and that won't end well for anybody!" Lily yelled at her. Crysta and Mother stood in stunned silence. They had never seen Lily be aggressive before.

"But it hurts," Fern whimpered.

"Yes, I know it does, but you need to stay in control," Lily said, gripping her shoulders hard. "Understand?" Fern only nodded mutely.

"Okay," Lily said, releasing Fern. "Let's do this." Crysta backed out of the way and out of the room. She didn't want to witness this. There was something about her sister having a baby that upset her, and she couldn't figure out why. She bumped into Father Ash in the hall.

"Good idea," he said to her. "Best to leave them alone. You stay out of trouble that way." He smiled at her fondly. Crysta slipped away without returning the gesture. Father felt saddened by his eldest daughter's inner turmoil. He wished there was more he could do.

Crysta went out into the night, only to run into him. She couldn't understand why he was always there. She had no idea who he was and quite frankly, she was annoyed with his efforts to "befriend" her.

"I heard Fern," Pips said, consciously making the effort not to touch her. "Is she all right?"

"I don't know. Excuse me, sorry," Crysta said abruptly, pushing past him. He sighed. He hated the way she looked at him now. He had no idea how to get through to her. Wilkea advised him to take his time, but Pips felt like time was running out.

"Don't give up," Batty's voice reached his ears. "She'll remember some time. I've seen her trying."

"You have?" Pips asked, curious.

"Yes. She sits there for hours at night looking concentrated and frustrated. She really is trying."

"I just wish I knew what to do in order to help her," Pips said, running a hand over his face.

"Give her time. Let her be. That's all I can suggest," Batty said honestly. Pips sighed again.

"Do you think I should go in there?" he asked Batty.

"No, no, no," Batty said, shaking his head. "I wouldn't. It's messy." Pips only nodded. Then he flew aimlessly into the night.

Morning...

Rose was watching the sun rise when she felt him stir behind her. She had spent months working with him to keep him toned and in shape while he relearned how to do everything. He had taken such a blow to the head and trauma to his chest that she was amazed he survived at all.

"R-rose," his voice came, sounding choppy. "Y-you th-there?" She went back inside and saw him struggling to lift himself up.

"Hang on a minute!" she said, catching him before he toppled over onto his face. Sandy looked up at her in dismay.

"Th-thought I h-had it tha...that time," he croaked.

"You will get there," Rose promised. "You've been doing so well! Give yourself a break. Not everything will be easy for a while yet." Sandy just nodded. She hauled him to his feet and guided him where to sit. He groaned as the pressure left his legs. Rose just looked at him for a moment. She still hadn't told anyone he was here. He constantly asked about Fern, but she just waved him off saying he needed to be better first. She didn't want to risk telling everyone just to have him die. She wanted to ensure he was in full recovery before releasing him back home. Six months had gone by, but he was progressing way better than she ever imagined. The last piece seemed to be walking and flying. Everything else he grasped very quickly. His speech was a little hard still at times, but she knew it would improve as he kept talking. Rose sighed herself as another day approached with the same mundane itinerary. She missed Damian, and she missed being out there all over the world. She regretted promising her brother that she would stay here. It wasn't in her nature to settle down.

Crysta's home...

"Is this ever going to end?" Fern moaned and panted. It had been all night and still no baby.

"Yes, it will I promise. Then one day you'll wish it never had come out," Lily tried to joke. Fern just glared at her. Mother was doing the brunt of the work now. Lily was focusing on helping Fern breathe and stay calm.

"I want Sandy," Fern said in a teary voice.

"I know you do. He's with us though. I can feel him," Lily assured her. Fern just nodded.

"Okay, love," Mother said suddenly. "It's time to push." Fern tried so hard not to yell or scream. She tried for Lily's sake. She really didn't want to be slapped again. Instead, she gripped Lily's hand so hard it made her cry out in pain herself. Fern felt smug at this. Not even Lily was impervious to pain. After what felt like hours, she finally heard the squalling of her baby. She fell backwards in relief. It was over.

"Fern, he's beautiful," Lily whispered. "Look!" She pulled Fern up to see.

"He looks just like Sandy," Fern cried a little. Mother finished up and placed him in her arms. Fern couldn't stop staring at him.

"What are you going to name him?" Lily asked gently.

"Zeke," Fern said. "His name is Zeke."

They all smiled when Zeke grasped Fern's finger.

"He knows his name," she said in awe. "He's smart already."

"For the love of Sol can I come in yet?" Father's voice came through the door. Mother laughed and let him in.

"Oh he's perfect," Father said, his voice sounding wobbly. Fern let him hold his grandson. She had never seen her Father so emotional before. It was unusual and a bit unnerving.

"He's gonna be a strong little lad," Father smiled. "Just like his Mama." Fern felt her throat go tight at this. She had finally received recognition from her Father that she was strong and tough. It was enough.

In the forest...

He tried not to worry about her. He noticed she hadn't come home last night, but he refrained from following her. It was extremely difficult for him to not talk about their relationship whenever he saw her. He especially missed having someone to talk to when he woke up drenched in sweat from another nightmare where Julian was trying to murder him. He glanced down at his arm. LIAR glared back up at him. He really ought to do something about that. He went in search of Wilkea instead.

"Hey," he said, coming up beside him. Wil was intently focusing on something in his hands. He was trying to be creative, but he was failing quickly.

"Ohhhh," he groaned when it disintegrated in his hands. "Every time."

"Should I ask?"

"Nah. It's stupid anyway. What're you up to?" Wil asked, changing the subject.

"Nothing. Same as yesterday. Same as day before that. And on and on and on," Pips sighed, sitting down next to Wil.

"You look worried," Wil pointed out.

"I am. She was out all night again," he answered.

"I think she really is trying, Pips," Wil offered.

"I can't take it much longer, Wil. It's been six months. How long does something like that last for?"

"I don't know," Wil answered honestly. "But I do know you can't give up on her yet."

"I just don't see the point anymore. She looks at me like I'm poison-like I annoy the hell out of her or something, and I don't know what I did to deserve that."

"You did nothing. Look, she'll come around. She has to. You didn't give up last time, so why are you going to quit now?"

"Because I can't keep living like this! I need her, my Crys, back-not this stranger that is living in her body," Pips answered. Wil didn't know how to respond. They sat there in silence until Pips decided to go off on his own.

Elsewhere...

"Crystabelle!" Batty's voice reached her. She turned.

"What?" she asked a little irritably.

"You are an aunt!" Batty was ecstatic. Crysta refrained from commenting. She just smiled weakly.

"Something wrong?" Batty probed, noticing her low mood.

"I can't seem to do anything right anymore," she replied, glancing at the flower under her fingertips that was wilting despite her best efforts.

"Maybe you need a break?" Batty suggested.

"A break from what? My life? I can't do that," she waved her hand dismissively.

"Do you want to talk?"

"No. There's nothing to say. I appreciate you trying, Batty, but I really just want to be alone right now," Crysta told him. His ears drooping a little, Batty obliged. She gave up on her task. It was infuriating her. Instead, she wandered aimlessly around the forest floor. Her mind wandering, she was barely aware of her surroundings. When she heard the low hiss, she froze. Before her was a snake. Not the good kind either. There were both types in Ferngully. The ones that ignore fairies altogether and the ones who try to kill them. Crysta couldn't move and only watched as it got nearer. Her mind was screaming at her to flee, but her body was not listening.

This is the end, she thought to herself. There was something calming about that thought, and it alarmed her. She closed her eyes, preparing for the strike. Instead, she was slammed into and yanked out of the way. She looked to see the snake had lunged, just missing her. She closed her eyes again, imagining what that would have felt like. When she felt herself being put down, she opened her eyes.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Pips asked her angrily, shaking her shoulders. She ignored the fear in his voice.

"Minding my own business like you should be," she answered. She did not like how close he was to her. It made her head spin. She pulled out of his grip, but he grabbed her wrist.

"Are you looking for a death wish? Cos that's what I just saw," he said.

"Just leave me alone," she said through gritted teeth.

"Crys..."

"Don't call me that!" she shouted. He looked like she had slapped him instead. She felt a little sorry for shouting. He dropped her wrist.

"I'm done, Crysta. I can't do this anymore," he said, turning to go.

"Done doing what? I DON'T KNOW WHO YOU ARE!" she shrieked at his receding back. When he was gone, she burst into tears.

In the forest...

"Hey, Rose!" She turned at his voice.

"Brother Pips," she said, pleased. "It's been a while."

"Sorry," he apologized, rubbing his neck. "I just have a lot going on right now."

"Still no memory of you?" she asked sympathetically. He just shook his head.

"I need a favor," he said. "I need you to get this off." He gestured to the word on his arm. She examined it.

"I can't get it all the way off, and it will hurt like hell when I do it. I have to go down layers of skin. It will be there but faintly when I'm done."

"Better than like this. I feel branded-like it's true."

"You're not a liar," she said softly, patting his arm. He just gave her a grim look in return.

"Can we do this?" he asked.

"Of course. Right this way."

Crysta's home...

"Where have you been?" Mother asked as Crysta came inside.

"Everywhere. Nowhere," she answered glumly.

"Are you all right?" Mother asked, sensing something was wrong.

"No. I'm not all right. Mother how come I can't remember anything? I feel empty. I feel like I'm living someone else's life! I want my life back!" Crysta cried.

"I know. It will come I promise. I just don't know when," Mother pulled her into a hug.

"I want it now," she said, her voice muffled in her Mother's arms. Mother had no answer for that.

Upstairs Lily was showing off her nephew to Wil.

"He's amazing," Wil said, touching his cheek. "Looks just like him too."

"I know," Lily replied. "It's kind of heart breaking isn't it?" Wil nodded. Lily wondered what was going through his mind right now. They had been slowly working on their relationship the past six months, but she wasn't ready for any physical interactions yet. She wondered why this was. Weren't all partners supposed to want that?

"You're thinking," Wil noted, smiling at her. She blushed.

"I'm always thinking," she answered.

"Good things about me I hope," he winked, making her laugh.

"Of course," she smiled. She wasn't at all about to tell him that she was also thinking about Zak. That would just hurt him, and she had no intentions of hurting Wil when she didn't have to.