Pips watched Crysta and knew she was really upset. He wanted to comfort her, but as soon as he moved, a noise broke the silence. It was a terrifying noise. He snapped his head in the direction where it came from, and to his horror, he saw what could only be Hexxus looming over them and leering.

"I'm back!" Hexxus shouted. Panic ensued. Pips tried to locate Crysta, but she disappeared among the crowd.

"C'mon man!" Wil shouted at him. "Let's go!"

"I'll catch up!" he yelled back.

"No! Now! She's fine!" Wil urged. The dreadful sawing noise started again, and a tree came toppling down. Pips finally saw Crysta being blown backwards by Hexxus.

"You go! I'm with her," Pips ordered, pushing Wil in the direction of the others.

"You're crazy," Wil told him.

"Just go!"

Pips hurried over to where Crysta was in a heap on the ground. He hauled her up by the arms.

"Are you trying to get yourself killed?" he asked. She was trembling.

"What are we going to do?" she asked over the noise. Another tree came down.

"Right now, we get out of here and regroup somewhere safe," he said. "Come on!"

"But..." Crysta trailed off. She knew he was right, knew they couldn't sit here any longer. She tried to find Zak and saw that he was running up ahead after the others. Pips grabbed her hand and they flew towards safety together. Amidst the chaos, he lost hold of her. He assumed she was right behind him. He was wrong.

"Crys!" he shouted. She was up high, spreading her magic everywhere. He noticed more of the things Zak had called machines coming closer. Then he noticed Zak was flying with Batty over to one.

"Oh boy," he muttered. What was the human trying to do now? His initial thought was to leave him alone since the guy caused all this to start with, but Pips wasn't one to let people get hurt either. He rushed over just in time to push Zak inside the machine before the sliding glass could cut his head off.

"I hope you know what you're doing!" Pips shouted, but Zak didn't hear him. He was busy dodging objects on the inside, heading straight for a big shiny object in the middle of it all. Pips couldn't see Crysta at all. He felt panic then. Was she all right? Was she hurt?

"Crys!" Pips shouted. He started desperately searching for her. He left Zak in whatever the hell it was he was trapped in. He needed to find her, needed to know she was all right.

"CRYS!" he shouted louder. People moved out of his way. He didn't see her at all. The sudden silence outside was very eerie, and he felt nervous by it. He looked to see that Hexxus had disappeared. If he was gone, then Zak must have succeeded. But, where was Crysta? He went back searching. There was some brief cheering from the fairies hiding in the tree. Then there was roaring. Pips froze. Hexxus wasn't dead? He pushed to get to a hole in the tree so he could see. Everyone was crying out in horror. The thing that was rising from the ground frightened him just as much. Where the hell was she?! A flicker of blue outside caught his eye. What was she...? No. NO!

"CRYSTA!" he screamed as she disappeared into Hexxus' laughing mouth. The evil tower of flaming bones had swallowed the love of his life. This couldn't be happening. No, no, no, NO! Fists clenched and tears in the corner of his eyes, he watched helplessly until he saw what was starting to happen. Then he understood. He flew out there and grabbed a hold of the vines and yanked them down. Hexxus roared as he began to get held down. Crysta was not going to die in vain.

"COME ON!" he roared at the others who were hiding. Did they not see what was happening?

"I'm here, bro!" Sandy called, helping. He could only imagine the pain his friend was feeling right now.

"Wooo!" Wil was shouting as he led the others, who had decided to join in. It felt like forever, but eventually Hexxus was sealed in another tree. Pips panted, his efforts having exhausted him. He stared at it. He felt beaten down and lost. What was he going to do without her? He started flying around the tree, seeing Zak doing the same on his feet. She had to be there. She just had to be.

"Here!" Zak called, gesturing. Pips slipped under the root and into the base of the tree. Crysta was lying there motionless, and he felt his heart stop.

"Hey, Crys, come on," he said, picking her up into his arms. He grasped her face with his hands. He felt those stupid tears in his eyes again.

"Crys, please wake up." There was no response. Feeling like he was dying along with her, he kissed her one last time. Zak inhaled sharply behind him, but he didn't care. He pulled back, trying to fight the urge to scream long and loud when her eyes flickered open, and she looked up at him and smiled.

"Hi," she whispered, touching his face.

"Oh," he cried, pulling her to him tightly. She laughed into his skin, and he kissed her again, hard. Zak coughed.

"Three for three. You didn't think I'd leave you all alone did you?" she teased. "Someone has to keep you in line."

"I really thought..." he trailed off. Then he shook his head. "It doesn't matter. Come on, everyone's waiting." He picked her up in his arms and carried her out. The cheering at the sight of her was immense. He knew she'd be blushing at the attention. He set her down gently, and her family rushed over to hug her. Pips stood off to the side, feeling immense relief.

"She's really loved here," Zak said suddenly. Pips looked over at him.

"Yea, she is," he agreed. Zak didn't say anything else. Eventually, Crysta made her way back to them, and everyone waited to see what would happen next.

"I can't stay here," Zak said.

"I know," she nodded.

"I gotta be out there stopping this from happening to you again," he went on.

"Okay," she said.

"I'll miss you," he offered.

"And us you," she smiled. Zak bobbed his head in return. Oh how he loved this girl, but she was already taken. She did hug him one last time, and then he was a human again, and he looked back at the forest after planting the seed she'd given him. He found Batty, who had been hit by shrapnel in the air. He gently touched Batty's head, and the bat sprang to life again. He looked at Zak, confused.

"I...I've shrunk!" he declared. Then he flew off, still confused. Zak started walking away when Tony and Ralph met up with him.

"Things have gotta change," Zak said to them, looping his arms around them. They were clueless, but he knew they'd come around.

"Ahem," Pips coughed, making Crysta look at him. "It's actually four for three."

"Is not! It didn't count!"

"It did too!"

"No way!" Crysta cried. Pips took off, laughing. She charged after him.

"Did too!"

"Oh sheesh," Batty groaned as he followed behind them.

...

Crysta was exhausted from everyone coming up to her and either congratulating her or thanking her for saving their lives. She hadn't thought this part through when she had made her decision to fly into Hexxus with that seed. She had, however, thought about what her decision would do to Pips. She knew he'd be devastated. It was a miracle that she even survived. She craned her neck, looking for him now. They had gotten separated once everyone began celebrating. She finally caught sight of him across the crowd, leaning against a tree and watching her. When he smiled and winked at her, she felt like there was nobody else around them.

"Crysta?" someone was saying.

"Huh?" she asked, turning to look at them. They commenced rambling about her heroic behavior. She tolerated it with a smile. After they left, she tried to make her way towards him.

"There you are, love!" Mother called. She grabbed hold of Crysta's arm and pulled her back. She brought her in front of some elderly fairies who wanted to express their gratitude.

"Mother," Crysta said, after. "I really need a break."

"Okay. You sneak out of here, and I'll cover for you," Mother promised. "Remind me to talk to you about Curt later. He's taken an interest in you. Spoke with us even."

"He what?" Crysta asked, not hearing properly. "No, no. I...I've already met..."

"But he's so lovely," Mother said. "And after what you did for him..."

"Mother!" Crysta loudly cut her off. Her mother stopped short and looked at her.

"What?"

"I've already fallen for someone else," Crysta said firmly. Mother stared for half a second before making the "aahh" face.

"I see," she smiled. "I'll break it to him then."

"Thank you," Crysta sighed, relieved. Her mother patted her arm gently, and then Crysta slipped away. She tried looking for him, but he was gone from his perch. She spun around, searching. Then someone grabbed her, making her shriek.

"It's me," Pips laughed, squeezing her tightly. "Thought you could use a rescue."

"Get me out of here," she begged. He grinned and pulled on her arm. He knew exactly where they could go.

...

"Have you seen Crysta?" Fern asked Sandy. She had pushed through the crowd looking for her, but there was no sign of her.

"I have not," Sandy said.

"Hmm. I guess she took off," Fern sighed.

"I think it's all been a bit overwhelming for her," Sandy shrugged.

"I definitely wouldn't want all this attention on me," Fern laughed. "Wherever she is, I hope she's relaxing." She waved to Sandy and headed back into the crowd to find her sister, Lily.

...

Crysta had barely been able to escape the celebration so she could be alone with Pips. Once they broke away, they couldn't keep their hands off each other. When he looked at her, she knew, so he brought them here. As he kissed her, she briefly wondered if he'd done this with anyone else.

"No," he said as though she'd said it out loud. He pulled back.

"No what?" she asked.

"I haven't done this with anyone else," he said. "I know you're thinking it."

"How could you know?"

"Because I know you," he answered, looking at her. "And you know I used to spend time with other girls, but I can promise you, I never got this far." He looked at her seriously.

"Never?" she asked, uncertain.

"Never ever," he confirmed.

"Why...?"

"Cos they weren't right for me," he cut her off. "None of them. There was never any connection. Not like this. Not like us."

"Okay," she nodded. He touched her face gently.

"I'm just as new at this as you are," he said. "You tell me if you want to stop."

"I don't think I want to stop," she whispered. He couldn't help but grin.

"All right," he said. He kissed her again. Then he stopped.

"What's wrong?" she asked. Maybe he didn't want to do this. Maybe she had misread his intentions. Or maybe it was just her. He didn't want to do this with her after all.

"I'm overwhelmed," he told her. "It's you. I want to get this right."

"I'm flattered," she teased.

"No, seriously. You deserve the best, and I'm worried I'm going to let you down," he said.

"I have nothing to compare it to," she told him. "I think you're safe."

"You don't get it," he said.

"No, I do!" she insisted. "I'm trying to tell you it doesn't matter. I just want you. You as you are. Stop worrying about it."

"But-" He was cut off by her lips. She was so intoxicating. His mind was still reeling that she was wanting to do this with him.

"Work your magic," she whispered after.

"All right," he agreed. He flipped her over, making her laugh. He kissed her again.

"Magic enough for you?" he teased against her lips.

"Is that all you've got?" she asked back.

"Not at all," he whispered. What took place was the best thing he'd ever experienced, and he couldn't have been more glad that it was with her.

He held her afterwards, feeling her heart race against his skin. Holding her in his arms with her face pressed into his neck was the best feeling in the world.

"I love you," she murmured as she drifted into sleep. He pushed her hair aside and kissed her forehead softly.

"I love you too," he whispered, making her smile.

"Should I go back?" she asked sleepily.

"I think it's okay to say they don't really need you there," he joked.

"Mmmm k," she mumbled. She felt safe in his arms, like she was finally home. Pips watched her sleep, and he couldn't believe how lucky he was right now. All this time, the one he'd been searching for was right in front of him. He kissed her shoulder gently so as not to wake her before rolling onto his back and closing his eyes. He wasn't going to screw this up. He was different now. As he fell asleep he couldn't help but smile. She had saved him from himself, so that made it four for four. They were even. He couldn't wait to tease her about it in the morning.

The End

Well, I'm ending it here. Hope it was enjoyed. I wish there had been some more reviews, but I guess it is what it is lol. Thanks for you like my style of writing, check out my other Ferngully stories on my profile ;)