Title: When the last leaf falls

Summary: Nami had never meant to stay, but she had. Finally when she thinks this place could be home, Jack comes along, so it's time to leave again. Why? Because she's getting close to him, and she can't allow herself to get close to someone. Not again. Can Jack convince her otherwise? (AWL)

Pairing: Jack/Nami

AN: This is my first Harvest Moon fic. I haven't written for a while, I haven't been inspired. But when I think of Nami, she's so complex. There's so much we don't know about her, that leaves us free to imagine and create. Well, seeing as there's no new stories to read I might as well write my own. Also bear in mind this is like a prologue kind of. It explains her past and has some crucial points for later chapters in the story.

Disclaimer: The only Harvest Moon thing I own is a copy of AWL and 64.

Chapter 1: Musings

(Nami's POV)

When the last leaf falls I'll leave. That's always been my way of thinking when I travel. I think it's because I love the season of fall. It just amazes me, how quickly something green can turn red, orange or brown, then fall leaving the trees bear. I've always loved fall, so whenever it's that time of year I stay, just to watch nature complete it's miracle.

But for some reason it didn't work like that when I came to Forget-Me-Not valley. When I had first heard of it, my thoughts were 'who would name this place that?' Because not to sound rude, this place has nothing that memorable. Sure the waterfall is okay to look at, but waterfalls are all over the place. And sure the ocean view is beautiful, but there's an ocean at almost every town I stop at. All in all, I didn't see any reason to stay at first, but instead of moving on, I stayed through spring. Summer came, and I hated the heat, but I didn't leave. Of course I had to stay through fall, to watch the last leaf fall, but after that, when I would normally pack up and leave, I didn't. And I didn't know why.

I still don't in fact, and it's already the first day of spring. One year, I've been here one year, today. It scares me actually. I haven't been in a place so long since home…

No, not home. This valley feels more like home then my old home ever did. By the way I speak of my old home, you'd think something terrible happened there, like my dad hit me or my mom walked out on us.

In fact my parents both loved me, very much. They even gave me money when I left, and told me to write them if I ever stayed somewhere for more then a season. I never had, but I wrote them a couple times. And every time I did I had to wait, because I knew there would be a letter back. Every time the letter contained money, so I could keep myself going. They didn't know I had a job sometimes.

At one point I hadn't stayed anywhere more then two days, because the towns were terrible. They were dirty and broken down. When I was forced to walk through a place like that (which I had to for almost a month) it was the worst thing I ever saw. Children were begging in the streets, woman were treated like crap, it was like I had gone back in time where woman's rights didn't exist. The one time I did stay at an inn a man had tried to break into my room. Needless to say I haven't been anywhere near that place since.

Some people automatically think that because I'm so distant and cold that I'm not scared of anything. Well I am. I'm scared most of all, of being close to anyone, because whenever I get close something bad happens.

Now a lot of bad things happened. I mean, there's been terrible things with boys, thinking they actually cared when all they wanted was…and friends you had and thought would never betray you. There was one thing though, that I will always remember. The worst thing that ever happened in my life.

When I was growing up I had a best friend. Her name was Amber. She had light brown, almost dirty blonde hair that she always wore in a ponytail as she called it. She was kind of tomboyish, and we had done everything together.

Sometimes I think it's her fault I got this way, which really isn't fair. It's my fault. When we were fourteen years old both of us were just sitting by the river. We weren't supposed to be there, because it was flooding over from the heavy rains. Our feet were in the river and we were talking about flowers. I remember everything about that day, because it was the last day I saw Amber alive. The last carefree thing she said was how she liked flowers, but loved fall flowers. I remember she had been holding one in her hand, a trick blue flower. She had found it in the swamp. It was a tradition. Every year, on the third of fall we would go pick Trick Blue flowers to remind us we were always friends. We never did it together again. I stood up and stretched, but as I did, my foot slipped and I fell in the river.

Being the fool that she was, Amber jumped in after me. I've never been a good swimmer, so she grabbed my hand and pulled me above water. I managed to grab onto a tree branch, but Amber's hand slipped and she kept going.

It was tragic, they say, that I had to witness it. That I had seen Amber's head smash into that rock before she sank below the surface. I had cried out her name, and when I saw body bobbing up and down in front of that rock barricade, I couldn't stop screaming.

Someone heard the screaming, but I don't know who. All I remember is being held back from Amber. I found her Trick blue flower on the ground and snatched it up. "I should give it back, I had to!" Those were my thoughts after I was safe on land. My parents wouldn't let me go, all they told me to do was calm down. I'd never been as out of control as I was that day.

One year later I was still holding that flower, holding on to her spirit. I thought maybe if I kept her flower, I'd keep her. I finally decided I had to leave; I couldn't stay there anymore. I told my parents and they seemed to understand.

I'm seventeen now. Seventeen. I still haven't gotten over her death. We were friends since birth, I just can't believe she is really gone. And it's my fault. My fault that I didn't go after her, my fault that I let her go. She should be the one alive.

Amber's death wasn't the only thing that had happened. I had met a boy traveling; to find out he was using me. I had became close to an elderly woman in a wealthy town, only to have her kick me out of her home when I tripped on the rug and knocked over a vase. Those people I can brush off easier then Amber.

I've never been able to go pick Trick Blue flowers. I know I was supposed to go on that special day, but I just can't. Amber had died the day after our flower collecting.

I just don't understand why she had to die. Why Amber when there were so many unfit, horrible, backstabbing, evil people out there? Why someone who was caring and thoughtful? Why not someone else? Why not anyone else?

Although I left the town, I hadn't left the memories. And the memories were still haunting me. They always would be. Sometimes, late at night Amber and me had snuck out to wander around in the forest, just to be alone. The forest was where we slept the night we ran away, when Amber's parents had yelled at her when she was caught kissing a boy in their house.

I myself had kissed a boy before her, with my parents not minding at all, and had snuck off with her.

My best friend…she's the only one I've ever cried for, and the only thing I've not been able to let go of in my life.

In this valley though, I had felt the closest thing to happiness I ever had since I lost her.

Ruby told me that morning a boy was coming. He would be running the farm. I really couldn't care less. Someone else new in this town…it was something new, but I was never the type to stand outside and greet someone. I left early that morning and wandered down towards the beach.

One thing I've never grown tired of is watching things change. Most people I've seen are always rushing, busy busy busy. They don't slow down enough to see any changes. If you take the time to look at something on a day-to-day basis, you'll see how much it changes.

People here…I don't know. They're not nearly as rushed as people in other towns, but they're rushed enough. I can't think of many people who would notice small changes, except maybe Cody.

No one here knows anything about what has happened to me, and I don't think they ever will. If I get close to someone again, they'll just hurt me, or something will happen to them.

Getting close is dangerous. It makes you feel, and that feeling can be bad. After these years I've been able to close my pain for Amber away. As long as I don't go picking Trick Blue flowers, or see something that reminds me of her, I should be okay. No one here has ever bothered me all that much. A lot of people tend to avoid me, and this new guy won't be any different. If he does try though, I have to be ready.

I've been hurt so many times; I don't want to be hurt again. The only way to assure that is to not let anyone in. It won't be hard. I can do it. I may have gotten close to people, but not very close. I haven't even got close to anyone at all for a year and a half.

That won't be changing anytime soon either.

/…/…/…/…/…/…/…/

AN: So what did everyone think? I hope it's alright. I don't know how I though up her whole past, oh well. Happy Easter…(night before.) Anyway, please review and let me know if I should continue or not.

Also don't expect me to update often. I'm really busy. After spring break I'll have rehearsals for Cinderella until the end of April. I'll update though.

Please review!