Disclaimer: I do own, claim to own, or pretend to own the characters involved in this work of fiction. The events of pure evil, however, are all mine.

Enjoy, su!

Chapter 14

A week before the Summer was to end, Popuri got it in her head that they should all head down to the beach for one last hurrah.

They really hadn't had a real trip since Beach Day and Kai would be busy for the next week deconstructing the cafe for another three seasons of hibernation. It wasn't like they weren't going to see him around at all during the next week, but she also knew that Claire wanted to get a head start on planting for next season and she would be otherwise indisposed when he left. And somehow, despite her personal feelings on the matter, she didn't want to see her boyfriend look sad that his friend had skipped out on saying goodbye to him.

Even though it was becomingh increasingly clear that he hadn't and still didn't think of her like that.

"It's so hot today!" Claire moaned while setting up a large beach umbrella for May to sit under. Barley had come to her before she'd set out to meet her friends and asked if she could watch his granddaughter on such short notice. Unable to say no to the puppy eyes the little girl gave her and knowing full well that Carter was busy with his churchly duties, she'd aquisiesed and made sure to double up on sun screen.

Kai laughed while he helped. "You've been working the fields all Summer, how can this possibly too hot for you?"

"That and this are two separate things and you know it pirate-boy," she pouted.

May giggled at them while Popuri slathered sun screen along her back, happy to be out and about for once. Initially she'd felt awkward being around so many grown-ups without Stu around (neither was never far from the other) but had since gotten over it when Kai had scooped her up onto his shoulders and raced down to where they were setting up home base. The pinkette smiled fondly down at her before pronouncing her fit to swim.

"Play with me," she begged Claire.

The blonde shook her head. "Not yet sweet pea, I gotta get some sun screen on me too. How about you ask Kai?"

May gave the woman a tiny pout but nodded. She and Kai were in the water, laughing and screaming within minutes.

Both women smiled at the sight.

"He's so good with kids," Claire sighed, already applying the sun block to her pale skin. She may have worked the fields all Summer, but that didn't mean she still didn't fry like a hotcake. "I'd nearly forgotten."

Popuri gave her a stange look and ignored the slight twinge of jealousy her friend's words gave her. "Was he around them often when you guys were in school?"

The farmer shrugged. "My younger brother adored him," was all she said on the matter. It was the most she had said about herself in two seasons and Popuri was suddenly hungry for more.

"You have siblings?" she wheedled in the hope that her friend would feel inclined to say more.

The silence that stretched between them was thick and suffocating, like it would drown them as surely as the ocean might if they didn't tread carefully. Afraid that she had said something terribly rude, Popuri tried to backpedal violently.

"I-I mean, if it's a touchy subject, you d-don't have to say anything. I was j-just curious is all-"

"Had."

She froze. "Had?"

Claire finished off the sun screen on her legs and popped the cap shut; there was no need to do her back since she had no intention of taking off the large T-shirt she was wearing over her swim suit. "I had two...now I only have one," she elaborated with a bright smile.

She watched, dumfounded, as Claire got to her feet, brushed the sand from the backs of her thighs and left the safety of the umbrella to join the duo on the shore. What had just happened? Did...did the blonde really just say that? With a smile? Something wasn't right; no one just said something like that as if they were talking about last night's episode of that corny soap opera all the older women watched. Popuri watched her friend join Kai and May in the water, wondering what sort of woman she'd been back in the city and why she'd suddenly decided to buy a farm for the first time.

The sun was starting to get low in the sky when they finally carried an exausted May back to where they'd set up camp, the late Summer heat finally starting to cool. They sat watching as the sky turned a deep orange and gulls flew home to roost, snacking on some sanwiches Kai had whipped up in the Snack Shack with the last of this Summer's supplies as they watched the water lap at the shore and Zack pull the last ferry of the day into port.

"It'll be me on that by the end of this week," Kai said wistfully, "I almost don't want to go back this year."

Popuri eyed him sharply and wished the words had been more for her. Her ruby eyes slid to Claire to see if she had caught his meaning but was disappointed to find her as oblivious as ever.

"Don't be silly, it's just three seasons and you'll be here again," she laughed tightly instead when no one else seemed keen on speaking next. Her boyfriend nodded and offered her a wide smile that set her heart aflutter like when they'd first met.

Claire's attention was glued to the ferry. "Who do you suppose is coming for a visit so late in the Summer?" she asked.

They both glanced at Zack as he unloaded two sets of luggage. And since neither of the town's missing occupants were too keen on coming back in the near future, who indeed?

Now intrigued, both Kai and Popuri watched as the burly deliveryman helped a petite blonde in a mint green gown descend the platform to the dock, smoothing what looked like expensive fabric and hair long enough to sweep past her hips. She was lovely and the sunset set her pale skin aglow as she turned to smile brilliantly up at whoever was still on the boat. It was the prettiest smile either of them had seen and made her seem almost fairy-like.

"I know her!" Popuri gushed suddenly in a breathless whisper. "That's Lanna, she's my favorite idol!"

Someone hopped over the side of the boat then, crouching beside the idol as she rolled her eyes and said something to Zack that made him laugh. The young man straightened to an impressive height with a pinched expression on his tanned handsome face and made what was probably a retort, smiling as Lanna pouted up at him. Mussed dark curls hung in his eyes beneath a familar purple bandana and Kai's stomach dropped at the same time Claire sucked in a shuddering breath.

"Who's-" Popuri began when she caught the look on her boyfriend's face.

"Denny," was his short reply as the young couple caught sight of them; Denny appeared to be waving excitedly and was rushing down to meet them with Lanna following at a more sedate pace. "My older brother."

The pinkette's jaw fell open with a gasp and she turned red eyes to...where Claire had been sitting moments before. Following the line of sandy footprints, she was just able to make out her friend's form stumbling up the steps into Rose Square before disappearing. Denny and who she learned was his new wife reached them moments later.

End

I...have no real words to explain why I've neglected this story for so long in favor of Hetalia stuff, but I can say that I've been busy with finishing up my degree at LCB and even that writing has suffered. Anyway, now that I've finally gotten this out of the way it's time for everything to basically fall apart and come out. I did say Karen was up to something yes?

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