Lost and Found

The Journey begins

After about a few hours of planning, Poppy and Branch were prepared to start their journey. Branch was looking at Poppy worryingly as she was packing up the balloon. He really didn't like this idea but he knew that he wasn't going to talk her out of it. He started pacing back and forth. Poppy looked over at him and noticed his concern. She walked over to him and grabbed his hands.

"Hey calm down. We will be ok I promise. Especially since we have you with us." She kissed his cheek.

"I just don't want anything to happen to either of you." He looked down at the ground feeling a little embarrassed from how much he was panicking. She felt bad for making him so stressed but she also had to find her mom. She wanted her baby to grow up with its grandma in its life. She knew he would eventually calm down, hopefully.

"Hey come on, this is us you are talking about. We saved the world numerous times before. If we can survive Bergens and crazy rock trolls we can survive my mother and sister. Need I remind you that she is my mother" This definitely calmed Branch down a bit cause his breathing slowed and he smiled a bit. 

"Ohhh I don't know you seem pretty crazy to me" He playfully smirked and looked away. Poppy playfully looked offended and bumped his hip with hers. He laughed, turned around, grabbed her waist and kissed her. When they pulled away Poppy giggled.

"Ok so we have everything now right? Food, supplies, sleeping bags, tent....." Branch was going over their list one more time before they left. Poppy sat on a chair on the side of the balloon as he went over the list, hand on her tiny belly. She was used to Branch doing this.

"Daddy is going overboard again." Branch paused and turned to her. 

"Hey I heard that" Poppy laughed. "Need I remind you that I didn't even want you going on this trip in the first place." He walked over to her, kneeled down and went close to Poppy's belly. " Mommy is just being stubborn." He got up and smirked as Poppy playfully rolled her eyes. He went back to checking his check list.

A few minutes later Branch finished up the checklist. " Ok we have everything." He looked over at Poppy who was scrapbooking as usual. He smiled at her. She must have noticed cause she looked up at him confused.

"What?" Branch chuckled a bit and went over to her. He looked down at her scrapbook then at her.

"Nothing, just admiring your beautiful glowing face." Poppy blushed a little and giggled. She put her scrapbook down and got up.

"Yeah, that's probably pregnancy glow. Now let's go!" Poppy grabbed her scrapbook, jumped off her chair, and ran to the balloon.

"Wait Poppy slow down! You could fall!" Branch ran after her. As he got on the balloon, Poppy pulled the string to the balloon, causing them to take off. Branch obviously went over to the controls of the balloon.

Poppy looked at him then went over to the side of the balloon. She laid her face on the balloon's edge and sighed. Branch looked up from the controls and looked at her. He knew she was upset but didn't want to leave the controls. He sighed. She was more important. He put the balloon on autopilot and walked over next to her. He looked at her for a brief second.

"Pops, are you ok?" Poppy looked up at him with puppy eyes. Branch's Immediate reaction was to wrap his arm around her. "Hey, it's ok. What's wrong?" Poppy got closer to him and snuggled into him. She liked the feeling of his warm body. It made her feel safe and loved. She just stayed there for a little while before speaking.

"I don't know Branch. I guess I'm just scared. Like what if my mom wants nothing to do with me? I mean my dad did say she was evil. What if we can't befriend her and my sister..." Branch looked at her with his calming eyes. He smiled a little.