Trolls: All This Time

Chapter 12

-third pov-

making their way back to branch's pod, branch made sure to keep an arm wrapped around poppy's shoulder, rubbing it from time to time so she knew that everything was going to be okay.

once they reached the bunker, branch held open the door for her before she broke down again. she crawled into his arms once more.

poor thing, he thought to himself. he knew she was just putting on a tough face for her friends when she was actually broken inside.

she looked up at him, her face stained with tears. "i cant lose him, branch. i cant live without him."

branch wiped away tear from her face before cupping it. "i know it's hard. but we'll get through this. we always have."

"this is worse than the pain i felt when i lost my mom and sister," she whispered, revealing a memory branch instantly remembered from their journey to bergen town.

-flashback-

after throwing poppy's ukulele into the fire, branch threw himself back into his bed angrily. the last thing he wanted was more singing.

poppy stood there for a moment before sighing and gently crawling back into her bed. they lied in silence for a moment, before poppy spoke up.

"can i tell you a bedtime story?" she asked, turning over to face branch.

for a while, branch didn't say anything. he didn't want a bedtime story. he just wanted to sleep. however, he thought to himself, it might tire her out.

"mmhm," he groaned, turning to face her.

"when i was five..i remember my dad and i went outside to play. i think we were singing something? my mom and sister were making a scrapbook outside with us. we were having a really good time."

branch sighed. this was already getting boring.

"it was peaceful for a while," poppy continued, messing with her fingers, practically shaking. why was she telling this story if it made her upset?

"then suddenly there was a big thud. i don't remember much, but i do remember my dad grabbing me and hiding us inside a bush. when i came out, my mom and sister were gone."

branch shuttered. this was not a very calming bedtime story.

"i never found out what happened to them," she looked over at branch, with a serious look on her face. it was the first time branch had seen her emotional. "i always assumed they were eaten my a bergen, or something."

branch's heart practically fell to his stomach. hey story was just like his, her family had died from a bergen too.

deep down, he wanted to go hug her like the gentleman he was. but he decided against it, not wanting her to know he had feelings.

instead, he quietly said to her, "i'm really sorry."

she looked up and grinned at him, pain filling her eyes. she looked down at her hands. "it's okay..i didn't really know them that well anyway."

branch frowned at poppy, sad to see her hurt. he'd never seen her this way.

-flashback over-

3 hours after finding out the hardest news of her life, poppy had fallen asleep on branch's couch. he knew how hard it must be for her. she had just lost the person she loved most in her life, just like when he lost his grandma.

"it's going to be okay. i promise you." branch looked at his queen sleeping peacefully before turning away, unable to see her in so much pain.