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Restoring Faith	By : Lady_Kae Category: +G through L > Harvest Moon Views: 2535 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own any characters used from the game Harvest Moon: ToT. All characters ,game related material, and lyrics, save for original content is property of their respective owners and no money is being made from this fiction.

Chapter List
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A/N: Sorry if it took a while for this update. I've been working a crazy work week this week. A 55 hour work week to be specific and my week's not even over...Gah...I seriously need a vacation... It doesn't help that I kept hitting a snag at the very beginning either, but I still got it done! Woot! None the less, I hope you all enjoy this chapter. Just please don't kill me for the end of it....Please be sure to leave any critiques, comments, or constructive critisisms if you would!

~Kae

Chapter 4: Midnight Pains
Restoring Faith
A Harvest Moon: Tree of Tranquility Fanfiction

Kohri was all smiles as she walked through the front door, pleasantly ladened down with her heavy satchel full of books and she set the bag down on the barstool nearby before kicking the door closed. “ Momma, Papa! I’m back from class!” she announced brightly.

Damiana Phelps walked into the foyer as Kohri continued to take off her outerwear. “ How did everything go with your presentation today sweetheart?”

Kohri smiled as she met her mother’s gaze. “ It went great! Professor Jadian believes I need to patent my research and then take it public. He’s fairly certain the amount of crop I would yield in a single growing season would be double that of anyone in these parts.” she exclaimed proudly.

Damiana’s face was the picture of pride as she cupped both her daughter’s cheeks. “ You could have followed your father into politics…” she began with a chortle. “...Neither of us could even think of stopping you now, not with the amount of joy this brings you. You’re going to do amazing things, Koriander...I know you are.”

Kohri groaned. “ Momma, I thought we agreed that you would only use my full name in the event that I’m being scolded at for something or when we’re in public.” she mumbled as the two women began walking towards the living room where her father was seated and reading the paper. Kohri smiled brightly as she looked at all the flora littering the room. Her pride and joy was the Bleeding Heart vine that circled the entire space perfectly, and her father looked up to her as she hauled her bag over to her desk.

“ The perfect thing about being a parent is that as your mother, I get to call you whatever I please, Koriander.” Damiana teased with a giggle.

Burdock Phelps couldn’t keep himself from laughing at his daughter’s ire. “ Kohri, there’s no winning this fight. You should know this by now sweetheart.” he chuckled as he set the paper to the side.

Kohri rolled her eyes as she looked over to her dad. “ I’m surprised you’re not on duty today, Papa. You’re on the Senate after all.” Kohri remarked spritely.

Burdock shook his head as he got to his feet. “ Even men like me need to take some personal time every once in a while, Kohri. Besides…” Burdock’s brow furrowed tightly as he looked off to the side. “...I’d rather be keeping tabs on the young man who’s been hassling you lately to date him.”

Kohri shook her head even as she gave her dad a tight hug. “ Papa, honestly. I’m a big girl and I’ve driven off my fair share of interested parties. You don’t need to get involved.” she told him honestly. “ Wren’s just used to getting what he wants and he’s pissed that I’m not falling into that category.”

Damiana laughed out loud at that. “ That’s my girl. You definitely take after me in that regard…”

Kohri smoothed her hands over her face tiredly as she tried to look at the words on the page. Her thesis had been wearing her down for so long, had been the focus of her every waking minute for the last six months. Worst yet, she was so close to a breakthrough on the soil sample that she had been altering and perfecting for years and she was hitting a snag.

“ Fancy meeting you here…”

Kohri resisted the urge to groan. She had hoped that by hiding out in the library that it would garner her some time to just think without being harassed. No matter, she was about to put her foot down if he tried to get her to go on a date with him one more time. “ Good afternoon, Wren. I don’t mean to be rude, but I’m knee deep in researching right now for my organic chemistry report.” she told him softly yet politely.

“ I think you may be in need of a break, Kohri. You’ve been sitting here for hours on end and you’ve barely moved. Why don’t we head out for some coffee, or dinner...Maybe all you need is a break.” Wren offered smoothly as he leaned over Kohri’s chair. He was the ideal package to most of their female peers. Wealthy, well respected, handsome, charming and charismatic. Wren knew damn well that he was irresistible to most women and he used it to his advantage.

The only problem was was that Kohri didn’t act that he was all that and more and it baffled him to no end.

Kohri looked over her shoulder with a fire burning in her gaze. “ How many times have I turned you down, Wren? Why aren’t you taking no for an answer? Are you that deluded that you think I’m just simply playing hard to get as opposed to be positively repulsed by you? You are nothing more than a piteously reprehensible sycophant and a narcissistic acidly acrimonious black hole of soul-destroying, coma-inducing dullness.” Kohri growled out with utter revulsion.

“ Now, now, Kohri, there’s no need to resort to name calling.” In all honesty, Wren barely understood a quarter of what she had just told him. “ I’m sure your parents have been feeding you that sort of tripe...They’re so damnably controlling after all.” Wren told her sympathetically, all the while trying to move her things out of the way. “ If you just spent a little time with me, you’d see for yourself I’m not a bad sort.” Wren was almost positive that Senator Phelps was behind most of Kohri’s disparaging attitude towards him and he only hoped to get close enough to her to cement himself into that desirable little body of hers.

Kohri’s chest puffed up indignantly as she got to her feet. He was blaming her parents for his shortcomings?! That entitled, self centered little prick! “ How dare you!” she hissed vehemently. She shoved him roughly the way he had come, and Wren stumbled back just a smidge. This asshat seriously thought her parents were controlling her, thought that they were poisoning her against him? It was time to set this pompous little fucker straight. “ For the record, I am never going to want to do anything with you whatsoever, not even coffee, because I don’t trust you to not slip a roofie into it! If you ever, EVER, say anything like that about my parents ever again, you’re going to regret it Wren. Don’t forget that my father is on the local senate. If you ever want to be hired on as a doctor in this state after you graduate, you will never disparage them ever again, whether I am in an ear shot or not. Capiche?”

Wren’s eyes were cold and calculating as he looked down at Kohri in all her five foot two glory. He had lusted after her for years, had tried and failed to court her with little to no cooperation on her part. Wren homestly couldn’t understand why Kohri didn’t like him. He too came from a wealthy family, their parents moved in similar circles amongst the elite, and he had a reputation with women that left most fawning for him in his wake. He knew how to bed them for that matter. Yet Kohri still acted as if she wanted nothing to with him.

That threat against his future after he graduated was the final straw however. No one belittled Wren Matthews and got away with it. “ Whatever you say, Kohri. However, I wouldn’t go throwing your father’s weight around like that if you can’t back it up.” Wren retorted calmly as he turned to walk away. She’d regret ever speaking to him in such a manner, he’d make sure of it.

Wren Matthews got what he wanted and whoever he wanted every single time after all.

Kohri’s head throbbed painfully as she came too...She couldn’t really recall what had happened, only that she had been sitting at her desk when she had heard the door open. It was odd because her parents were supposed to be at a charity function right now. She was supposed to be the only one here…Kohri tried to rub her throbbing temples, and her eyes went wide in horror when she realized that she was bound by her wrists to her headboard. She went to scream in dismay, only to find that she was gagged as well and unable to call out for help.

“ If there’s one thing you should know about me, Koriander, it’s that I don’t take threats lightly. Your father’s been telling you all this about me in an effort to keep me away from you, to keep you from joining our two families together, hasn’t he? I would be perfect for you! I come from a family like yours, our parents move in the same circles, but you won’t even give me the time of day? How long has your father been turning you against me? Doesn’t he realize that someone would see through his controlling exterior for what he truly is? And you think to threaten my future with his influence? That doesn’t fly, Kohri…” came Wren’s voice from her left. The tone of it was throwing her off. It was almost as if he was switching between different versions of himself, like he had snapped and part of his mind was calm and collected while the other part was scatterbrained. It chilled Kohri right to her very core. “ Another thing that you don’t apparently know is that I get what and who I want every single time and I don’t care how.” One hand began trailing its way up the inside of her leg towards the hidden treasure between her thighs. If there was one thing Wren was all but certain of, it was that Kohri had yet to take on a lover, that she was still untouched and pristine.

He was going to be the one to finally pierce her body for the first time. He was going to make her a woman in every sense of the word.

Wren’s eyes glittered with mad glee as Kohri tried to twist in an effort to force his hand away and he proved to her just how futile that effort was when he cupped her mound through her jeans. The muffled screech of terror brought a sinister grin to his face and his eyes dilated from the endorphins running rampant through his veins at hearing that first distraught cry.

Kohri thrashed harshly on her bed, banging the board raucously against the wall as Wren grabbed her breast next, kneading it like a cat would a cushion to get comfortable. No! She wasn’t going to just lay there and allow Wren to get away with this! This was rape dammit! Kohri screamed brokenly through her gag as Wren grabbed either side of her blouse and he pulled harshly, sending the buttons flying to every corner of her bedroom.

Please...If there truly is such a thing as guardian angels or spirits...Kohri thought desperately as Wren began wrangling her hips still so that he could remove her jeans. Help me...Send someone...Anyone!

Neither heard the door open in all the commotion, as Wren was already fighting with Kohri to get her clothing off. He loved it when they struggled, only for them to come to the realization that no one was coming to help them, and that their resistance was all for naught. He did turn in shock when Burdock slammed open Kohri’s bedroom door and his enraged verdant gaze looked between his bound and gagged daughter with her clothing in various stages of disarray, and the bastard who had dared to attempt to defile her in the one place where she should feel safe.

No words were needed as the tall redheaded man crossed the room in three great bounds, instantly catching the curr across the jaw with a devastating right cross while his wife instantly went to their daughter’s aid to untie her from her bonds. Burdock drew Wren back up by his collar for another hit, but a gunshot rang out and the older man stumbled backwards with blood pouring from his abdomen.

They were the reason she hated him! They were the ones at fault! They had poisoned her mind with lies and deceit to keep them apart! No longer! Wren wasn’t going to let the elder Phelps get in the way of his pursuit of Kohri any longer! In fact, he was going to liberate her out from under their thumb for good...“ Neither of you are leaving this place alive…I’m freeing Kohri from your oppressive and erroneous views...” Wren whispered insidiously as he turned the pistol on Damiana.

Kohri bolted up in bed in a cold sweat, all the while screaming at the top of her lungs. She could still feel the blood spatter covering her face and torso, still see her mother’s head recoiling backwards from the shot that Wren had fired off. Kohri could still see her father making one last valiant attempt to subdue Wren so that Kohri could get her other hand undone and escape. She looked around frantically, not recognizing anything and Kohri fell from her bed to the floor in tears. Where was she? Where was Wren? Sweet goddess in her tree, Kohri could still smell all the blood...

The soothing smell of lavender wafted into her nose, gently easing her mind back to the present instead of those pain filled memories and Kohri looked over to where it was coming from. She stood on shaky feet, and she shuffled over to the hutch where she had placed her parents ashes. Soft purple petals came into focus in the low light and through her blurred vision and Kohri lifted a trembling hand to touch them.

That’s from my bushel at home…

Gill had given her these flowers and their calming scent were starting to soothe her fear filled psyche. He had barely left naught but five hours ago when they had finally agreed to call off any further work on her books until next week, along with once again agreeing to disagree to settle their debate. He had left, but it still felt as if part of him were still here.

That thought brought Kohri much more comfort than she wanted to admit to herself, considering that she was quickly growing fiercely attached to the deputy mayor. She looked at her parents pictures and her face scrunched up a little as she tried to fend off a fresh wave of sobs, these much more sorrowful and grieving. “ I’m so sorry…” she choked out as they began rolling hot and hard down her cheeks. “ This is all my fault…” Kohri’s knees buckled and she slumped to the floor all the while resting her brow against the glass. “ It’s my fault, and you paid the price…” There was no one here to comfort her, no one here to dispel the grief and blame that she had heaped on her shoulders. Kohri was alone, right when she didn’t want to be the most.

Only she wasn’t...And she never would be despite the fact that she couldn’t see them.

Kohri sniffled a little as she sat straight. There it was again, that tingle against her skin and that slight buzzing in her ear. The tops of her shoulders grew chill after a moment and Kohri’s face fell as a sad smile formed on her lips. “ Thank you…” she whispered softly as she looked back up to their photos. If she looked at her reflection just right in the glass, they were right behind her and Kohri reached towards her right shoulder. The air and her skin were almost like ice to the touch, but it didn’t hurt. In fact, it was comforting beyond all measure, and her smile grew a little broader even as her tears began coming faster. Even though she couldn’t see them, she could feel them. Kohri knew her parents were there, trying to support her and guide her even now. “ I love you and I miss you…” She inhaled slowly and deeply before she rose to her feet again and Kohri climbed back into her bed.

Sleep came easier this time, and thankfully it was dreamless.

A few weeks passed by without incident. It took a solid three weekends to do so, but Gill and Kohri managed to finally get all her books cataloged and sorted appropriately throughout her home. It was time well spent and enjoyed, as the two made a habit of not only debating all the while, but of dining together for those days. Owen and Luke had made the mistake of helping them one weekend, as they were hoping to be of some use, and the two men were left with their heads spinning in the aftermath of one very heated debate on chemistry.

Luke swore to never again to try to listen to Gill and Kohri when they got like that, much to Owen’s amusement. The two men were a staple for at least an hour or two on Kohri’s plot every day during the week, as Kohri was quickly building a strong rapport with both Owen and Luke. As Gill had promised, Owen was exceedingly easy to talk to, and she confided in him a little about the guilt she was feeling in the wake of her parent’s passing. Even without knowing all of the details, Owen helped to absolve her of at least a little of the guilt. Luke, the goddess bless him for his sense of humor and knack for timing, could make Kohri laugh like no one else on the island. No matter how sour her mood, Luke always managed to bring a smile to Kohri’s face.

In all honesty, Kohri couldn’t imagine her life without either of them. They had quickly become some of her best friends over the last couple months.

Gill managed to get Kohri signed up for her correspondence courses as well so that she could finish her degrees. The two made a night of it with most of the other young adults in the inn to celebrate, though it turned into one huge party before the bar closed that night. It was the first night that Kohri had felt like she was truly part of the community on the island, and she relished in that feeling. Here on Waffle Island, she wasn’t the daughter of Senator Burdock Phelps, nor was her every move watched with criticizing scrutiny. This little island and its inhabitants gave Kohri a chance to truly be herself for the first time in her young life. She wasn’t shunned for her love of herbology and agriculture her. She didn’t have people turning their noses up at her in disapproval for what she did. Kohri had truly fallen in love with the island and she absolved that even once her case was finished, she was never leaving.

Like she had told Gill when she had chosen the plot on the top of the hill, Kohri could feel deep in her bones that she was truly and finally home.

Gill was tending to the front desk as Elli had stepped back over to the home she shared with Yolanda to grab the second tray of cannolis that she had made for them to snack on. His father was ruffling through papers at his desk, more than likely getting everything ready for the Ocean Festival coming up in July. While there was another local holiday coming up in just a couple weeks at the end of June; the Animal Festival to be more precise, the Ocean Festival and the Firefly Festival were their biggest tourism draws every single year besides the New Year’s Festival. In fact, Gill was sure that Kohri was going to be asked to help Craig supply a good chunk of the produce this year now that she was nearly set up to plant. The only thing in the way was a large boulder that she wasn’t having any luck in either cracking it or moving and no one could place just when it had appeared. Now that he thought on it, Gill was sure that they were going to have to change the vegetable in their wager at this point if Kohri couldn’t get that last bit of her field cleared. He’d make a point to stop by her ranch tomorrow to check in with her on it. Gill sighed a little contentedly as he shuffled a few papers into order on his own desk, order forms and the like for both coming celebrations, and he felt a small smile cross his face as he thought of how everything was finally falling into place. All in all it was turning out to be a rather calm day.

Without warning, the double doors flew open with a huge amount of force, slamming with a sickening crack against either wall, and Gill stared at the person responsible, stunned into silence. Elli would never do such a thing, even if she were irate. It also took a lot to get the woman to that point for that matter, but for the most part she had the patience of a saint. Irene was a possible candidate, as Gill had seen her temper flare high and hot on more than one occasion, but the silhouette in the doorway didn’t match the matron of their little clinic. It took the better part of a moment for the fog in his mind to abate from her surprisingly raucous entrance, but Gill recognized the woman who entered as Amelia Muffins, the agent that had initially brought Kohri here to the island.

Admittedly, she had seen better days. Her arm was tight against her torso in a sling, many scratches littered her face and neck on the left side, and a nasty hand shaped bruise was visible under her collar. Gill’s gray blue eyes went wide in shock and horror that such a sweet woman would be harmed as seriously as she was on purpose. “ Ms. Muffins? Are you alright?”

Muffins slowed her pace when she recognized Gill. “ Where’s Kohri?” she demanded, her voice soft but powerful all the while.

“ More than likely Kohri’s working her plot right now. I can take you by if you’d like.” Gill offered. He looked over to Hamilton with a worried gaze. To this day, they were the only two besides Kohri that knew that she was in the witness protection program. Had the man that murdered her parents figured out where she was? Was she about to be uprooted from everything that she had built here already? They had just finally finished cataloging and shelving all her books just barely a week ago!

“ Lead on...I...I have to give her this update.” Muffins whispered thickly. Her green eyes had been bright and humorous the last time Gill had seen her. Now they looked dull, grief stricken, and terrified. Just what kind of a man was this, the one after Kohri’s life? Was he seriously as deranged as Kohri claimed him to be?

Hamilton nodded silently for Gill to leave. He was sure his son would get him caught up later tonight when all was quiet. He could only pray that things weren’t as bad as he was imagining them to be.

“ Right this way, Ms. Muffins. It’s going to be a twenty or so minute walk.” Gill announced carefully.

Muffins waved her hand as if to say that didn’t matter. The only thing that did matter was getting to Kohri here and now and she told him that. “ She’s not leaving if that’s what you’re worried about.” Muffins told him softly once they had left the town proper.

“ What happened?” he asked worriedly. “ Dr. Jin can take a look at everything if you…”

“ I can’t talk that well right now...I’m only going to say it once and that’ll be when I sit Kohri down.” Muffins interrupted tersely.

The rest of their walk was in a growing silence that had Gill on edge. He breathed in a sigh of relief when he saw Kohri fighting with that boulder once more, though Owen and Luke were there as well. All three of them were taking turns swinging a hammer onto a metal spike that was barely lodged into the bulk of it yet, but it was showing signs of splitting. It was just going to take a lot more swings than what they had already done.

“ Kohri! You have a visitor!” Gill called out to her, his tone serious.

Kohri looked up and over to the advancing duo coming up the path and she nearly dropped her hammer in shock when she saw the state Muffins was in. “ Amelia! What in the goddess’ name happened to you!” she exclaimed as she ran over.

Muffins shook her head slightly. “ Not out here Kohri. Not everyone knows…” she whispered.

Owen looked over to Luke for a moment, his coal gaze worried for their friend. Kohri was not like any young woman here on the island. She could swing a hammer and an ax just as well as her hoe, and she wasn’t afraid of working hard or getting dirty. In fact, the three of them had finally finished clearing the way to Brownie Ranch for the festival next week, and that was when Kohri had asked them for their help in clearing this brute from her lot. Owen respected Kohri greatly, and he had no qualms in throwing down to protect her already despite the almost four months she had been on the island. The three of them could often be seen getting together for drink at Hayden’s bar in the evening, all of them telling wild stories that had their sides splitting for hours. Whoever this was, they weren’t taking Kohri from them without a fight.

Luke was confused and worried as well. Kohri didn’t talk a lot about her past before coming here, and she didn’t like talking about how her parents had passed. Somehow, Luke was sure that it had been less than pleasant as he looked at the state the stranger near Kohri was in. Not only that, he was more than positive now that she had been hiding something important.

Kohri looked over to Luke and Owen and guilt filled her worried blue eyes. “ They need to know, Amelia...The mayor and Gill can only do so much if something serious happens.” she replied stoically. Her gaze matched Muffin’s own stubborn one as the agent glared at her in defiance. “ Amelia...They’re going to find out sooner or later.” she added.

Muffins sighed heavily as she looked at the three young men. “ You’re certain you want to pull these two in as well?” she asked poignantly, her tone terse but still soft enough to send shivers down someone’s spine.

Kohri nodded without any hesitation and she leaned her hammer up against the stone. “ More than certain, Amelia. What’s going on?” she demanded.

Muffins’ face fell in regret as she finally gave voice to her reason for being here. “ Kohri...Tara’s been killed...As far as Wren knows right now, you’re dead…” she began.

Kohri’s knees gave out the moment she heard Tara’s fate. Tara had been her doppelganger in the witness protection unit working Kohri’s case, and that bastard had killed her… “ No…” Her blue eyes filled with tears as she thought of the other woman. She was supposed to have gotten married in September! Tara was working towards heading her own unit before the end of the year! “ That bastard!” she screamed, sobbing all the while. All those horrid memories came rushing back to her, all of them sapping her of any strength. She didn’t want to live through them again! It was bad enough that they haunted Kohri while she slept! She wanted to remember her mother for the bright, passionate soul she had been, not the terror stricken mother in a panic. Kohri was desperate to remember her father for the even tempered and fair politician that he had been, even though such a stance had garnered him so many enemies in the senate. She wished that she had never pushed Wren as far as she did…

Everything that had happened was her fault...

Owen and Luke were shocked and confused. “ What’s going on? Who’s this Wren person you mentioned?” Luke asked, his golden brown gaze like amber in his growing ire. Why had this woman come to make Kohri cry?

Muffins sighed heavily as she looked over to the two young men near Kohri’s side. “ Gill and Mayor Hamilton had to know, but she’s insisting to bring you two in. Kohri’s been in witness protection for the last eight months and her case is a high profile scandal. She witnessed a double murder…” she began, only to be cut off.

“ Wren was the bastard who killed my parents…” Kohri hissed as she trembled violently in both rage and sorrow. “ And he killed them because they tried to stop him from…” Her gloved hands fisted the dirt tightly and her shoulders shook. “...He was…” Her head fell as her shoulders began jerking with the force of her sobs. “ It’s my fault...If I hadn’t…”

“ Kohri, stop.” came Luke’s voice. It was sterner than Gill had ever heard it before, more mature than he was sure he’d ever hear it again. The young man knelt down beside his friend and he wrapped one arm over her shoulders while the other took her hand. “ If this bastard thinks that he can get to you easily here, then he’s got another thing comin’. He’s gonna have to get through Lucy and I before he even get’s a single step near your door.”

Owen’s charcoal colored gaze was just as grim. “ We take care of our own here on Waffle Island, Kohri. Like it or not, you’re lumped in with the rest of us now.” he finished with a small smirk.

As far as a lot of us are concerned, you’re one of us…
Gill’s words from a few weeks ago rang clear in her mind and Kohri looked up between the three men with tear filled eyes. All three of them had done their damnedest to make her feel as welcome on the island as possible ever since she had come here almost four months ago in March. They had all been there for her in one way or another. A slow, sad smile crossed her face and she felt Owen haul her up to her feet.
“ Kohri, you’re never going to be able to leave this island…” Muffins told her softly. “ As far as Wren is concerned, he killed you, and he’s positive he’s going to get away with it.”

Kohri’s brow furrowed a little, stealing away the smile that she had just given everyone. “ We’ll bide our time, Amelia. Wren’s not going to get away with killing my parents, dammit! I’m not going to let him!” she seethed. “ He shot my parents without any hesitation...He was going to rape me dammit! I am not going to allow that blighted miscreant...that ludicrous heart-sickening abomination of humanity to think he can do the same to any other woman out there! Wren Matthews will go to prison even if it kills me!”

Even Muffins was taken aback by the ferocity in Kohri’s voice at that final declaration. “ Very well, Kohri, I’ll keep building the case. I doubt we’re going to be able to do anything for a while yet, however. Like I said, I don’t know if you’re going to ever be able to leave this island.”

Kohri got to her feet, her blue gaze as hard and cold as sapphires. “ Leaving the island is not important Amelia. I’ve made my home here, I’m going to be able to make a living doing what I love here. For all I know, I would have come this way sooner or later. You just helped me find this place sooner.” Kohri explained softly and with a smile as she turned to look at the three young men standing beside her. All three of them had been supportive in their own ways, had readily offered her their friendship without so much as a backward glance. Especially Gill...Him and I are both going through the same thing in a sense after all...Kohri thought to herself.
Muffins sighed as she smiled a little. “ I knew you’d grow to love this place, Kohri, I just didn’t think it’d be that fast.” the agent said with a sad grin.
Kohri looped her arms around both Luke’s and Owen’s backs. “ I attribute that to these three. They’ve done a bang up job in making me feel welcome here.” she replied, still grinning broadly.

Gill shook his head a little as he looked at Owen, Luke, and Kohri. They were quickly becoming the three musketeers of Waffle Island. If one needed help with something, the other two were readily there to assist in any way they could. “ To be honest Kohri, I…”

“ Don’t discount yourself Gill.” Owen interrupted. “ You offer Kohri something as well, whether you realize it or not. You’ve done just as much as Luke and I to make her transition to living here as seamless as possible. Both of you are easily two of the smartest people here on the island right now, with Phoebe being away at school, and there’s Dr. Jin of course.” The tall, russet haired miner gave the deputy mayor a grin and he chortled softly. “ You’ve been just as much of a friend to her as Luke and I, maybe more so as we can’t give her that kind of mental challenge the way you can.”

Gill paused for a moment before he retorted. Owen was right that almost any time he and Kohri were talking that it was some sort of academic debate. Not only that, but Gill honestly enjoyed the young woman’s company and it seemed to him that Kohri did as well. “ Thank you. I don’t think I’ll be joining the three musketeers any time soon however.” he said with a playful grin in return.

“ Why not? You could always be D’Artanian.”

All heads turned to Luke in surprise and he blushed a little for it. “ Gimme a break! The Three Musketeers was my favorite bedtime story growing up!” he added, embarrassed.

Kohri giggled as she gave Luke a platonic hug. “ I guess that makes you Porthos, Owen’s Athos, and I would be Aramis.” she told him, earning a laugh from all parties gathered.

Luke nodded. “ I can totally see that. Oh! We could do that for Halloween this year! That’d be awesome as hell!” he exclaimed. He popped a pose, holding his hammer high like it was a fencing sabre. “ We’d look pretty freakin’ wicked for that matter too!”

Gill shook his head. “ I don’t know if I’ll join in Luke. I’ll probably be up to my neck in paperwork for the Harvest Festival instead of going to any parties.” he admitted.

Muffins looked between the four adults with a small smile on her face. “ Kohri, I don’t want to keep imposing. If you’re sure about this, I’ll take my leave for now. It’ll probably be a long while before I can come back to give you any updates.” she said.

Kohri nodded as Luke kept trying to persuade Gill into joining them for Halloween. “ I’ll be fine here Amelia. I promise. Take your time too. I don’t want this rushed, not one bit. Something could be overlooked if that happens.” the rancher replied seriously, her face growing grim for a moment. The expression softened immensely as she looked back over to the three men going back and forth and Kohri smiled at the sight. She didn’t know what she would do without any of them. “ I’ve got these three to keep me safe.”

Amelia nodded in reply and she began walking back towards the town. There was a confident smile on her face despite her injuries. Kohri was a stronger woman than she realized for wanting to keep the case going. Most would have folded under the pressure upon hearing that their double had been murdered in their place.

Maybe sending Kohri here had been the right thing to do after all.

Kohri sighed heavily as she turned to the three men behind her. “ I believe I owe you three an explanation.” she whispered once it was clear she had their attention. “ Why don’t we take this inside and I’ll get all of us something cold to drink.”

Owen patted Kohri’s shoulder as he came up beside her. “ We’ll head to the bar later. Drinks are on me tonight.” he told her supportively. Owen was more than positive that Kohri was going to need a stiff drink or five once she was done.

Gill lay in bed later that night, staring at his ceiling while deep in thought. He hadn’t known Kohri had recently been having nightmares about the night her parents had been murdered. He was glad that she had taken his advice however, as Gill had only learned of Kohri’s night terrors when Owen had brought them up earlier that afternoon when she confided in them about everything that had happened. It reminded him of when he had been dealing with the pain and grief of his mother dying. Gill’s mother had been ill for quite some time before she had finally passed on, but she had always lived each day to the fullest. She didn’t let her illness define her and she was the reason he adored lavender so much. Jillian Tamelin had been a hero and inspiration to her son for doing such.

Kohri’s parents had died trying to save their daughter though, an act of courageousness for which there was no equal. Gill had always thought them wonderful people before from the little Kohri had spoken of them to him, but now he truly held their memory in the highest of esteem. There was no more noble sacrifice than of a parent for their child.

A soft knock at his bedroom door drew Gill from his musings and the young man turned to look as his father poked his head in.

“ Kohri’s at the door, Gill. She apologized profusely for bothering us at this hour, but I can tell what she wants to ask you is important to her.” Hamilton said with a small smile. His gray eyes twinkled merrily, though he didn’t voice what he hoped. Hamilton was praying that Kohri would be the one to open his son’s heart up again, to bring joy and meaning back into Gill’s existence. His son had buried himself in work in an effort to drown the pain of losing Angela five years ago, and in doing so Gill hadn’t been living.

Just the simple fact that Kohri had managed to draw Gill away from working so much, even if it was him just going over to her home to help her sort her books, gave the mayor a renewed sense of faith that his son could one day find happiness.

Gill rose from his bed and he silently walked down stairs to and outside where Kohri was gazing up towards the stars. “ Is everything alright?” he asked her softly, closing the door behind him for some measure of privacy.

Kohri nodded and she smiled sadly. “ Do you remember my first day here when I asked if you would mind helping me with something?” she asked him.

Gill nodded as he leaned against the wrought iron railing near the door. “ I do. What is it you need Kohri?”

Kohri took a deep breath. She had been nervous to ask him this over the last few weeks, but she was shored up with a bit of liquid courage courtesy of Owen. “ I was hoping you’d be willing to help me scatter some of my parents ashes to sea. I hope there’s a blustery day coming up to do it on for that matter.” she told him shyly.

Whatever Gill had been expecting, it hadn’t been that. He was rather touched and honored that she would even ask him to share such a moment with her. “ I’d be honored Kohri. Will Luke and Owen be joining in as well?”

Kohri shook her head no in reply and she gazed towards her feet. “ You were the only person on this island that knew the truth behind my parents passing for months Gill. I wanted to ask you that first day, but you asked me to hold off until I got settled in. To be honest, I only wanted this to be between us.” she answered softly. Her cheeks were stained pink, whether from bashfulness or the drink she had imbibed tonight, Kohri wasn’t sure.

Gill nodded silently. “ I think Elli said something about a warm front moving in this weekend and that it was bringing some storms in next week. Saturday will probably have a good wind if anything.” he told her with a small smile. The smile he received in turn along with the excited hug Kohri embraced him with nearly threw him off balance while leaving his heart thundering. He quickly righted himself before they went tumbling into the shrubbage on the side of the stairwell and his other arm wrapped around her waist loosely to keep her from falling either.

Kohri was laughing gaily as Gill managed to keep them on their feet and she rested her forehead against his chest. “ Sorry ‘bout that.” she chortled, her eyes shining in her mirth. “ Maybe I had one too many tonight.”

Gill chuckled, and Kohri blushed a little as she felt a pleasant rumble all through his chest. She looked up, only to have that blush deepen once she realized the position they were in. Her arms were wrapped over his shoulders, and had not loosened their hold in the slightest. He was almost face level with her, only because he was leaning against the railing, but it gave her a perfect view of his visage. Something she hadn’t had since her first moments on the island.

Gill was devastatingly handsome in Kohri’s opinion. Slightly angular jawline, a strong chin, an aquiline nose, and slightly thin but perfectly kissable lips. Oh I definitely drank too much...she realized as her gaze flickered between his steel blue eyes and those soft pink lips. Gill seemed to be perusing her face as well in their unceremonious proximity, and slowly he began moving closer. Or was that Kohri herself drawer near? She couldn’t tell nor did she care to right now. Gill’s eyes had closed and his lips were slightly parted, and his head was tilted perfectly to one side for him to claim her lips. Kohri could feel the soft tickle of his exhale fan over her face and she felt goosebumps rise over her skin in reaction. Time was moving too damn slow! He should have kissed her by now!

“ Woooo! Go for it Kohri!” Luke drunkenly called out to her from near the inn. He had been flirting with Selena ever since Kohri had left him and Owen at the bar to go talk to Gill before it got too late.

Kohri jumped back in both surprise and shame and she felt stone cold sober in the wake of what had nearly just happened. What was she thinking?! She had sworn off of romance here for a reason! “ I’m sorry...I…”she stammered out as she tripped a little heading down the steps. Thankfully she caught herself in an instant, though Gill had moved to catch her again so she wouldn’t hurt herself. “ I’ll see you around Gill. Thank you again.”

With that, Kohri took off running into the night for home.

Gill watched her retreat until she was well out of sight or earshot. He was just as surprised as Kohri was about what had almost happened between them, and also kicking himself just as hard. He couldn’t figure out what had come over him to lean in to kiss her like that. Her unbridled joy had been palpable and contagious, but what Gill couldn’t piece together was when he got it in his head to claim her lips in a slow, sense addling kiss…

What perturbed him the most was that Gill had very much wanted to kiss her in the first place.

Again....Don't kill me?
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Restoring Faith