Haven't You Ever Been In Love Before?

Part VI

Okay, I'm sorry this chapter took longer than my last one. I've just had way too much going on lately. Family trips, stuff to do at home, mental health problems... I can barely find time for myself. So, please don't ask me when a new chapter is coming if I don't put one up right away.

Also, enjoy! 😁

By the time the five Trolls returned to Pop Village, there was a team of paramedics already waiting for them with a stretcher. Clay made his way through to check on his big brother.

“How is he?" he asked worriedly.

“Not good," Branch answered. “The egg detached prematurely, so he's lost a lot of blood."

“Place him down here," a paramedic said as they rested John Dory on the stretcher, and he was carried off to the medical pod with the rest of the group trailing behind. Branch noticed Willow looking down in shame as she trudged alongside him.

“Thank you," he said quietly. Willow glanced at her friend with a sad smile. “And, uh, I hope you learned your lesson, bonehead."

Willow blinked in surprise. “Don't call me a bonehead!" she spat.

“You knew what was going on and didn't bother telling me until tonight," Branch pointed out. “John Dory could've died!"

“I would've told you sooner if he hadn't pressured me into keeping my big mouth shut!"

“Oh, stop it, you two!" Floyd interrupted as they went inside. “No one's to blame here. Right now, we need to make sure John's okay."

“Not to mention, get this little guy or gal looked at," Poppy added, referring to the little blue and green egg in her hands. “Isn't it cute?"

“What's cute?" a voice piped up. The five Trolls turned to find Viva standing behind them with a toy dolphin wearing doctor's clothes in her arms.

“Viva, what are you doing here?" Clay asked. “Shouldn't you still be at the ball?"

“Well, I was having a megaton of fun," she admitted, “until Synth went to get me punch and slipped on an ice cube."

“I'm sorry, Veev," Poppy replied. “Is he okay?"

“He's fine, just covered in boo-boos," Viva insisted. “I'm gonna give him this to help him feel better. So, what are you guys doing here?"

“It's kind of a long story," Floyd said.

“John Dory had an egg that detached early," Willow explained. “He didn't want you guys knowing because he's lost a few already and doesn't think this one will make it, either."

“Oh, no," Viva muttered, then noticed the egg in Poppy's arms. “Is this it?"

“Yeah," she answered. “The shell's thin, so be careful."

“I got it," Viva said as she took the egg. “Hey, you little cutie. You're such a pretty wittle eggy-weggy."

“Pops, it's 9:30," Branch warned his girlfriend. “I gotta–"

“I'll get her," Poppy insisted. “Stay here with your brothers. You guys need each other right now."

“What's going on?" Clay wondered as Poppy left.

“If neither of them get to the bunker by 10:00, the babysitter charges double," Willow answered as a nurse approached them. “And steals stuff."

“How is he?" Branch asked the nurse.

“He's stable, but we're going to monitor him overnight to be safe," she explained. “Honestly, your brother's lucky to be alive. Most Trolls his age don't survive early detachment. Especially if they've previously miscarried."

“What about the little one?" Viva asked, holding out the egg. The nurse pulled a tiny flashlight out from her shirt pocket and shone it through the shell.

“It's healthy, but it'll take a while for it to hatch," the nurse said. “I'd say about three weeks. As for the shell, nothing to do but keep it safe, I'm afraid. Oh, and make sure it stays warm."

Branch nodded and tucked the egg into his hair.

“Can we see John Dory?" Floyd pleaded.

“In the morning," the nurse answered. “Right now, he needs to rest."

💔🪺💔🪺💔

The following morning, Branch, Clay, and Floyd returned to the medical pod to visit their big brother, who sat alone at the window bench with his knees to his chest. Without his goggles on, they noticed the fresh bandage taped to the top of his head with some of the hair surrounding the wound shaved off.

“John Dory?" Floyd said softly. He looked over at them with a dullness in his tired eyes. “How are you feeling?"

With a low grumble, John Dory just shrugged at them and continued staring out the window.

“Your egg's still alive," Branch revealed as he carefully pulled it out from his hair. “You wanna hold it?"

John Dory stared at his egg in pure disbelief. He reached out for a second, yet pulled his hand back and shook his head.

“I can't," he muttered, his eyes watering.

“I know, you're afraid you'll hurt it," Floyd replied sympathetically. “But this one's still here. You still have something to hope for."

“I had four somethings to hope for, and they all ended up dying anyways!" John Dory said angrily, his voice crescendoing. “You have no idea what I had to go through for the past twenty-four years! All the blood I had to clean up!"

“It wasn't your fault, John," Clay insisted.

“Of course, it was!" he sobbed. “I left you guys because I couldn't handle bringing you up anymore! I already had my own baby on the way, and look what happened! I was reckless with myself and you guys, and my kid paid for it. Branch was left alone and, for all I knew then, he was dead. I didn't even bother looking for the rest of you until I found out Floyd was kidnapped. I wanted to be a father, but I don't deserve to be after what I did to you three and Bruce. I guess my body seemed to know that, too."

It broke Branch's heart to see his oldest brother this distraught. He looked over at Clay and Floyd and they shared similar looks of concern.

Floyd was the next to reach out. “John Dory–"

“Just go," he muttered, wiping away his tears. “Keep that one away from me. I don't wanna watch another one die."

The three youngest brothers quickly stepped outside and Branch tucked the egg back in his hair.

“We can't leave him alone for too long," Floyd whispered. “I overheard some doctors say he tried to hurt himself last night."

“What do we do?" Clay asked. “We can't just let him go back to Rhonda."

“How about the bunker?" Branch suggested. “Floyd and I could keep an eye on him in there."

“Good idea," Floyd said politely, “except it's too dark and quiet. What John Dory needs is a calm environment, but one that's also open. And he'll need to be around friends and family who will support and comfort him."

Something clicked in Clay's brain. “I know a place."