Taken Chapter 7, a trolls fanfic

A/N: Sorry it's been ages since an update again! Thanks so much for the lovely reviews 3 Circleheadd - So sorry to hear you are going through a rough time. I hope some more Broppy helps! ILoveBroppy1andOnly - haha to be fair I didn't put that much thought into Creek beyond him just wanting to be King by any means, he was just a simple villain for this story but perhaps I should have considered his background some more. Link Fangirl01 - thanks so much! Don't worry about the DM haha I'm much the same. It was just a really sweet message you sent me thank you :)

Here is the last chapter, hope you enjoy!

Chapter 7

Everything was a bit of a blur when they first arrived back at Branch's bunker. Poppy had been quiet and sombre for most of the journey home, but the moment she'd been reunited with her friends she turned straight back into her happy old self. She was shocked to discover her father had lost his colours when she was taken, but his skin soon reverted to his usual jovial orange once he held his daughter in his arms. There wasn't a dry eye in the room as the two embraced one another desperately.

Branch had tried to stand back and let Poppy be the focus of the attention but trolls swarmed him with appreciation for what he had done, and fussed over his bright colours. It was all a bit overwhelming, much as he had expected. Everyone was so full of questions but much of what he had gone through were intimate moments between himself and Poppy, and he found himself struggling to find the right words.

Poppy noticed Branch's discomfort as the villagers surrounded him, besieging him with queries about what had happened. She smiled proudly at how well he was doing but she could see that it was getting a bit much for him, so she told them all to gather outside where she could tell everyone the good news properly. The trolls spilled outside excitedly, having not seen daylight for several days.

Poppy took her place on the large mushroom in the centre of the clearing and began her story. When she told them of how she had brought peace with the bergens the crowd erupted with elation, hardly able to believe the turn of events. Her father had crowned her queen on the spot, and Branch beamed with pride as everyone cheered for her. She hadn't mentioned Creek once, and surprisingly no one had asked about him. He was sure she would have to explain to the snack pack at some point, but beyond that he presumed she would probably never speak of him again. Even now she was too good to talk ill of him.

Plans were instantly begun for the biggest party ever. They had so much to celebrate and for once Branch couldn't blame them. Once the crowd began to disperse to begin the preparations Poppy immediately headed through the crowd to him. She grabbed him into a big hug, squeezing him happily.

"Hey, it's not hug time yet." He said with a smirk, blushing and hugging her back nonetheless.

"Oh shut up." She grinned, squeezing him tighter. When she pulled back she held on to his hands and looked at him nervously.

"What is it?" Branch looked at her worriedly, also glancing around at the surrounding trolls who were watching them and gossiping. It wasn't like he'd wanted her to announce to the whole village that they were an item now, in fact he was glad she hadn't. But he knew people would soon notice and start talking, and it made him irrationally nervous. What would people think?

"You… you are going to come to the party… right?" Her question surprised him, and she began rambling nervously before he could respond. "I mean I know there are still dangers and all but at least there aren't any bergens, and I'll try to reign it in but the villagers have never had this much to celebrate before and-"

"Yes Poppy, I will come." He smiled at her bemused, and her face lit up.

"Really? Oh Branch!" She pulled him into another hug. She had been waiting to hear him say those words for years.

He knew how much this meant to her, despite his misgivings. He wanted to be a more active member of the village. Heck he wanted to have fun for the first time in his life. But it was still a big step for him, and he couldn't help but be nervous. He'd never been to one of her parties - what if he didn't like it? Branch swallowed back his nerves, shaking his spiralling thoughts quickly from his mind.

"Do I still get a fancy invitation?" He teased, trying to make light of the situation.

"I thought you hated my invitations." She pulled back, looking at him with surprise.

"Of course I didn't. I mean I wasn't too keen on getting glitter up my nose every time, but still," He said with a smile.

"Sorry," Poppy giggled, "I knew my scrapbooking skills would win you over eventually." She smirked.

"You won me over with the first one." Branch rolled his eyes with a blush.

"Wow, really? I can't even remember the first one." Poppy blinked in surprise. Branch simply grinned. He knew exactly which one came first, but she didn't have to know that he still had every single one. Maybe one day she would find out.

"Hey leave your boyfriend alone, we've got work to do!" Smidge called to Poppy coarsely, causing Branch to blush a dark shade of purple. The snack pack were all there, watching them and grinning as they waited for her to initiate the party plans.

"I'm coming!" She yelled back, completely unfazed. "Do you wanna come help us?" She looked at him hopefully.

"Sure!" He nodded and she bounced giddily on the spot, smiling manically.

"Arrrggh this is going to be so much fun!" She yelled, overwhelmed with excitement at the prospect of Branch integrating with her friends and coming to one of their parties. She planted a quick kiss on his cheek and dragged him over.

. . .

The party did not disappoint. It was loud, glittery and just plain crazy. Every troll in the village attended of course, and it seemed that no one had ever been happier. The music boomed as hair of every colour bounced and swayed to the beat, the air shimmering as it rained glitter.

For Branch though, it all proved a little too much too soon. It probably wasn't a great introduction to parties for him – he'd been very much thrown in at the deep end. But he knew he would have to forgive them for tonight, it was a very special occasion after all. He appreciated the concessions that he had managed to negotiate with Poppy, such as not using fireworks or those terribly dazzling light canons that Branch hated so much. But nonetheless spirits were high and couldn't be contained, and he was pretty certain he was the only troll that was worrying tonight.

He had to admit it wasn't all bad. Branch did enjoy dancing and it was nice to have so many trolls actually try to talk to him and get to know him for once. He was immediately taken in by the snack pack without question. It already felt as though they that had been friends for years.

But the only troll he really wanted to spend time with tonight was Poppy, and unfortunately she was in too high demand. Everyone wanted to tell her how great it was to have her back, how excited they were for her to be queen and how amazing they thought she would be at it. He didn't understand how her head didn't explode getting pulled in all directions like that.

Branch did his best, but as the night grew late he had to admit defeat. He was still exhausted from the whole ordeal - he felt sure he'd have been able to cope better if he could have just caught up on his sleep first. He'd barely even seen Poppy in the last couple of hours. She was chatting away animatedly with some trolls he didn't know right now, surely deep into yet another retelling of their adventure. Surely no one would miss him if he slipped away now? He thought of his bunker and visibly sagged. Who knew what state it was in after housing all of troll village these last few days?

He rubbed his eyes tiredly and looked back towards Poppy once more. She gestured energetically as she spoke, her eyes sparkling with excitement and he wondered what part of their story she was telling. He smiled to himself, his cheeks growing warm. For a long moment he just watched her contentedly, until a yawn forced its way from his mouth. Finally he turned away and disappeared unnoticed into the foliage.

. . .

Poppy took a deep breath as she finally managed to excuse herself. There was no one here she didn't like of course but it was getting exhausting that every single troll wanted to spend time with her. A small part of her wished she could have just had a small party with the snack pack, a thought which caught her off guard. She'd never wished a party was smaller before! Sure it was the biggest one they'd ever had, but maybe it was the time she'd spent away from the village. Branch must have rubbed off on her.

Branch... she felt herself blush at the mere thought of him. She felt a giddy tingle from recalling everything that had happened between them, making her heart flutter. It was sort of a similar feeling she used to get when she thought about Creek, except it was so much more intense that it almost made her feel unsteady on her feet. The thought of Creek just made her feel physically sick now. She pushed those thoughts to the back of her mind, buried deep.

Poppy scanned the crowds for Branch excitedly, hoping to catch sight of his striking teal and blue. People were starting to drift off home now as it was getting pretty late, but she couldn't spot his handsome form anywhere. Her smile slipped as she realised he wasn't here. When had he left? Why didn't he say goodbye? Her stomach knotted with guilt.

She'd known this party would be hard for him - it was his first after all, and she hadn't been able to be there for him. Had he had a terrible time? She began to fret. She'd wanted to spend the night with him, but every time she'd tried to get away someone else would stop her, and the time had just flown by before she knew it. Her crown suddenly weighed heavily upon her head, and her body sagged tiredly.

Her instinct told her to go straight to his bunker and find him, but another voice told her to stop. What if he was just tired and wanted some alone time? Maybe he wouldn't want her bursting in on him, especially if he was already asleep. She sighed, her shoulders drooping. She felt so drained all of a sudden, she just wanted to go to bed. It had been an exceptionally long few days, and finally even she had run out of energy. Quietly she slipped away from the remnants of the party, and went home to her pod.

. . .

Branch lay wide awake on his bed, despite how exhausted he felt. He couldn't stop stressing over his actions tonight. He shouldn't have left, he should have stuck it out. Had it really been so bad? He knew it hadn't, he had definitely enjoyed himself. Was it too late to go back? Why hadn't he at least said goodbye? He dragged his hands over his face in frustration. His mind just would not stop racing with anxieties. He knew that he had to make a conscious effort not to act this way anymore, and yet he had just gone and done it again. What was wrong with him?

He didn't want things to just go back to the way they were before, he wanted Poppy in his life. Things had been so much easier back in the forest when it was just the two of them. It wasn't that he missed the danger of their adventure, simply their privacy. He finally felt like he could be completely himself around her, but it was so hard to break the habit of a lifetime and let the rest of the world see the real him too.

Had he just been kidding himself in the forest? Could he really hold down a girl like Poppy? The queen no less. A voice in his head scolded him for such thoughts - she'd already told him off for thinking this way, but it was so hard to ignore them. She might have meant what she said then but this was a different world, and if he didn't fit in he knew they wouldn't work together. She could have anyone she wanted, why would she chose a grumpy, anti-social troll?

Branch frowned in determination at himself. No. He wouldn't let her go. It was up to him to make this work, and he was going to fight for her. He had to do something for her. Some sort of gesture that would cement their relationship here in the village. He had to show her the troll he was deep down that was crying to be let out.

He knew what it was that he should do, it was just difficult for him to accept. After all these years it was the one thing that he was going to find the hardest to let go, and yet he knew he had to get past it if he wanted to fit in and be truly free of his past. A part of him didwant to. He missed singing so much, and he knew his soul wouldn't be complete until he did it. Was he ready? For Poppy… he could be.

Branch got off his bed and paced his room anxiously. Suddenly he stopped and shook his head in irritation at himself. He needed to get some air, he was never going to be able to sleep until he sorted his head out anyway. He hopped onto the lift and emerged into the crisp night air, taking a deep cleansing breath to clear his mind.

He walked a little way towards the village until he could see the bright pink pod that he knew belonged to Poppy. The area was quiet - it seemed like the party had run its course now. She was nowhere in sight and the light was off in her pod, so she must have gone to bed. He considered going to her to apologise for leaving and to say goodnight, but quickly dismissed it. She was probably already asleep and he didn't want to wake her. He took one last longing look at her window before turning away, heading into the forest.

His head was swarming with lyrics as he walked. He'd written so many all these years, but never had he sung a single note. What if he couldn't do this?

He stopped when he reached a small clearing, one of his favourite spots to come when he was trying to unwind. It was a peaceful space, mostly sheltered by tall plants with a small stream snaking through. The gentle sound of trickling water was the only noise to be heard, and glow bugs floated serenely through the tranquil air. Branch breathed in the atmosphere deeply. This place never failed to calm his nerves.

He flinched as he suddenly caught sight of his own reflection in the water. It was the first time he'd seen himself since regaining his vibrant colours, and he hardly recognised himself. He'd spent the last twenty years avoiding his reflection, but now he couldn't stop looking at the towering burst of blue that sprouted from his head, or the rich teal of his skin. He felt a burst of happiness at the reminder of how far he'd already come, and all because of her.

Branch felt a wave of inspiration then, and before he'd even stopped to worry about it a sweet melody was emerging from his throat.

"Aren't you something to admire, cause your shine is something like a mirror
And I can't help but notice, you reflect in this heart of mine
If you ever feel alone and the glare makes me hard to find
Just know that I'm always parallel on the other side,"

He started out softly, but felt his voice growing stronger with every beat. This felt so right. So natural.

"Cause with your hand in my hand and a pocket full of soul
I can tell you there's no place we couldn't go
Just put your hand on the glass, I'm here trying to pull you through
You just gotta be strong,"

He wasn't just singing for her anymore, but for himself too. Singing made him feel strong, he had almost forgotten. When he was lost in a song he felt like he could do anything in the world. He felt like a child again.

"Cause I don't wanna lose you now
I'm looking right at the other half of me
The vacancy that sat in my heart
Is a space that now you hold
Show me how to fight for now
And I'll tell you baby, it was easy
Coming back into you once I figured it out
You were right here all along
It's like you're my mirror
My mirror staring back at me
I couldn't get any bigger
With anyone else beside of me
And now it's clear as this promise
That we're making two reflections into one
Cause it's like you're my mirror
My mirror staring back at me, staring back at me,"

He was going to fight for her, and he'd never stop.

. . .

Poppy tossed and turned in her bed. She'd been so exhausted that she'd quickly fallen to sleep, but once again bad memories plagued her dreams. Each time she was reaching out to Branch but every time she was too slow or too weak and he'd slip right through her fingers and into Chef's gnarly clawed hands. The horror of that memory was so overwhelming that she bolted upright in her bed, abruptly wide awake.

Poppy took a few shaky breaths, her mind clearing as she slowly realised it was just a dream. She gazed groggily at the soft, comforting pink of her bedroom that surrounded her. There was no grim kitchen, no cage or cold metal ground. She let out a deep breath, flopping back onto her bed and wiping at her moist eyes. When was that nightmare going to leave her alone? They were safe now. Was it trying to tell her something? Was she afraid Branch was going to slip out of her reach? No, she wouldn't let that happen. But then she remembered how he'd left the party without saying anything to her, and she felt her first flicker of doubt.

That was it. She had to go see him, she didn't care that it was the middle of the night. She got up and stormed out of her pod with a renewed purpose, heading straight for the secluded little corner of the forest where she knew the entrance to his bunker lay.

Poppy held out her hand to knock on the boulder, but hesitated. She felt once again that flutter of nerves in her stomach. How strange, she'd never felt nervous around him before he'd confessed his feelings to her. Everything was so new now, this was certainly unchartered territory for both of them. It was kind of exciting she thought to herself, and grinning pounded her fist on the door.

"Branch?" She didn't want to call too loudly, expecting him to be long asleep by now. After a moment with no response she tried again. "Branch are you sleeping? I'm really sorry but I…" She trailed off. What was she here to say? 'Sorry to wake you up in the middle of the night but I had a nightmare'? She sounded like a five year old. She suddenly felt very foolish. She waited anxiously for an answer, but none came.

Poppy turned her back to the boulder and slumped against it dejectedly, sinking into the mossy ground. Was he mad at her? Or just sleeping? She wrapped her arms around herself tightly. All she wanted was a hug right now.

Poppy almost fell asleep hunched up against the rock, when the distant sound of a melody drifted into her consciousness. She slowly stirred as she came to the realisation that she wasn't dreaming, blinking the sleep from her eyes in the dim light. What was that? It sounded like someone was singing in the forest, but who would be out there this late?

She got to her feet stiffly, her mind foggy with tiredness as she followed the sweet tune into the dark woods. It didn't sound like a voice she recognised, yet it was somehow so familiar. One thing she was certain of was that it was the most beautiful, angelic voice she'd ever heard in her life. She had to discover the culprit.

As she stumbled through the foliage, drawing closer to the source the words became clearer and began to make sense.

Poppy gasped as she reached the picturesque little clearing, her eyes falling upon the one troll she had so wanted to see. It was Branch! Branch was singing! She wanted to scream with excitement but she bit her tongue, containing herself. He was facing away so he hadn't spotted her yet, and she worried he would grow shy and stop if he realised she was here. So she stayed quiet amongst the leaves, watching intently and hanging on his every word.

"Cause I don't wanna lose you now
I'm looking right at the other half of me
The vacancy that sat in my heart
Is a space that now you hold,"

Was he singing about her? Her heart swelled with emotion. She just couldn't believe what she was hearing. She'd been surprised to witness his smooth dancing moves at the party, but this was something else entirely. He was so talented, he honestly had the sweetest voice she'd ever heard. She smiled as the glow bugs flitted about him, supporting his vocals with their own little sounds.

Poppy bit her lip as she drank in the sight of him swaying gently to his own beat, her cheeks glowing with warmth. She couldn't stop herself any longer. She could feel herself getting sucked into his words and the urge to join him in song was too overpowering. Quietly she padded out from her hiding place in the bushes and approached him cautiously.

"Show me how to fight for now
And I'll tell you baby, it was easy
Coming back into you once I figured it out
You were right here all along
It's like you're my mirror
My mirror staring back at me
I couldn't get any bigger
With anyone else beside of me
And now it's clear as this promise
That we're making two reflections into one,"

"…into one," Poppy sang the last part with him, her heart in her mouth as she joined him by the stream.

His eyes widened as he noticed her reflection in the water next to his, whipping around to face her. Branch was speechless, completely stunned by her presence but she continued his song undeterred, knowing he would need a little push.

"Cause it's like you're my mirror
My mirror staring back at me,"

She smiled at him warmly as she took his hands softly in her own, nodding encouragement for him to continue. She saw him gulp nervously, but after a moment's hesitation he continued.

"Yesterday is history,
Tomorrow's a mystery,"

They both knew the significance of his words. This was a major turning point and they could both feel the adrenaline coursing through them, their hearts beating fiercely together. Branch's voice began to build with confidence once more.

"I can see you looking back at me
Keep your eyes on me
Baby, keep your eyes on me,"

He grinned at her then, gripping her hands back firmly and swinging her gently into a slow dance for the chorus.

"I don't wanna lose you now
I'm looking right at the other half of me
The vacancy that sat in my heart
Is a space that now you hold
Show me how to fight for now
And I'll tell you baby, it was easy
Coming back into you once I figured it out
You were right here all along,"

Poppy grinned broadly, her skin glowing with happiness as he twirled her around. She joined in once more, her own vocals complimenting his seamlessly. In that moment she'd never been so sure of anything in her life as she was that they were truly made for each other. Their movements were effortlessly synchronised, their voices in perfect harmony.

"It's like you're my mirror
My mirror staring back at me
I couldn't get any bigger
With anyone else beside of me
And now it's clear as this promise
That we're making two reflections into one
Cause it's like you're my mirror
My mirror staring back at me, staring back at me."

Poppy giggled as the song came to a close, her heart overflowing with joy. They embraced tightly, feeling their hearts beating hard against one another.

"Branch you're such a dark horse!" Poppy laughed as they pulled apart. "Where have you been hiding that voice?"

"Well you weren't supposed to hear it just yet, I was hoping to get in a bit of practise first." He shuffled awkwardly, feeling self-conscious. That hadn't exactly been how he'd planned it to happen but he supposed it had worked out pretty well. He could still feel himself trembling from the exhilaration of their moment.

"Practise… are you kidding me? That was incredible!" Poppy raved, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm.

"Thanks Poppy." He grinned, taking a breath to calm his pounding heart. "I can't believe it… twenty years it's been…" Branch looked away wistfully, momentarily lost to his thoughts.

"Branch, I know you wanted to try out it before I heard you but I'm really happy that I got to share this moment with you." Poppy smiled at him tenderly, squeezing his arms.

"No, I'm glad you were here. You made it perfect." He felt like such a tremendous weight had been lifted from his shoulders and all that was left was the vision that stood before him, her gleaming magenta eyes so full of love and devotion. How was she so perfect?

"What are you doing out here anyway? How the heck did you know I was out here? It's like you've got a sixth sense." He joked, shaking his head in disbelief.

"I came to your bunker actually and then I heard singing, so I followed the voice because I'd never heard anyone sing so beautifully." She swooned.

"What were you doing at my bunker?" His brow creased with puzzlement. What time was it anyway?

"Oh… I um," Poppy thought about what to say, feeling embarrassed about the nightmare. "I couldn't sleep you know. And I just thought… I never got to say goodnight so…" She rambled awkwardly. Branch cringed at the reminder of his actions tonight.

"Poppy… I'm so sorry I just left the party without saying anything. It was rude of me. I-"

"No, please don't be sorry." Poppy quickly cut him off from his apology. "I feel horrible cause I knew it was a big deal for you and I was super busy, and I should have made time for you! I let you down." Her face fell, her gaze falling sadly to the ground.

"What? Poppy you didn't let me down, how could you think that? I should have tried harder. I should have stayed…" Branch drifted off. They both caught each other's eyes then and let out a small laugh. "I guess we both still have plenty of work to do huh?"

"I guess so." Poppy smiled. "We'll make this work though Branch. I promise you we'll get there. I want to be with you, you know that right?" She looked at him seriously, and he nodded timidly. "We've both still got growing to do but we'll do it together. I'm never giving up on you." She looked at him determinedly. He couldn't believe it as she voiced the exact thoughts that had been plaguing his mind. She really was made for him.

"Good, cause I'm never letting you go." His grip on her arms tightened instinctively, and her smile broadened. His possessiveness made her heart pound.

"I love you Branch." Somehow her words still caught him off guard, and he flushed purple before recovering.

"I love you too Poppy." He uttered softly.

He wasn't sure how long they stayed like that simply lost in such a perfect moment, but he suddenly became aware of the growing light. They both looked to the sky to see the dark blue was brightening, a warm pink creeping in as the stars began to fade. Poppy gave a big yawn and Branch chuckled at her sleepy expression affectionately.

"It's been a long few days."

"Yeah I feel like I could sleep for a week." Poppy said as she rubbed at her eyes. "We should probably head back."

Once they reached Branch's bunker they paused outside, and Branch fidgeted nervously before finding his voice.

"Do you… do you want to have a sleepover?" Branch asked shyly, unable to meet her eyes as he spoke the words, a blush darkening his cheeks. Poppy's eyes glowed with happiness, finding his shyness adorable.

"I'd love that!" She smiled at him warmly and he relaxed.

Branch softly took her hand, and led her inside.

A/N: The ending was supposed to sound innocent, Branch wasn't insinuating anything by 'sleepover', but I'm not saying nothing happened either ;) To be fair they probably slept for a day after everything they had just been through!

I hope this wasn't too uneventful/bitty, it was hard to get it out in bits and pieces with being so busy so I hope it didn't suffer too much from that. I thought it would be nice to make a bigger deal of Branch finally singing. Sorry if it was really cheesy/overdone to use Mirrors, I just thought some of the words fit really nicely and it kind of blows my mind that it's actually Justin Timberlake/Branch singing haha XD I just thought it would be fun to use a different song to True Colours as we all know that scene pretty well, but imagine it pretty similar with the slow dance Poppy complementing his lead vocals with her supporting.

I know some people said they were sorry this story seemed to be ending so soon but I didn't want to overstretch it, I really never intended on it being a long story. Plus I have so many other ideas I'd love to do, I've already started writing another one so watch this space! Thanks so much to everyone who read, hope you enjoyed it :) Merry Christmas!