The next day Clay,Bruce and Floyd were down in the restaurant. Brandy was having a day off spending it with her new sister in law and Poppy. Bruce was managing the joint fine while consistently chatting away with his brothers. They stood on the bar counter together. It was like they were teenagers again talking pure nonsense and mess. Sharing life stories. The old back and forth they missed so much over the years.

" Oh me and Hickory were like six years ago. We're just buds now. He married Delta and I babysat their son a couple times. You would think things would be more awkward but, we all just got over it. Husker is a cutie." Floyd explained.

" You're definitely the bigger person out of all us for that one. " Clay chuckled.

It wasn't much of surprise that Floyd dated a man. Ever since Floyd was thirteen there were signs of him not showing interest in the opposite gender at all. He only played along when it was a lyric in a song. John Dory took longer to catch on but, in general the whole family, except Branch, knew and was waiting for the pink haired troll to come out of the closet. Now Floyd wasn't trying to hide it anymore from them.

" Totally. " Bruce agreed. " Still surprised you forgave him as soon as you did and let it go. Sure you two weren't serious but, you did invest a lot in that relationship."

" Look. He didn't mean to stretch things out and we both wanted different things. We were just not compatible. He was all about the always travelling Bounty Hunter lifestyle and living it up in the harsh Country desert. I preferred being cozy at home in a city with someone I know will be there everyday. "Floyd shrugged.

" Oh John would have came knocking at Hickory's door with a whole speech prepared and bat if he was around at the time." Bruce joked.

The causal and passing mention of John Dory was enough to wipe a smile off Clay's face. The mixed Putt Putt trolls stopped laughing entirely. Floyd and Bruce still didn't know. Clay didn't want to say it either. His ears flopped while a guilt painted his eyes. His heart sank in his chest. Not noticing the sudden shift Floyd and Bruce laughed among themselves over how protective John Dory was.

" Yeah." Floyd wiped away a tear.

" Speaking of John." Bruce turned to Clay. " Floyd and I hadn't heard from in years. Branch too but, he's probably with John considering how you were with Viva the entire time. Any idea where they went off?"

Floyd noticed Clay's face. " Are you okay?"

" Hmm..." Clay uncomfortably hummed.

Before the conflicted man could find his words,the trio of lovely ladies returned from their bonding activities at the spa. Poppy and Viva sat comfortably on Brandy's right shoulder. There was a deeper closeness to the trio now. It was almost sisterly. When reaching the bar Brandy offered the tiny women her open palm and they jumped on. The islander gently put them down the table then kissed Bruce's cheek.

" Hey Beautiful. " Bruce greeted his wife.

" Hey Handsome. How was the shift?" Brandy smiled.

" Smooth sailing." Bruce reported.

Viva skipped over to her husband's side and hugged his arm. Feeling cuddly she kissed his forehead then nuzzled her head against his. Those simple displays of love brought Clay's heart back up in his chest growing warmer. The tension in his skinny body lifted off his shoulders. While the thought of delivering tragic news still weighed on his mind, Clay let it go to the back of his mind for a moment so he could enjoy his wife's affections. Viva was the sun of his life. The stars to his night sky.

" I missed you." Viva whispered.

" I missed you too." Clay smiled.

Floyd and Poppy watched the couples around them get distracted by their spouses. The original conversations were not forgotten. It was simply put on pause. The two single trolls continued to smile despite how it was a little awkward for them to be the odd ones out. As much as Floyd wanted a new romantic relationship of his own again, he also wanted something real equally as much. The world had decided that time was not now.

Poppy on the other hand was walking on her own timeline. She rarely fell in love. It wasn't impossible for her. Those feelings were simply needed more than looks and having stuff in common. She needed a deep connection before any sparks could fly. That was just the way she was. Sometimes it did bother the pink troll. Cause it seemed like everyone else was falling in love while she was falling behind but, Poppy refused to not let her lack of a relationship define her.

" Cupid been busy matching soulmates." Poppy commented supportively.

" I guess he is." Floyd agreed.

Returning to the previous conversation Clay bit down on his lower lip. If he was going to deliver this shattering news he needed to be careful. It hit him like a truck when he first countered what his limited knowledge considered to be the truth. As much as Clay used claim they were just missing or hiding to himself,it felt like a lie made just to cope. He didn't want to push that perceived lie onto his remaining brothers.

Clay sighed. " You might want to sit down."

" Why?" Bruce asked.

" Okay." Floyd sat down.

Poppy and Brandy followed Floyd's example while Viva raised an eyebrow confused. She frowned trying to read his face. Recognizing the grief in her husband's eyes she reached for his hand. Giving it a gentle squeeze Viva stayed by his side. The female troll was there when Clay cried. When he fell apart. When he missed those believed or known to be dead. Everything. She was there for it all and that wasn't going to change now.

" Please,Bruce. This is important. It's about John and Branch..." Clay begged.

Sensing the heaviness in his brother's tone Bruce backed down. Nodding his head he pulled out a seat and sat down. Clay brought himself down too knowing he was going to need the extra support. Viva still stayed close gently squeezing his hand more. Seeing her man like this made her heart ache.

" During the great escape it was wild emotional rollercoaster. Everything that could go wrong happened. The tunnels walls kept cracking, exits collapsed and the Bergens were digging us out. We had no choice but to turn back to the tree. John and Branch were there already. They were at the entrance when shovel came down. Everything happened so fast. I saw the tunnels collapse between us... " Clay explained.

Floyd gasped covering his mouth with his hands. Bruce stiffened in his seat eyes widened. Both brothers moved more unconsciously to be on the edge of their seats. Their heartbeats were loud thanks their spike in anxiety. Silently praying that there would be some sort of good ending, Floyd and Bruce didn't dare to interrupt.

Poppy's jaw somewhat lowered as her heart sank. Not even her own father told her about the disastrous details of the great escape. Nobody in Pop Village talked about it. Most didn't learn about it. It was considered banned knowledge in schools to learn about most of their dark parts of history. Hearing the truth from a survivor changed the young Queen's view of the praised escape entirely. It wasn't just the Pop Trolls moment of pushing through for freedom but, a tradgy.

" The Bergens. They captured half of us and trapped us in a sack but, we got out. We snuck back into the tunnel. We pulled apart the cave in but, when we finally made it through nobody was there... " Clay paused. " John and Branch weren't there. I called their names. I searched. They weren't anywhere..."

Then Clay pulled out John Dory's goggles and Branch's Croco. The items were preserved to stay in the same state as they were found. Clay always carried them with him. They brought a feeling of his lost brothers still being around despite them not being there physically. Floyd removed his hands from his mouth as his jaw lowered too. His chest rose and dropped faster than before but, his breathing remained quiet. Bruce gripped his seat trying to hold back tears as what Clay implied dawned on him.

" These... Was all I could find of them... I think the Bergens..." Clay struggled. " They're dead. They have been for twenty years. I'm sorry. "

The whole world around them had completely been drowned out. No music. No background chatter. No noise. Time stopped ticking. The world stopped spinning. Tears leaked out of Floyd's eyes while Bruce froze. Clay hated every second he spent talking. Grief resurfaced in him as he allowed familiar tears to run down his cheeks. Reality had shattered. Hopes for all five of the Timberlake Brothers reuniting stomped on.

Brandy looked at the trolls in heart ache and disbelief. She was at a loss of words. Viva didn't do anything but, wait. Wait until Clay was done letting it all out. All the grief, regret and pain. He needed to do this first or else no amount of comfort would be accepted. Viva learnt that through experience. Poppy bowed her head low with her ears flopping sadly taking a moment to imagine what it was like for her brother-in-law and her sister to go through all those tragic events. Empathizing with the Brozone brothers a few years were shed by Poppy.

" I couldn't save them..." Clay claimed with regret. " We- I came too late."

"No. No. No. They can't!" Bruce denied. " They can't be!"

" I- I..." Floyd stuttered. " Clay, please tell me this isn't-"

" They're gone... Just like Grandma. Just like Grandpa. Just like our parents. " Clay insisted. " John Dory and Branch are gone. I  wish it wasn't true but, it is. I'm sorry."

After that intense and emotional reveal the day had lost its charm. It's sunny weather. Rain began to pour outside with clouds of grey. The restaurant closed early. None of the trolls had moved from their spots. Especially Clay,Bruce and Floyd. The shock and grief had trapped them in time with regret,anger and sorrow. Happy memories had became bittersweet.

Eventually Bruce finally broke down sobbing with John's goggles in his hands. His body shook unable to hold back anymore. Brandy rushed over to pick her husband up and brought him to her shoulder trying to comfort him. Despite their size difference the male troll still managed hug back burying his face into her shoulder. He gripped it tight.

Floyd held Branch's favorite toy staring at it as he remembered everything on repeat. His tears had stopped coming but, his eyes remained red and puffy. Bring His heart shattered more with every replay. Poppy frown bringing an hand to Floyd's shoulder. She gave it gentle squeeze before wrapping her arms around him. The grieving troll leaned into the hug but, didn't wrap his arms around Poppy back.

Clay was held by Viva tightly in a hug. She gently rubbed his back allowing him to cry on her shoulder. His long arms remained fixed around Viva's waist. Soon Viva felt a tap on her back then pulled away. She reached for her soulmate's face and wiped off the leftover tears away with her thumbs. Smiling sadly she gazed into her husband's bloodshot eyes.

" It's okay. It's not your fault. " Viva repeated. " It's not your fault."

Clay sniffled. " Doesn't feel that way."

" I know. I'm sorry. " Viva whispered. " But, it's true. None of what happened back then was your fault."

" I'm so sorry for your loss." Poppy said.

" He was just a little boy..." Floyd said to himself.

" I am such an IDIOT! I was a JERK to him. We left them. We should have gone back for them! I should have gone back." Bruce whispered to himself with regret.

" Ssh... Your hands were tied then, Honey. It's okay." Brandy whispered.

Nothing hurt more than having regrets and experiencing a loss. Clay,Floyd and Bruce had both. But,they couldn't change the past. What was done was done and now it was time to sit in that grief. However little did they know not everything was as it seemed. Not everything was truly lost. Branch and John were still out there in the world. They just didn't know it yet...