"Ugh..." Branch groaned, slowly sitting up, as he rubbed his head. "Ow!" he yelled, as he grabbed his arm, a sharp pain suddenly shooting through it. He looked at his arm, seeing it was covered in a single giant bruise.

     Slowly, he turned his head, gasping, when he saw Poppy laying next to him, still unconscious.

     "Poppy!" he yelled, crawling over to sit next to her. "Poppy? Are... are you okay?" He placed his hand gently on her cheek, but she didn't move.

    "Wake up, Poppy," he cried, softly. "Come on... you gotta wake up."

     "Dad!? Dad!?" he suddenly heard. "Where are you!?"

     He turned, seeing Creek walking through the forest.

     Branch did not like Creek, but Poppy needed help, and he was his only option.

     "Help! Creek!" he shouted, tears in his eyes. "Creek, help! Please!"

     Creek tuned, seeing Branch.

     "Ugh..." he groaned, disgusted.

     He was about to turn, and walk away, leaving Branch to deal with his own problem, when he noticed Poppy on the ground next to him.

     "P... Poppy? Poppy!"

     Quietly, he ran over, shoving Branch out of the way, as he knelt down next to Poppy, checking her over.

     "Poppy? Poppy, wake up," he said, softly, but she didn't wake up.

     Slowly, Creek raised his head, glaring up at Branch.

     "What did you do!?"

     Branch backed away, slowly, as he looked at Creek, frightened.

     "I... I didn't... I..." he shuddered.

     "This is you're fault!" Creek yelled, standing up, as he walked over to Branch.

     "But... but I... I didn't..."

     "You're a jinx!" Creek yelled. "Everyone you love dies! And now you've killed Poppy!"

     Branch shook in fear and sadness, tears in his eyes, as he looked at Creek, his eyes wide.

     "N... no... I... I was just..."

     He turned his attention to Poppy, trying to walk over to her.

     "Leave her alone!" Creek shouted, shoving Branch to the ground.

     He fell, banging his right elbow on a a rock.

     "Ughhhh!" he whimpered in pain, clutching his arm again.

     Creek noticed his arm had been injured, and then stomped on it.
    
     "AHHH!" Branch yelped.

     "How does it feel!? Hugh! This is what you do! You hurt everyone you get close to!" Creek yelled, stomping on his arm again, even harder then before.

     "Stop! Please!" Branch cried out, begging him to stop.

     "Did you stop to think about Poppy!? How she felt!? You put her in danger! All for yourself!"

     He stomped on his arm again.

     "Ughhhh!"

     Branch curled up in a ball, sobbing, unable to stop.

     His arm hurt so bad, but that's not why he was crying. He was crying, because he hurt Poppy.

     "I... I'm sorry..." he whimpered. "I'm sorry..."

     "You will be sorry..."

     Creek lifted his foot to stomp on Branch's arm again, but froze, when he heard a noise.

     "Poppy!? Poppy!?"

     It was King Peppy.

     Creek looked at Peppy approaching, and then at Branch.

     Quickly, he turned, running away before Peppy could see him.

     "Pop..." He paused, gasping when he saw Poppy unconscious. "Poppy!"

     He ran over, picking her up in his arms.

     "Poppy?"

     Slowly, he looked up at the sound of whimpering.

     He looked at Branch, who was laying on the ground, hiding his face.

     "B... Branch?"

     Peppy slowly approached Branch, still carrying his daughter.

     "Branch? Are you ok?"

     He shook his head, looking up at King Peppy with tears in his eyes.

     "Please... help her. You have to save her," he cried.

     "Don't worry, Branch. She's gonna be fi..." He paused, gasping, as he saw Branch's arm, and the condition it was in.

     "I have to get you both to the hospital, right now."

     "N... no... just Poppy," Branch whimpered, his teeth chattering. "Please... she has to be ok..."

     Peppy knelt down, placing his hand on Branch's shoulder.

     "She will be fine, Branch... but you won't be, if you don't let me take you to the hospital."

     Branch looked at Poppy, as she groaned, slowly beginning to wake up. Then he looked at Peppy, and nodded.

     Peppy helped Branch up, and then began walking towards the hospital together, Branch looking up at Poppy the whole time.

     "D... daddy?" Poppy said, opening her eyes, slightly, looking up at her father.

     "You're gonna be ok, sweetie," he assured.

     Slowly, she turned her head, looking down at Branch.

     "Branch? Are... are you ok?"

     He nodded, and Poppy smiled.

     "Good."

     She turned her head back to look at her father, as she closed her eyes again, falling back to sleep.

     Branch looked up at her, as she slept peacefully in Peppy's arms.

     He had promised to protect Poppy no matter what... and that's what he was going to do. He was going to protect her... by staying away from her. Staying out of her life, so he could never hurt her again.