A Heart of Gold

[theprawncracker]

*exploded in a hudled mass of whatever it is I explode into over in the corner*

 

[The Count]

Absolutely loved this. Thank you Lisa. Methinks that's all that needs be said. That... And of course... Post more!
Happy New Year!

 

[Muppetfan44]

Loved it! A very nice Christmas and New Years for the Muppets. I loved when Kermit responded to Piggy singing to "Santa Baby". It was great! Can't wait to hear more!

 

[redBoobergurl]

Yes, a toast to them coming home safe. Every single one of them. Bless you Lisa, this was a wonderful chapter, love the Christmas stuff, the New Years stuff, the toasts....coming home safe....all of them......

 

[TogetherAgain]

So, I realized that I somehow left out a whole paragraph. I've edited it back in now, so if you feel ambitious, you might want to re-read the end of that last chapter. Also, just for randomness, and because I can't begin to remember whether or not I mentioned this previously... I figure this story would take place a few years in the future, and/or in a parallel universe, so that was not the year 2008 they just rang in. I don't know what year it was, but it wasn't 2008. Just a random sidenote. That's all.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

 

[TogetherAgain]

Chapter Sixty-One

Bob slowly eased the apartment door open. "Mom?" he called softly.

"Shhh!" Ms. Geraldson quietly hurried to the front door and gestured for everyone to enter- quietly. "All three of 'em are on the couch, and out like lights. You kids have a good time?"

"Yup, 'cept for the confetti," Craig said softly.

"And the champagne," Bob whispered.

"And the traffic," Kermit whispered.

"And the-"

"So what did you enjoy?" Ms. Geraldson teased. "Here, gimme your coats."

"Kermie and moi still need to stop at our hotel, before we stay for good," Miss Piggy whispered.

"Oh, that's right- forgot a bag," Ms. Geraldson said. "Hang onto your coats, then. You two turning right around, then?"

"Wait- I recognize a yawn." Kermit gave the group an apologetic smile before excusing himself to the couch, where Robin was starting to sit up.

"You kids look cold, anyway," Ms. Geraldson said, turning towards the kitchen. "Lemme getcha somethin' warm to eat before you go out there again."

"Need any help, ma'am?" Sally asked as she quickly followed.

With the rest out of earshot, Bob glanced in Kermit's direction and leaned close to whisper to Miss Piggy and Craig. "Is it just me, or is Frog in complete denial of what he's goin' back to next month?" he asked.

"He is!" Miss Piggy whispered urgently. "He never even implies anything about any danger there, and he gets so defensive if anyone else does..."

"I can't say I blame 'im for that, ma'am," Craig whispered. "I done the same thing, first time I went out."

"We all do it to a degree," Bob whispered. "Have to. I'm just worried about how much he's doing it now... He's not even on the battle field yet."

"How... How bad, could it be, for him?" Miss Piggy whispered. "If he goes in, thinking... like this?"

Bob sighed and frowned. "Different for everyone, I suppose..." Then he glanced up and quickly glanced at both of them with something urgent. "So it never gets this cold in California?" he asked Miss Piggy, raising his whisper in volume just enough to indicate that the level of secrecy was to be abandoned.

Miss Piggy smiled at him. "Well, no, not around Hollywood... Further up north, maybe."

Kermit wrapped his arm around her waist as he approached. "We don't really go up north too often, do we?" he mused quietly.

"Not unless vous go camping with the Frog Scouts," Miss Piggy said.

Frog and pig looked at each other. "Should we go get that bag, before it gets much later?" he asked softly.

"I suppose we should," she said softly. They nodded to their friends and excused themselves to the door.

"You two be careful out there," Bob whispered.

"We'll be back soon," Miss Piggy said softly, and with that, they left.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~​

They held hands as they walked through a park to avoid most of the traffic, but there was something building between them, and it had been building for quite some time.

"...Piggy?" Kermit said softly.

"Mm-hm?"

"...What's on your mind?" he asked gently.

She gave him a tense but glittery smile. "Vous, as usual, Mon Capitan," she murmured.

He tilted his head to one side. "...Did I do something wrong?" he asked. "You seem upset."

"It-" She hesitated, and then sighed and shook her head. "It's nothing that vous did, Kermie."

"Well then, what is it?" he asked.

"Just- I- ...I'm worried, Kermie," she confessed, "About when you go back..."

"Piggy," he sighed, and he wrapped his arm around her waist. "I will come home, y'know."

"Well, you keep saying that, Kermie, but how do you know?" she asked, pulling out of his arm and turning to look at him.

He gave her a long, firm look. "...Because," he said softly, "I am going to come home." He took her hand and kissed it. "To you."

She squeezed his hand and sighed. "Something- could still happen, Kermie-"

"Don't worry, Piggy," he said gently. "I'll be under Major D. again. He's the best in the Marines, y'know, and-"

"If he’s the best, then it's no wonder we're still fighting this, Kermie!" she said fiercely. "He- he loses, every- every object he lays his hand on, from the way you talk, and- how- how can he keep track of troops, and keep you safe, if he can't even-"

"Oh, Piggy..." He pulled her into his arms and looked straight into her eyes, an amused smile on his face. "Piggy," he said gently, "He never loses anything."

She stared at him. "...But- but you- I've heard you say it, Kermie. He loses everything, and blames it on his troops, and-"

But he was shaking his head, still wearing a sweet little smile. "That's how we play it, darling," he whispered. "There's not too many forms of entertainment out there. If we've got a bumbling fool of a Major to make fun of, it gives our spirits a little boost. But the fact of the matter is that really, Major D. knows exactly where everything is at all times, knows where we are, knows where other units are, knows where the bad guys and good guys are, and the exact condition of all his troops, all off the top of his head. He knows when we're in danger, and he gets us out, and still gets the job done."

She stared at him for a long, quiet moment. "...Does he really blame you, though? If-"

"Oh, all the time," he said quietly. "But it's all in jest. I promise."

Kermit was not one to make an empty promise, or to break a promise, ever.

"...All right," she said softly. "...But Kermie, that still doesn't mean that you won't get hurt, or- or ki-"

"I'll be fine," he said firmly as he put a finger over her lips to silence her. "I'm coming home."

"You might not," she said just as firmly. "And-"

"I will, Miss Piggy!" He gripped her waist with his arm and turned to march forward with her at his side, his face firm and flaming ahead into the night. "I will come home. I will come home to you, and to Robin, and Fozzie, and all the guys, and the swamp, and the theater, and you and me will get married. I am coming home."

She slowly set her head on his shoulder, tears threatening to burn into her eyes. "...But... Kermie-"

"It is not a question, Miss Piggy," he said firmly, almost angrily.

"But it IS!" she whispered urgently. "Kermie, you have to at least admit that. You have to know that there's- a- a possibility-"

"I DO NOT have to, and I CAN'T!" he shouted, ripping away from her and staring at her as if she had morphed into the enemy. Then his entire body drooped, and he slowly, wearily sank down to a park bench and dropped his head into his hands. "Oh, Piggy..." he sighed with a horrible exhaustion that had nothing to do with the late hour.

She stared at him with a slacked jaw for a long moment before she carefully approached and sat down next to him. "...Kermie?" she whispered meekly.

"Piggy," he whispered. "...Do you- ...Do you KNOW, how- ...how hard this is, for me?"

She gently put her hand on his back.

"How- ...How HARD it is, to- ...to just- pick up, and- and leave you all, again?" he whispered. "I- I told myself, when I came home, that- ...That I would never miss another day of Robin's life. And- and then I- ...I made exceptions, for- visiting Bob, and- and for our honeymoon, and- and I figured that sooner or later, I'd have to- go promote some production, or something, and he'd have school, but- but I was never, never, going to let another day pass without- talking to him, at least, and… and now, I- ...And- and that's just Robin, Piggy, I- I was never- gonna miss another Friday with Fozzie, or- or leave the theater for- any longer than two weeks, or- or go more than three months without visiting the swamp, or- ...or- go a single night, without kissing you..."

He sighed heavily, and she wrapped a sheltering arm around him. "Kermie..." she whispered.

"...And- ...and you know, I- ...I don't- do well, under- ...under guilt," he whispered. "And right now, Piggy, I- I feel guilty that I'm not there yet, helping them, and- and I feel guilty that I'm leaving all of you, again, and- I- ...If I- even acknowledge, that there's even- a possibility, that I might- not- ...come- home to you, then, I- ...I wouldn't be able to stand under that guilt, Piggy."

She pulled him closer to her and pressed a kiss to the back of his head. "Mon Capitan," she whispered. "...Will- WILL you acknowledge it, when- when you're there? When- the guilt from- not helping, will be gone..."

He sighed heavily. "...Maybe," he whispered. "A little... not very much, though. I- ...We try not to think about it." He lifted his head enough to look straight ahead. "Major D. looks after us, and other than that, we figure- if- if we consider it- as a possibility, then- ...then we might- allow it to happen."

She shivered and whimpered softly.

He straightened up and pulled her tight into his arms, holding her close and rocking her gently. "Shhh," he whispered. "I'll be okay, Piggy. I'll come home safe. I'll come home safe... Shhh..."

"I love you," she whispered.

"I love you too," he murmured softly, and he kissed her cheek.

They grew still and silent, and then the only sound, the only sensation, was their two hearts, pressed close, beating together in perfect unison.

"...Piggy?" Kermit whispered very quietly. "...You feel that?"

She nodded very slowly.

"...Remember that," he whispered. "No matter what happens... we're together inside."

"...Yes," she whispered. "...Yes, we are."

 

[The Count]

*Sits quietly after reading... *Lets others comment. *Offers Lisa tissues and thanks once again. *Waits for a chapter to truly break this silence and fully comment on.

 

[redBoobergurl]

Oh man...it's just emotion after emotion....

Ok, here's the deal. This chapter hit me hard when you talked about Kermit not missing any part of Robin's life. I don't know if I shared this with you or not yet, but my best friend's sister's husband (yeah, yeah six degrees of separation) is in Iraq right now. He just left. Their first child is due next month. He will be gone for the next 15 months. So yeah....that part just is....I think you get what I'm trying to say.

Another brilliantly wonderful chapter. Just how long is your break? I don't want you to go back to school, it's been nice having so many updates!

 

[Muppetfan44]

trying to type while holding tissues

This was such an emotionally charged chapter. It was great though! I'm sure that happens to a lot of soldiers; they can't acknowledge the fact that they might not come back. I tried not to acknolwedge it knowing my cousin went over there, but he didn't come back and it was hard. I also loved the part where kermit and piggy's hearts were beating in unison, and how he told her to remember that they would always be together inside. It was so sweet and fueled a nice cry session for me. I hope everyone gets a feeling like that with someone special! Fantastic chapter and i CANNOT WAIT FOR MORE! I absolutely love this story, i'm even coming up with ideas and predictions of what would happen next, it's great! Keep up the amazing work!

 

[TogetherAgain]

Guys, I've gotta tell you something...

When I write scenes like the one in the last chapter, I'm writing something that's been replaying in my head for days, weeks, months... in this case, almost a year... so when I line it at my guinea pig- I mean, Protege- Leyla, it's a tremendous sense of victory. "YES! I FINALLY delivered this devastating blow and it worked PERFECTLY!" ...That's also about the time when I wonder if I'm really as good of a person as I think I am. And because of that, the emotion of it often doesn't really hit me until I post it... or until I reread it a year and a half later... or, in this case, until I read YOUR responses. I wrote so much of that chapter with relief in my heart to finally get it out, and an evil grin on my face... I read your responses with tears in my eyes. So, I thank you... for letting me see this story through your eyes... because the emotions are just so much BIGGER from your perspective than they are from mine.