When I'm Alone

by Dm4487

Summary:

The chorus line from Lissie — "When I'm Alone"

[Chorus]
🎵When I'm alone, with you
You make me feel, you make me feel!
When I'm alone, with you
You are the one, you are the one!🎵

Notes:

• Inspired by Great Decisions by rytheoneandonly
• Inspired by JD and Bitty B together 4ever!!<3 by orphan_account

Chapter 1: 1

February 14, 1999

The scene opens up to John Dory and Baby Branch in the bathroom.

“You’re going on a what?” Baby Branch asks innocently as he watches John Dory who is wearing a black tuxedo, standing before a mirror as he brushes his hair. John Dory is getting ready for a date.

“A date, Bitty B,” John Dory answers simply.

“What’s a date?”

“A date is when two people spend time together to get to know each other better, like going to the park and/or having a picnic. Stuff like that.”

JD adjust his green tie a bit before turning to face his 2-year-old trolling brother with his arms open, presenting himself with his signature crooked smile and as he asks, “How do I look?”

Baby Branch looks at his brother, John Dory, in awe. His big brother, the coolest and funnest guy around is getting ready for his… date? Date?... Two people spending time together?

The thought of that makes Baby Branch’s facial expression falters into an almost envy look as he thinks unhappily, “Why not spend time with me? I wanna go on a date with JD! It’s not fair!” Baby Branch finally replies, “Umm…, you look—.”

“Like a hot mess,” Spruce’s voice interjects.

John Dory snaps his head up and glares in offense at a deadpan Spruce who is standing by the door with his arms crossed.

Spruce enters the bathroom before standing on Baby Branch’s right as he suggests, “Dude, you are not wearing those wicked goggles on your first date. Take those off.”

Spruce swiftly snatches JD's goggles from off of JD's head which shocks JD who gasps out a, “Hey!” Spruce now holds the goggles by its strap with his right hand.

John Dory deeply scowls at Spruce and orders as he holds out his right hand, “Spruce, give me back my goggles!”

A deadpan Clay, who overheard the banter, enters the bathroom while holding and eating a bag of potato chips. He stands on Spruce’s right and quips sardonically, “Eh, I agree with Spruce. Who are you going on a date with… a marine biologist?” 

“Hahahahaha!” Clay and Spruce laugh at Clay’s lame joke.

John Dory, unamused by Clay’s joke with his hands on his hips, rolls his eyes and snarks flatly with a half-smile, “Haha, very funny, Clay.” He then looks and frowns at Spruce as he orders, “Spruce, give me back my goggles… Now!”

Baby Branch silently watches as John Dory firmly grabs Spruce’s right wrist which causes Spruce to accidentally let go of goggles as they fall onto the floor in front of Baby Branch.

Baby Branch, now with a pouty look, softly grabs the goggles with his small hands as he looks up at JD and asks innocently in a shy voice, “D…, can I  go on a date with me next time?”

The three older brothers freeze, wide-eye in shock by Baby Branch’s question. Their eyes shift down at Baby Branch with his head thoughtfully tilts to his left, blinking twice and patiently waiting for John Dory to answer his question.

Spruce’s eyes shift back up at John Dory as he holds his hands up (Don’t Shoot The Messenger) and breaks the awkward silence by saying, “I’m… just gonna… leave you two alone a bit.”

Spruce slowly backward-walks out of the bathroom until he is offscreen.

John Dory, still feeling awkward, looks at Clay and asks politely, “Clay, can give me and Branch some alone time, so I can… talk to him.”

Clay nonchalantly shrugs his shoulders and concedes, “Sure, bro.” Then a shitty grin plasters on his face as he quips sardonically, “See you two bro-lovers later. Hahaha!”

John Dory gives Clay an unamused glare as he watches Clay runs out the bathroom until he is offscreen. John Dory can hear Clay calling out to Floyd, probably going to tell Floyd what happened as he closes the door behind him.

JD turns around and sees a teary-eyed, sad Baby Branch looking down at the floor.

John Dory closes his eyes and sighs audibly in empathy before opening his eyes as he walks toward Baby Branch. He stops a few inches in front of Baby Branch before kneeling down.

JD gently assures, “Look B, I didn’t mean to upset you or anything…, but a date isn’t the same as hanging with your sibling… You do understand that…, right?”

Baby Branch doesn’t dare look up at him in the eye. He grips onto John Dory’s goggles harder as he stammers, his voice slightly breaking like he’s about to cry, “B-but you said a date was l-like going to the park and/or having a picnic together.”

Baby Branch sniffled a bit, feeling ashamed as he wipes some tears away as he apologizes, “I’m sorry... I just… I just  wanna spend time with my awesome big bro… You and I b-barely hang out and d-o anything together… I feel like… you don’t love me.”

John Dory can feel his heart aches by Branch’s lament. He thinks sympathetically, “It hurts to see my beautiful starlight so upset. It makes me feel even worse is that Branch is right about what he said. I haven’t been spending brotherly time with Branch. I step in only when I need to feed and clean Branch, change his diaper, brush his hair, and take care of him when he’s sick; y’know, the necessities. The responsibilities as the oldest son/brother.”

JD can’t leave his baby brother like this. JD’s face lights up when an idea comes to mind with a resolute smile on his face as he suggests, “Hey Bitty B, how about this: Tomorrow, you and I are spending the whole day together; only just the two of us. We could bake brownies, play Trollnopoly, write and sing songs, watch movies, anything! How does that sound?”

This makes Baby Branch light up as he looks up at John Dory with hopeful teary eyes as he asks softly, “R-really, D? You promise?”

John Dory gives him a reassuring smile as he replies, “I promise, B.” He softly wipes Baby Branch’s tears away as he open his arms, wrap his arms Baby Branch and embraces him into a brotherly hug.

Baby Branch feel himself calming down, his body immediately relaxing against the gentle, soft embrace of John Dory’s bro hug. He softly close his eyes as content smile plasters on his face, feeling warm and secured in his big brother’s strong arms. He wants this moment to never end.

Suddenly, JD softly kisses Baby Branch’s forehead which catches Baby Branch off-guard as he lets out a soft gasp that doesn’t go unnoticed by JD who just smiles at him. Baby Branch blinks twice at JD as he thinks contently, “Why do I feel this tingly feeling in his stomach? I’m so confused…” It as if it’s his body’s way of responding to the brotherly love and affection he feels towards JD. Then he smiles back at JD as he finishes thinking, “But other than that, I’m super excited that my awesome big bro wants to hang out with me!”

"I love you, starlight,” John Dory replies heartwarmingly, “You're my precious baby.”

Baby Branch returns heartwarmingly, "I love you too, papa.”

As soon as JD hears that, he nearly begins to cry but in love and happiness.

Unbeknownst to the two brothers, Spruce, Clay, and Floyd are secretly watching the bro interaction through the crack of the slightly ajar door as they try to stifle their giggles at John Dory.

Baby Branch immediately thinks he had done something wrong, so he looks up at JD and clutches tightly on JD’s tux as he profusely apologizes, "I'm s-sorry, Johnny!” Then he pleads, “I won't c-call you that anymore, okay?!”

JD rub his eyes and heartwarmingly smiles at Baby Branch as he reassures, "No, baby bro. Call me that more often, please… I-it…, it means a lot to know how much you love me.”

With the reassurance, Baby Branch relaxes and smiles again as he replies simply, “Okay.”

“I love you, B.”

“I love you too, D.”

Chapter 2: 2

May 5, 2001

The scene opens up to the interior of the tree pod as the BroZone bros storm in the front door, angrily disappointed (except for Floyd and Baby Branch) by their first disastrous BroZone concert.

"Do you see what happens when you don't follow MY LEAD?!!!" John Dory snaps at his brothers.

This angrily offends Spruce who is behind John Dory as Spruce snaps back, accusatorily pointing his right index finger at John Dory, "DUDE!!! That's EXACTLY what happens when we follow YOUR LEAD!!!"

Floyd and Baby Branch are standing on the sidelines as Baby Branch is getting upset and scared as he quietly witness his older brothers fighting and Floyd comforting Baby Branch, putting his leaf vest on Baby Branch.

This angrily offends John Dory who turns around to scowl at Spruce as he argues hotly, "Oh?! So it's my fault, is that what your saying?!" He calms down slightly as his facial expression softens slightly into a desperate look as he whines, "I know we can reach the perfect family harmony!"

Spruce roll his eyes in exasperation as he asks rhetorically in a bitter tone, "What if we don't want to?!"

"Yeah, dude!" Clay chimes in hotly as he appears onscreen, standing on John Dory's left as he continues, "This used to be fun! Now it's all about being perfect!" He move his hands to be dramatic, emphasizing the 'perfect' part.

"You know what? I'm done playing the heartthrob! My exquisitely chiseled rock-hard abs and I QUIT!!!" Spruce protests, ripping off his puff jacket.

"I quit too!" Clay agrees hotly. Then he magically pulls out his Funderdrawers out his pants and continues, "And you can keep these!" Clay throws his Funderdrawers at John Dory's face who pulls them off his face with now a disgusted look as Clay whines, "I'm more then just the fun one! I'm in a SAD BOOK CLUB, did you know that?! A SAD... BOOK CLUB!!! I'm gonna find trolls who take me SERIOUSLY!!!"

Outrage by his brothers' withdrawal from the boyband, John Dory furiously throws Clay's Funderdrawers aside as he protests vehemently, "FINE!!! WE DON'T NEED THIS!!!"

Spruce and Clay's facial expressions falter into baffled looks at John Dory's protest. Floyd and Baby Branch mirror their baffled expressions at John Dory's protest as well.

Floyd hesitantly asks, "We?"

"Yeah, WE!" John Dory reiterates hotly. He grabs and puts on his already equipped backpack.

John Dory's facial expression softens into a remorseful look as he sees his distressed 4-year-old trolling brother, Branch. He kneels down on his right knee and opens up his arms as he instructs softly, "Baby Branch, c'mere. Come to your big bro, my precious starlight."

Baby Branch, touched by John Dory cooing his heartwarming nickname yet hesitant, shyly waddles to John Dory until he stops right in front of him.

John Dory softly smiles at Baby Branch as he wraps his arms around Baby Branch, embracing him into a brief brotherly hug before putting Baby Branch in his hair. Baby Branch gingerly peers his head out through John Dory's hair, even more confused by what's going on.

John Dory's facial expression hardens into a determined scowl at his 3 middle brothers, specifically Spruce and Clay as he stands up and explains hotly, "I'm taking Baby Branch with me to hike the Neverglades Trail!"

Spruce, Clay and Floyd wide-eye in shock and concern by John Dory's plan and Baby Branch's well-being as Spruce asks, hoping his big brother is joking, "You're not serious, are you, John?!"

John Dory, unfazed by his middle brothers' concerns, replies firmly, "I am serious, Spruce!"

Clay protests hotly, "You can't take our trolling brother with you into the wild! That's dangerous!"

John Dory roll his eyes at Clay and argues hotly, "Our pa, Granite, took me to the Neverglades Trail since I was Baby Branch's age until I was 16 sporadically while our dad, Basalt, stayed home with you, Spruce, and Floyd!" He calmly explains, "He points out to the areas that are the safe zone and other areas that are danger zone. I would occasionally hike there even after—." He stops mid-sentence as his facial expression softens slightly, not want to relive the painful memories of losing both his father figures to Bergens two years prior nor want his precious starlight to know what happened to their deceased dads.

His facial expression hardens again into a determined scowl as he redirects the conversation back to the original subject as he continues, "Like I said before, I'm taking Baby Branch with me! None of you are gonna look after him anyway!" He pulls a grappling hook from his hair, glances behind at the open window and points his grappling hook out the window before shooting the hook at a offscreen tree.

John Dory glances back at his middle brothers one last time and finishes hotly, "Baby Branch and I are BRO-LO!!! GOODBYE, FOREVER!!!"

Baby Branch, confused yet worried by everything happening, softly farewells to his three older middle brothers, "Bye..., see you later."

Spruce, Clay and Floyd watch in guilt, sadness and horror as their big brother/dad and baby brother swing out through the opened window until they disappear offscreen.

Tears slowly begin to form in Floyd's eyes as he buries his face in his hands, softly crying at the heartbreaking realization that he'll probably never see his big BroDad and Bitty B ever again.

Spruce and Clay, also teary-eyed, instantly comfort their sensitive brother Floyd by sandwiching him in a warm bro hug. Clay clench his eyes shut as tears stream down his cheeks, going through mix of emotions —Anger at his big brother John Dory, Guilt that Baby Branch getting caught in the cross-hairs, and Sadness that he's gonna miss his big brother (despite his issues with him) and mostly his trolling brother Branch. Spruce, now the oldest due to John Dory's departure, says nothing as tears stream down his cheeks, trying his best to console his two crying little brothers. He is unsure what he supposed to do now.

Unbeknownst to them, a remorsefully melancholic John Dory squatting on a tree branch with an empathetically melancholic teary-eyed Baby Branch (not wearing his signature blue glasses) still in his hair watch their three crying brothers from afar.

Baby Branch finally speaks up by softly asking, "Are our brothers gonna be okay, papa?"

John Dory catches his breath when Baby Branch call him, papa, and blinks three times to prevent the tears from forming in his eyes. He then answers softly, "I'm sure they'll be okay. They're not kids anymore. They're full grown teenagers. They're capable of taking care of themselves; besides, they have Rosiepuff to keep them company. They'll be okay."

John Dory isn't fully sure himself if he believes what he's saying; but in his brain, he tries to optimistic about it just to make himself and mostly Baby Branch feel better despite his heart saying otherwise.

"They'll be okay...," JD thinks with a bit uncertainty, "They'll be okay..." He then whisper-orders, "C'mon, B. Stay in my hair until I say otherwise, and be very quiet."

"Okay, D," Baby Branch whisper-concedes as he does exactly what John Dory told him.

John Dory watch his three middle brothers one last time before he pulls out his grappling hook from his hair. He points it to the offscreen nearest tree, shoots it and swiftly yet quietly swings to said tree until he is offscreen.

Chapter 3: 3

July 7th

The scene opens up to John Dory and Baby Branch silently sitting on a log a foot away from the campfire, staring intently at it. They are now wearing their regular clothing — John Dory's outfit: An army green vest over a black BroZone t-shirt with green camo cargo pants, and Baby Branch's outfit: Navy blue overalls over a plain white t-shirt.

It's been 2 months since BroZone disbandment, and John Dory remorsefully walking out on his 3 middle brothers after a heated argument and taking Baby Branch with him to the Neverglades Trail despite to his 3 middle brothers' protests.

John Dory tries to avoid thinking and/or talking about that subject despite the feeling of guilt and sorrow in him. But whenever Baby Branch would occasionally ask about it, John Dory would give his 4-year-old trolling brother a semi-vague answer that would appease Baby Branch to some extent. John Dory doesn't want to get his baby brother's hopes up, but at the same time, he doesn't want to give his baby brother false reassurances.

John Dory's eyes shift down on his left at a stoic Baby Branch silently staring at the campfire. He finally speaks by asking carefully, "Branch?... You okay, baby?..." He then thinks with uncertainty, "I'm trying not to second-guess my decision... But I'm 20 years old — a high school dropout, former leader of the popular boyband, BroZone, and the oldest brother/father figure-of-sorts. I'm unsure he can raise a 4 year old without snapping and yelling at him. I DON'T wanna do that! ABSOLUTELY NOT! I want my starlight to feel loved, cared and safe. I will never EVER leave my baby brother. EVER!"

Baby Branch's eyes shift up at an uncertain John Dory. He turns to fully face John Dory and hold his stubby arms out, an indicator that he wants to be in John Dory's hair. John Dory softly smiles at his baby brother as he picks up him and puts Baby Branch in his hair.

Now a sad Baby Branch gingerly peers his head out through John Dory's hair as he whisper-begs, "Don't leave me."

John Dory mirrors his baby brother's sad look as he thinks empathetically, "It pains my heart that my precious starlight thinks I'm gonna leave him. No... I will NEVER abandon my beautiful baby." John Dory gives Baby Branch a resolute smile as he whisper-reassures, "I will NEVER you, my beautiful starlight."

This makes Baby Branch light up as he softly smiles at his big brother, in return, John Dory softly smiles back at him.

John Dory looks down at his right and grabs the last 2 s'mores on a green plate. He raises his right hand up to Baby Branch in which Baby Branch takes the s'more. Both brothers quietly eat their s'mores as they watch the campfire in peace.

During the past time, John Dory tells Baby Branch heartwarming stories that Baby Branch can barely remember or doesn't know as he softly gasps in happy curiosity and giggles at certain moments in John Dory's stories that relate with his 3 older middle brothers.

John Dory narrates, "Spruce and Clay stopped teasing Floyd when Grandpa DJ told them too and forced them to apologize to Floyd."

This makes Baby Branch giggle contently and John Dory chuckle softly as John Dory thinks resolutely, "This is good. I will share stories to Baby Branch, reminding him of his brothers and grandparents. I want myself and my beautiful baby to have fond memories of them, so we wouldn't forget about them."

Eventually, Baby Branch falls asleep in John Dory's hair. John Dory softly smiles as he listens to his trolling brother's soft snores. John Dory softly yawns as he stretches, feeling tired himself. He quietly enters his and Baby Branch's tent until he's offscreen inside the tent. He zips up the tent closed, probably drifting to sleep afterwards.

Unbeknownst to the two Pop Troll brothers, across the other side of The Neverglades, there's a small German town called Drusselsteen located in the upper Northwest where two Yodel Troll brothers in their signature lederhosens. They are getting ready to go out on their first day as Bounty Hunters. The oldest brother, Dickory, the short one who seems enthusiastic about being a Bounty Hunter while his younger brother, Hickory, the tall one who seems to be nervous.

Dickory asks, putting on his already equipped backpack, "Are you ready go, bro."

Hickory puts on his already equipped backpack as well as he protests calmly, "I'm still unsure about this, Dickory."

Dickory apathetically roll his eyes at his little brother's protest as he reassures firmly, "Hickory, we made a gentleman's agreement to do this so our music will be spared and intact. It's too late to change your mind."

Hickory sighs in defeat, knowing that his headstrong, stubborn, arrogant big brother is right. Their music is in danger. Hickory concedes softly, "Okay, big bro."

This makes Dickory smile hugely, proud at his little brother staying true with the gentleman's agreement as he exclaims excitedly, "That's the spirit, lil bro. Let's roll."

Dickory treks onward as Hickory begrudgingly follows behind him to their intended destination.