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Chapter Text

BELLAMY WAS IN COLLEGE last time she'd been to Pelican Town. It hadn't been much of a visit. She'd gone with her dad and brother back to the town she'd only visited a few times in her two decades, to say goodbye to her grandfather. He'd been sick for a while, but when they'd gotten the message that it was time to come say their goodbyes, it had hit Bellamy hard. Her grandfather had been one of her favourite people, despite not actually getting to see him that often. Her grandfather had always believed in her, always encouraged her to do whatever was in her heart, always told her that she could do anything she put her mind to.

They had spent most of their visit on the family farm in the small cottage that her grandfather lived in. Upon arrival, she could already see how far the farm had fallen. She didn't know how he'd been making money, because the crops weren't growing and the animals were only being fed by a kindly villager who stopped by to feed them every morning. It hurt her heart to see how overrun the farm had become and tried not to look at it, to hold on to the good memories she had of running through the corn field with her brother, of chasing the chickens and ducks through the grass.

Her grandfather had been weak, bedridden, when they arrived. It brought tears to Bellamy's eyes almost immediately, remembering how lively and bright he had been last time she'd been there, how joyful he always was when he would play with Bellamy and her brother, chasing them through the fields as they all laughed and screamed. He had reached out for her father, who had knelt at his bedside to listen to what he had to say. As the years threatened to spill over, Bellamy had ducked out of the house again, leaning against the wooden siding, taking deep breaths to try and steady her breathing and stop the tears from falling.

Then the door had opened and it was her brother. At first, he didn't say anything, just stood next to her, also leaning against the house.

"You can't stay out here, you know," her brother had said.

"I know," Bellamy had managed.

"He's going to ask for you," he told her. "I mean, it's always been pretty obvious that you're his favourite."

"Jordan–"

"I'm not mad," he assured her. "It was pretty obvious that I was Gram's favourite, so we're even."

He bumped her shoulder but she didn't laugh. He gave her a concerned look before wrapping an arm around her and letting her lean into him. Bellamy let her head fall into the crook of his neck and pressed her eyes shut, a single tear falling from her eye. She quickly wiped it away as her brother hugged her a bit tighter. The door opened again. It was her father. He looked between them and then his eyes landed on Bellamy.

"He wants to talk to you," her dad said.

"Okay..." she said.

"It'll be okay," her father assured her, squeezing her shoulder reassuringly. "Just go in and talk to him."

Bellamy nodded and passed her father into the home, crossing over to the bed and sitting down next to her grandfather. He grasped her hand weakly and she gave him a sad smile. She didn't know what to say.

"Don't look so sad, Bell," he told her. "You know this isn't the end. How's the saying go? 'Death is just life's next great adventure'?"

"I think so," she said, sniffling.

"Then why do you worry so?"

"I can't help it," she said. "I feel like we didn't get enough time together. We live so far away."

He managed to reach a hand up to her cheek and she held his hand, leaning into it. "We'll see each other again and have all the time we could ever want."

"Endless fields and all the chocolate cake two people could eat," Bellamy said, recalling what her grandfather had always told her would be his perfect paradise.

"I have something for you," he told her. "Something for my very special granddaughter."

"Grandpa..."

"Here..." he said, passing it to her. "I want you to have this sealed envelope."

When Bellamy took the envelope from him, she immediately slipped a finger under the lip to open it. But before she got a chance to pop the purple wax seal, her grandfather put a hand over hers, stopping her. She gave her grandfather a confused look.

"No, no, don't open it yet," he said. "Have patience."

"You know I'm not very good at that," she said, attempting a small smile.

"Now, listen here," he told her softly. "There will come a day when you feel crushed by the burden of modern life... and your bright spirit will fade before a growing emptiness. When that happens, my dear, you'll be ready for this gift." He grasped her hand again and pressed a kiss to it. "Now, let Grandpa rest..."

He gave her a soft smile and she nodded, standing up and leaning over him to kiss his forehead before taking the envelope and leaving the house again. Her brother and father were still standing on the porch when she exited, and gave her questioning looks, clearly wondering what had happened inside. She sat down in the edge of the porch, letting her legs hang over the edge before she explained and then told them that he was sleeping. When her father went back inside, Jordan sat down next to her and hugged her as they looked over the farm.

It wasn't until years later, after she'd finished college, after graduating, after the grief that had come with her grandfather's death had passed and it was easier to deal with day to day, that Bellamy understood what her grandfather had been talking about when he gave her that sealed envelope.

She had never imagined that she would end up working for JoJa Corp. She'd always hated the company and how they seemed to drain everything that was good out of everything they touched. But after graduating, she'd been unable to find work in her field. She hadn't even been able to find work in any field that she would enjoy. So, with rent looming and the need for sustenance not disappearing, Bellamy had caved and gotten a job with the company she had always so despised.

And she hated every second of it.

Each day was the same. Sitting in that bland cubicle among what felt like a sea of other bland cubicles, her every move being watched and criticized. Everyone going for lunch at the same time, them going back to work, typing and typing and typing until they were finally allowed to leave for the evening and they had to do it all over again the next day.

It was on one of those monotonous days that her grandfather's words finally clicked. When she finally realized that the growing emptiness that he had told her about was JoJa Corp. and it was them who were diminishing her bright spirit. They were the ones crushing her, making her feel burdened with the weight of life on her shoulders.

That night after getting home, she had dug out that sealed envelope and finally broken the purple wax seal. Sitting on her couch with a cup of tea to calm her, she pulled out the letter within it and began to read.

Dear Bellamy,

If you're reading this, you must be in dire need of a change.

The same thing happened to me, long ago. I'd lost sight of what mattered most in life... real connections with other people and nature. So I dropped everything and moved to the place I truly belong.

I've enclosed the deed to that place... my pride and joy: New Dawn Farm. It's located in Stardew Valley, on the southern coast. It's the perfect place to start your new life.

This was my most precious gift of all, and now it's yours. I know you'll honour the family name, my dear. Good luck.

Love, Grandpa.

P.S. If Lewis is still alive, say hi to the old guy for me, will ya?

Finishing the letter, Bellamy wiped the stray tears from her face and looked at the other document enclosed in the letter. It was, in fact, just as he had said, the deed to the family farm. Without thinking twice about it, she put the letter down and grabbed her phone, ready to set everything in motion for her new life.

Chapter Text

BUS RIDES HAD ALWAYS BEEN SOOTHING to Bellamy. She enjoyed just watching the world move by through the window, listening to music through her headphones all the while, letting all her worries fall away for the duration of the bus ride. She'd always enjoyed bus tours, as well, getting to see new parts of the world and new places while not having to worry about finding her way around an unfamiliar place.

On the bus ride to Pelican Town, Bellamy couldn't help but reminisce on the car rides she'd take with her family when they went to visit the family farm. She could remember the arguments and fights she'd have with her brother or the games they'd play to pass the time. The further the bus went, the more that she recognized. The area quickly became more and more familiar the closer she got to her destination.

Bellamy found herself getting more and more nervous as she got closer to town. She couldn't help wondering if maybe the town wouldn't be as welcoming as she remembered, if the people had changed. She worried that she wouldn't be accepted or that there was some confusion and she wouldn't actually be able to get the farm. That was what worried her most of all, for she had sold her apartment and quit her job. She wouldn't have anything to go back to if this fell through.

She was shaken out of her thoughts when the bus came to a stop and announced the stop. Bellamy got up and grabbed her bags before exiting off the bus. The driver came with her, and got her two suitcases out from under the bus before he got back on and the bus took off again. From there, Bellamy turned around to find a red-headed woman standing just off the side of the road on the grass, clearly waiting for her.

"Hello! You must be Bellamy," she said.

"Uh, yeah. That's me. Hi."

"I'm Robin, the local carpenter," she introduced, reaching a hand out for Bellamy to shake, which she did. "Mayor Lewis sent me here to fetch you and show you the way to your new home. He's there right now, tidying things up for your arrival."

"Oh," Bellamy said. "Great."

"The farm's right over here, if you'll follow me."

With that, Robin grabbed one of her suitcases and lead her down to the dirt road not that far from the main road. They turned right down the path and walked in silence for some time before the path opened up again to reveal a large expanse of land covered in tall grass, weeds, trees, rocks and fallen branches. They seemed to be in somewhat of a valley, with hills rising on every side of the area, visible above the trees. They took a few more steps forward and Bellamy caught sight of a small cottage just as Robin stopped and set her suitcase down.

"This is New Dawn Farm," Robin said.

"What?" Bellamy exclaimed, her heart sinking. "This is the farm?"

"What's the matter?" Robin questioned. "Sure it's a little overgrown but there's some good soil under all that mess. With a little dedication you'll have it all cleaned up in no time."

Bellamy couldn't help but wonder if she and Robin had different definitions of 'a little overgrown' and 'no time'. Looking out at the mess of farmland in front of her, she couldn't fathom how she could get this cleaned up in no time. It would take ages.

Picking up her suitcase again, Robin lead her towards the cottage and they stopped at the bottom of the stairs. Bellamy glanced over her shoulder at the mess again and felt a knot beginning to form in her stomach at the daunting task ahead of her.

"And here we are, your new home," Robin said, gesturing to the cottage.

Before she could worry too much about having to clean up the farm or the not so great state the cottage looked to be in, the door opened. A man with grey hair under a flat cap and a green button up shirt with a yellow tie and suspenders stepped out of it. He was much older than she remembered him to be but that was undoubtedly Mayor Lewis. Bellamy was a little shocked that he was still kicking despite all the years that had passed and having heard people talk about him. She'd even talked on the phone with him at length, setting things up to get the farm, but seeing him again was something else entirely.

"Ah, the new farmer!" Lewis said, joining them at the bottom of the stairs. "Welcome! It's nice to officially meet you in person. I'm Mayor Lewis of Pelican Town."

"Nice to meet you, too, sir," Bellamy said politely, shaking his hand.

"Oh, no need to both with that nonsense around here. Just Lewis will suffice," he told her, waving off her formalities. Much different than the city for sure. "You know, everyone's been asking about you. It's not everyday that someone new moves in. It's quite a big deal."

Great, Bellamy thought. Just what I need.

"So..." Lewis said, turning back to the cottage. "Your moving into your grandfather's old cottage. It's a good house, very 'rustic'."

"Rustic? That's one way to put it... 'Crusty' might be a little more apt, though," Robin said.

Bellamy had to agree. The cottage didn't look great. It definitely looked as though it hadn't been lived in for years.

"Rude!" Lewis exclaimed, only causing Robin to laugh. "Don't listen to her, Bellamy. She's just trying to make you dissatisfied so you'll buy one of her house upgrades."

Robin huffed and crossed her arms over her chest and looked away. It was pretty clear that Lewis was right on the mark.

"Anyways... you must be tired from the long journey. You should get some rest," Lewis said.

"Now that you mention it..." Bellamy agreed.

"Tomorrow you ought to explore the town a bit and introduce yourself. The townspeople would appreciate that," Lewis said. He started walking away, but stopped at the end of the small path that lead into the farm and gestured to a fairly large wooden box that Bellamy hadn't previously noticed. "Oh. I almost forgot. If you have anything to sell, just place in this box here. I'll come by during the night to collect it. Well... good luck."

Lewis didn't see how Bellamy's brow furrowed at that odd suggestion, as he immediately turned and kept walking, leaving the farm entirely and Robin followed after him.

With a sigh, Bellamy pulled one of her suitcases up the stairs to the porch, then the second one. She brought them inside and that was when she realized how drastically the cottage had changed since the last time she'd been there. The kitchen looked half destroyed and clearly unused for years. One of the cabinet doors was crooked and a cupboard drawer was also crooked and hanging a little open. The stove was an old gas stove but didn't look like it had worked in a least a decade.

"Great..."

There was a stone fireplace against the far wall, and a small table set up next to it with a couple rickety looking chairs. There was an old green sofa pushed against the wall to the right of the fireplace and the bed was next to that, with the end of it close to the door. On the other end of the small kitchen was an old box tv on a stand pointing towards the bed, meaning the tv and kitchen bracketed a door that Bellamy knew lead to the bathroom.

"Well, this all looks..." For a moment she couldn't find the right words. "Tiny. Definitely smaller than my first apartment."

Bellamy sighed and pushed her suitcases further into the room, putting them between the bedside table and the sofa. She dropped her bag onto the couch and kicked off her shoes before she went to the kitchen and opened the fridge, immediately recoiling as a musty smell hit her nose. And, to make it even better, the fridge was completely empty. Not even any ice in the freezer.

"Thanks, Lewis," Bellamy muttered. "Glad you got things ready for me..."

Closing the fridge, she crossed to the sink, turning the knob and watching as the water sputtered for a moment, before going steady. Another sigh fell from her lips. Finally braving the stove, Bellamy turned the dial for one of the burners, but it simply clicked at her without coming on. Suspecting, but not knowing for sure if there was actually any gas, she turned the stove off entirely and flopped down in one of the chairs, eyes widening as it creaked loudly. She paused, tense, waiting and hoping it wouldn't break and relaxing.

Well, it was definitely a good thing that she had packed lots of snacks for the bus ride because she definitely wasn't going to be able to cook herself any dinner.

Chapter Text

EARLY MORNINGS WERE NEVER BELLAMY'S favourite thing. School mornings had always been an issue for her and after graduating from high school and getting into college, she'd made sure to arrange most of her classes so she wouldn't have to get up early to get to them. Her brother had always taken some degree of pleasure in waking her up on mornings when she refused to get out of bed, doing anything from dousing her in cold water to jumping on her to letting the dog loose on her and even dragging her entirely out of bed or simply stealing all her blankets. Her mom had simply opened the curtains wide, letting the bright morning light into the room and gently touching her shoulder, telling her in a soft voice to get up. Her father was the one to shake her a little hard or start tickling her if she didn't get up.

But despite all of that, Bellamy still set her alarm for the early hour of six o'clock. When the alarm went off sharply in her ear from the bed side table, a groan fell from her lips and she pressed her head further into the pillow, rolling over onto her stomach to hide her face in the pillow. The alarm was still blaring sharp and irritating in her ear. She turned her head towards her phone, cracking her eyes open to stare at it accusingly, but it was an inanimate object, so it didn't cave under her stare and simply kept ringing. Loudly.

Finally caving under the insistent sound of the alarm, Bellamy pushed herself up to a sitting position and ran a hand over her face and through her pink hair. She reached for her phone, turning off the alarm before standing up and detouring through the bathroom before stumbling into the kitchen and opening one of the straight cupboards where she'd stored some of her snacks the night before. It was lucky that she was obsessed with granola bars because that was about the only nutritious thing that was in there. She made a mental note to find the store to get some food and find Robin too, to see if she could fix her cupboards and stove.

After standing in the kitchen to finish her granola bar, Bellamy flicked on the tv and listened to the station it was on as she changed out of her pajamas, pulling fresh clothes out of her suitcase that was set up on the sofa.

"Welcome to 'Livin' of the Land' . We're back again with another tip for y'all. Now listen up. This one is for all you greenhorns out there: chop wood and search for wild forage to earn some cash while waitin' on your first harvest!"

As the show cut to commercial, Bellamy rubbed her tired eyes, turning off the tv and trying to to feel too targeted by the program. She slipped her phone into her back pocket and exited the house. On the front porch was a small box with a little note attached to it.

Here's a little something to get you started.

Mayor Lewis

Brow furrowing, Bellamy opened the box the see a set of parsnip seeds. A small laugh fell from her lips as she realized that Lewis had sent her seeds, expecting (and rightly so) that she didn't have anything to start planting yet. Her smile fell when she looked out over the farm and at how overgrown it was. There was no way that she would be able to plant anything today. She didn't know if she'd be able to plant anything for at least a few days. Her heart sank thinking of how the farm used to look, of the corn fields and crops her grandfather would grow. The farm didn't resemble anything close to that now. It didn't even look like a farm anymore.

Bellamy sighed and placed the box back down on the porch. She wouldn't need that for a while. Jogging down the steps, Bellamy pulled the elastic from her wrist and pulled her hair up into a messy bun as she went around the back of the house where she knew the small shed to be.

The hinges creaked loudly as she opened the door. It was dark inside, but the little bit of light that shone in from outside let her see what she needed to. For a moment, she thought she saw something small and green, but when she squinted, there wasn't anything green except little bits of grass and weeds that were poking through the stone floor. A couple of tools were near the door but judging by the looks of the spider webs hanging near the back, Bellamy didn't want to just reach in and grab them. Most bugs didn't bother her, but spiders were a definite no go for her, no matter the size.

After gingerly grabbing each of the four tools she'd need and tossing them into the grass to try and shake any spiders or other bugs off of them. She closed the shed then picked up each tool to shake off once more just to be sure it was rid of bugs, then checked them all over a little closer before moving them to the porch.

She was just surveying the area to decide where to start, when her phone rang from her back pocket. Confused, she pulled it out to see who was calling her so early in the morning, only to see that it was Jordan, her brother. Her brow furrowed, but she answered it nonetheless.

"Hello?"

"Ah! You are awake!"

"Ouch," Bellamy said. "I don't have that little self-discipline."

"Sure you do. You have never been a morning person in your life. Even as a baby," Jordan said.

"You are only three years older than me, no way you remember me as a baby."

"Nah, but it sure sounds right."

Bellamy scoffed. "You're so full of shit."

"You didn't already know that?"

"No, I did. I just like to point it out to you every once in a while to keep you humble."

"Well, I appreciate that," Jordan said, laughing. "But, come on, seriously. How do things look up there?"

"Awful," Bellamy admitted, looking out at the farm as she hopped up to sit on the porch. "Everything is overgrown. You wouldn't even recognize it of you saw it in its current state. I sure didn't when I first got here."

"That bad, huh?"

Bellamy nodded before realizing he couldn't see it. "Yeah. That bad. I'm starting to wonder if I've taken on something I can't finish. If I've taken a bite out of something that I can't chew. Or however the saying goes."

"Aw, Bell. You gotta have a little more faith in yourself," Jordan assured her.

"You can't see this place," Bellamy told him, sounding dejected. "Anything you remember about the farm is gone. There's no trace of it left. You can't even see to the other side of the property, Jordy. And you know me better than anyone, I'm not the most athletic or strong person. This place is covered in trees and weeds and rocks and tall grass... It's all gotta be cleared. How am I going to do that alone?"

"Grandpa wouldn't have left the farm to you if he didn't think that you could handle anything it threw at you. He knew, just as I know, that you love that place as much as he did. If anyone could do this, Bellamy, you can."

Bellamy sniffled and wiped away the stray tear on her cheek. "Thanks, Jordan."

"Anytime. I'm sending you all my hugs," he told her.

"Thanks," she said again.

"I should go, gotta get to work. And you have a farm to get ready," he said.

"Sounds like a plan. Have a good day," she said.

"You too. And Bellamy?"

"Yeah?"

"You can do this. Don't forget that."

"I'll try."

"No, no, no, we don't have any of that in this house. What does Yoda say?"

Bellamy laughed. "Do or do not, there is no try."

"Atta girl. Have a good day."

"Jordan?"

"Yeah?"

"You're the best big brother a girl could ask for. You know that I love you, right?"

"Of course I do. I love you, too. Now get to work, Farm Girl. Bye."

"Bye."

With that, Bellamy hung up the phone, a smile on her face as she slipped it back in her pocket. Her brother never failed to know exactly what to say when she needed encouragement or comfort and now armed with his words, she grabbed the pickaxe, feeling ready to absolutely crush her first day.

Chapter Text

BY THE END OF THE DAY, Bellamy's arms felt like they were going to fall off. She had cleared a good portion of the area directly in front of the house where she could start planting in the morning. She'd eaten a good chunk of her snacks a little after noon when she'd finally been unable to ignore the rumbling and wailing of her stomach. And while it had felt like a good decision at the time, it left her with almost nothing to eat when dinner rolled around. That left her with one option, one that she had hoped that she would be able to put off for a little while longer.

She had to go to the town center.

While this wasn't necessarily a bad thing, she'd been hoping to put off meeting all the townspeople for a little while longer. At least until she had actual things to tell them about the farm as she knew that would inevitably be one of their first questions, if not the first. But with no food, she would have to just suck it up and go.

Bellamy collected the few things she would need to go get herself some food like her wallet, phone and jacket, then left the farm, heading back down the bath that Robin had taken her down to get to the farm. She wasn't entirely sure where she was going, pulling on just her distant memories of going into the town center with her grandfather and brother when they came to visit. If her memories served her right, there was a general store in town that she would be able to grab the things that she needed from. And it wasn't too far into town, so she'd be able to avoid encountering too many of the townspeople on her way.

She breathed a sigh of relief when her memory did serve her right and buildings came into view ahead of her. In a moment she came into town and her eyes widened as she realized how much had changed. The town definitely had grown in the years since her grandfather's passing. There was at least one or two more houses than she remembered, a trailer barely visible in the distance and the building that the general store looked to be a storey higher and there was some kind of small hospital attached on its left.

Next to the door into the general store was a little corkboard. Bellamy noticed a little calender marking the days and all the birthday's of the townspeople on it. A smile pulled on her lips as she made a mental note to check it often to remember everyone's birthdays. On a whim, she flipped up the pages and checked Fall. Sure enough, on Fall 8, pencilled in on a blank space was her own name. Lewis had already out her birthday on the calendar. She laughed as her eyes turned to what was next to it, a small section of Help Wanted ads. Currently, there were none under the banner but she figured that would be a good way to earn some favour with the townspeople.

Figuring that she had wasted enough time, Bellamy stepped away from the board and finally entered the general store. She was first struck by how unlike it was to the stores in the city. The floor was a warm hardwood, the walls had wood panelling and blue paint and the overhead lights weren't fluorescent. It felt a lot more warm than most of the stores she'd been in for a long time. To her right was a line of shelves stocked with food and other things one might need. To the left there were some bins with fresh fruit and vegetables in them and stands with little bags to put them in. Next to the door were a few plastic baskets and she grabbed one of them before making her way into the first aisle.

Bellamy wound her way through the aisles, depositing the foods and other things she'd need into it as she went. Eventually, she turned into an aisle and was startled when she saw someone already there. He seemed to be middle aged, with brown hair and eyes and a pair of square glasses. After a second, he turned and caught sight of her, smiling as he realized who she had to be.

"Hey, it's Miss Bellamy, the new farmer!" he said, extending a hand to her.

"Hi," she greeted, shaking his hand.

"I'm Pierre, owner of the local general store."

"Nice to meet you."

"If you're looking for seeds, my shop is the place to be," he told her proudly. "I'll also buy produce from you for a good price."

"Thank you. I just need some food for now," she explained, gesturing to her basket. "Didn't have anything at all in the house. Not that I could have cooked anything if I tried."

"Your stove not working?" Pierre questioned, walking over to the counter with the register.

"No," Bellamy answered, grabbing one last thing off the shelf before following him. "Can't get the gas to come on. I can't tell if it's even connected."

"Have you talked to Robin about getting it fixed?" he asked.

"I hope to. I'm not actually sure where to find her."

"She lives just up on the Mountain near the Mines." Pierre continued scanning her items as he spoke. "There should actually be a path right up there from your farm."

"Really?"

"Yeah, right past the house. Just a small path, if memory serves me correctly," he explained. "Should lead you right around and up to her place."

"Thanks, I'll try that out tomorrow."

He gave her a smile and scanned the last of her items, giving her the total. Bellamy winced a little, internally, at the cost, but these were necessities after all, so she paid for them and took the bags that he gave her, exiting out of the store and heading back down the path towards the farm again.

As she arrived back home, she set her bags down on the porch near the door and jogged a little ways through the weeds and grass to the left of the house just as Pierre had told her. Sure enough, after a ways, there was a path that lead right up into the mountains. Feeling confident that she'd be able to get her stove fixed tomorrow, Bellamy went back to the house and brought her groceries inside, placing them on the kitchen counter and beginning to place them in various cupboards. Then, once they were all away, she started cooking her dinner before she could settle in for the night, feeling confident in her first day.