Paul's POV
I was walking home from school with Dawn because I live right near her. I walk home with her every day. I was particularly angry that day because I got a bad grade on a test.
"Paul, are you okay?" Dawn questions me. I shoot her a glare and she stopped talking.
"Sorry. I'm still upset about the test grade I got in Types class." I reply.
"It's alright. I got a bad grade too. I'm going to study again and ask for a retake tomorrow. You should come with me." Dawn offered.
"I don't know. I might as well take the grade and try harder." I reply with my back to Dawn.
"That's the-" Dawn was cut off. I look behind me and Dawn was gone. I didn't see her anywhere.
"Dawn. Dawn!" I yell her name and I get no reply. I start to panic. I then see a white van go down the street. I stare at the back window. Just then, I see Dawn in the back of the van, driving away. "Dawn!" I run after the van and I catch up. I hold on to the handle on the outside of the van. Dawn's mouth is taped to prevent her from screaming for help. "Dawn you're gonna be just fine, just hang on." I try to pick the lock in the back door. I then hear a gunshot and I am hurled off the back of the van. I try to stand up but I have an unbearable pain in my arm. I was shot. I can't ignore the bullet, but I have to go after Dawn. Arceus, I'm and idiot! I pull out my phone and dial 911.
"911, what's your emergency?" the operator questions.
"My friend was kidnapped and I was just shot in the arm!" I yell.
"Where are you and where did the van go?" the operator questions.
"I'm on Azalea Street and I saw the van turn onto Blackthorn Road." I reply.
"Alright, I have an ambulance coming and the police are going to chase down the van. Did you see the license plate by any chance?" the operator asks me.
"I saw the first I think three digits. They were 78H, I can't remember the rest." I reply.
"That's all we need. Thank you." The operator hangs up and I see the ambulance speeding down the street towards me. It screeches to a stop.
"Are you alright kid?" the doctor questions.
"I'm fine, beside the bullet in my arm. But the cops need to find my friend." I say. I then hear cop car blast past us and made a sharp turn onto Blackthorn St.
"It's alright. Let's just get you to the hospital and get that bullet out of your arm." The doctor helped me up and walks me over to the back of the ambulance. "Do you think you need a stretcher?"
"No. I can just sit on the bench on the way there." I reply. I hop into the back of the ambulance and we drive away watching the cops tapping off the crime scene.
Dawn's POV
The last thing I remember seeing is Paul flying of the back of the van I was trapped in. I was then hit over the head with something hard. I wake up in a steel room with a sliding steel door. I don't have my phone on my 'cause I think my kidnapper took it. My room has a small bed and lights at the top of the ceiling. I hear footsteps come towards the door. I see a small eye slider open.
"You're awake." my kidnapper said.
"Why am I here?" I question.
"Your mother is a top coordinator. She'll pay anything to get her little girl back. The door in the back of the room is a bathroom." my kidnapper states. He pushes food under the door flap at the bottom. "Eat. We need you alive."
The eye slider closed and I slowly walk up to the food. I pick up the tray and walked back over to my bed. I pick at my food and I start to cry. Why am I here? My mom would pay anything to get me back, but she would become bankrupt. I want to get out of here, but I don't want mom to spend all of her money to get me back. I start crying. How long will I be here?
Paul's POV
I had to have a small surgery to get the bullet out of my arm. Afterward, I was transported to a hospital room to rest. I then hear my brother pounding through the door.
"Paul! There you are! Are you alright?" Reggie questions me.
"Dude, I'm fine. I'm just worried about Dawn. Arceus, if only I paid more attention this never would have happened." I reply.
"Hey none of us could have predicted that this would happen." May, Max, Drew, Ash, and Misty walk into my room.
"So, you're gonna get a nice scar after that close shot." Drew jokes. I give out a slight chuckle, but I can't really smile without Dawn.
"She looked so scared." I say. Everyone looks down.
"Don't worry; I'm sure that the police will find her soon." Ash tries to cheer me up. The doctor that operated on me walks in the room.
"Hello Paul. I just wanted to tell you that the bullet that was lodged in your arm is being sent to the police for evidence on the case and you can go home by tomorrow morning." Dr. Tendo informs me.
"Thank you." I say.
"You also have one more visitor. You can come in." A tall man walks in the door and everyone knows him.
"Hi everybody." Brock states with the stupidest grin. He turns attention to the doctor soon after. "Doctor, you are a sight for sore eyes. Your beauty is all the prescription I NEED!" A guy with black hair in a braid came out of nowhere and whacked Brock on the head.
"Don't you dare talk to my fiancé like that!" the dude yelled.
"Ranma!" Dr. Tendo yelled at the guys. "We'll get out of your way now. If you need anything just push the button next to your bed." Dr. Tendo and the guy named Ranma walked out of my room.
"So how are you feeling?" Brock questions.
"Talk about a fast recovery." Max joked.
"Do you guys think she'll be okay?" I question. Everyone falls silent.
"Dawn's tough. I think she'll be fine." Ash stated. I still can't shake the thought that Dawn is gone. I've known her since I was a kid. I think that I'll miss her the most out of everyone.
Dawn's POV
I have no clue how long I have been here for. The windows are boarded up and there's no clock. I walk up to the door.
"Hey! Can I get a clock or a calendar in here? I want to know what time it is!" I yell. I hear footsteps pound against the floor.
"Just shut up and I'll get you a clock and calendar!" the guy yelled. He walked away. I look around the room to try and figure out where I am. I see nothing to tie me to my location. I hear the footsteps come back.
"Here, a clock and a calendar! Now just shut up!" the guy yelled at me.
"Attila, you can't scare the girl, we need her alive, so we can't have her kill herself." I hear a female voice say.
"Whatever Hun." the guy stated. Wait a minute, Attila, Hun, there apart of Team Rocket! I must be in one of their buildings! Okay, I figured out who kidnapped me, now I need to know where I am.
"Attila, Hun, Jessie, James, Meowth, Cassidy, Biff, my office now!" an angry male voice yelled over the intercom.
"The name is Butch!" I hear a voice yell from what I think was the other side of the building. I know that today is May 17th 2012. I look at my clock. It's 7:38 at night. I remember being kidnapped at around 3:30 because that's when I was walking home from school with, Paul... I wonder if he misses me. Oh Arceus! I forgot that he was shot in the arm! I hope he's alright! I have to find him. But this Attila guy just wants me out of here. I can't trust anyone.
Paul's POV (One year later)
It's been almost a year since Dawn was kidnapped. Arceus, if I only saw the person who shot me I would have a better lead. I have a part time job with the city police to find Dawn. They said that if I organize the archives every month or so, I can search for Dawn in an unused room. I have a map and possible suspects all hung up on a white board. I have no clue where she is. I can't get any leads. I feel my phone vibrate in my pocket. I take it out of my pocket and I look who the text is fro- Oh Arceus help me. I don't believe it. I run out of the room and I run to the captain.
"What is it Paul?" Captain Rowan questions me as he looks up at me from his paperwork.
"It's Dawn." Rowan was silent. I get out of his chair and looks at my phone. There is was. As clear as day. An animated envelope opening with a new text message that read "Dawn" at the bottom.
"Open the message." I follow his orders and I read the text. "I'm going to call everyone. Read the message aloud when they all get here." Rowan walks over to his phone. I can't believe. After a year, I found something. Before they all get here, I shoot a quick reply back.
"I never stopped looking 4 u and I never will until I find u." I text back.
Within minutes of Rowan calling everyone, they are all down at the station.
"Officer Rowan, is this about Dawn?" Johanna questions. Dawn's Piplup is standing on one of the detectives desks.
"Yeah 'cause if it's not, I'm going back to bed." May complained.
"Yes. Earlier today, Paul here received a text from Dawn." Rowan explained. "Paul."
"Yes sir." I stated I start to read the text aloud.
"Dear Paul,
Hey it's me, Dawn. I just wanted you to know that I'm still alive and that I want you to know that I'm safe. I miss you all. How's my mom? I bet she misses me like crazy. I don't blame you for giving up my case if you did. I know that I can't give you any details. I just wanted to make sure that you are still there. I really miss you. Please, find me. I know you can."
"That's all she wrote." I see the tears start to form in everyone's eyes.
"Wait a minute. Officer Rowan, can't you track down, where the message came from?" Drew suggested. Rowan stood there silently and I knew that he never even thought of that during the whole investigation.
"Paul if I may." Rowan held out his hand for my phone. I place it in his hand. He walks over to a machine. He plugs my phone into it. This is it. After a year away from her, I'll finally find her.
Dawn's POV
Okay, so I manage to find my phone under my floor boards. Great hiding spot. I send a text message to Paul knowing that I have no clue how much time I have left before anyone of the Team Rocket goons comes back. I then see Attila open the eye slot in my cell.
"Din- hey! Hun, get over here!" I hear Hun walk over here.
"What is it?" Hun aggravated questions.
"The girl found her phone!" Attila yelled!
"What?!" Hun yells back.
"Yeah, apparently leaving a phone under a squeaky floorboard is a good idea." I snap back. The door swings open and Attila comes in.
"That's it girl! You've been here for about a year now! Just give up! No one is going to find you!" Attila smacks me across the face and I fall to the floor. It hurts. My phone then rings. Attila rips it out of my hands. "Now isn't that cute." Hun looks at my phone as I hold my reddened face.
"Looks like the guy I shot the day we kidnapped you never stopped looking." Hun teased. "Now then, what should we do with little miss troublesome?" I start to cry after hearing that name. Paul always called me that whenever I did something to annoy him.
"You're wrong. He will find me. And once he does, you'll be sorry for shooting him." I threaten.
"Oh really, well how can we be sorry if he doesn't show up?!" Attila yelled at me. He and Hun left tower over me about to beat me. He's right. What will happen if he doesn't show up? Am I going to be here forever? I mean, no one's found me, and it's been a year.
Paul's POV
Rowan plugs in my phone into the machine. Rowan punches in the different keys to get the coordinates on Dawn's Phone. Just then, we have a place.
"I have a weak signal but it's coming from Eterna City in the Team Galactic Building." Rowan stated. "I'll call the Eterna City Police department in the morning and we'll get her out of there." I don't have until morning. We need to get her out of there now. "Paul, why don't you go home and get some sleep, you need it." I'm not going to sleep. Tonight, I'm gonna sneak out and get to Eterna City by Sunrise tomorrow and help the Eterna City Police.
It's about 12:00 at night and I am out the door to Eterna City. As soon as I get there, I'm going to the station. I don't care if they day I'm too young. Officer Rowan gave me a police gun about 6 months after I started helping the police. I pack that with me. By the time I got to Eterna City, I see the citizens roaming about. I head to the station. I am stopped at the front door.
"Hey sonny, you got business with us?" The cop at the front door questions me.
"I'm here from Veilstone City. Detective Rowan of the Veilstone Police Department called earlier about a kidnapping victim's whereabouts in a building here. I've come to help." I explain. The guy knows I am serious.
"Give me a second." He calls someone probably to verify my story. He hangs up the phone. "Go on in." He opens the gate and I walk in. I go into the nearest elevator to the 5th floor. I then get a text from Reggie.
"Bring her back."
That's all the motivation I need.
Dawn's POV
I was beat. Attila beat me. I am bruised and bleeding. I manage to use my blankets to cover my injuries. I'm all alone. No one's coming. I start to fall asleep, before I do; I lay on top of my bed. Someone help me…
Paul's POV
The elevator door opens and the cops stare at me.
"What's a kid doing here?" one cop states.
"Do you think he's the kid from Veilstone?" another one adds in. I walk past everyone and into the head officer's office. I knock on the door.
"Come in." I open the door and I see Head Officer Birch in the chair on the opposite side of his desk. "You must be Paul. It's nice to meet you. Professor Rowan told me about the investigation you've been looking into. He's also told me that you have pin pointed the girl's location."
"That's all true." I reply.
"Officer Rowan also told me to bring you along to get the girl." Officer Birch explained. "So you will need a bullet proof vest and a gu-"
"I brought the gun that Officer Rowan gave me." I stated. Officer Birch stopped.
"Alright then. Are you ready to get her back?" Officer Birch questions me. I've waited a year to hear that question.
"Yes."
Dawn's POV
Why is it flashing red? I open my eyes slowly to that I could adjust to the lights. The alarm is going off. What's going on? I hear footsteps pound against the steel floors outside my cell.
"Attention all Team Rocket members. The Eterna Police Force is coming. This is not a drill, I repeat this is not a drill!" The voice over the intercom yelled. Wait, he said the Eterna City Police is coming? Am I saved? I'm going home. I may be badly beaten, but I may have a chance of going home. I'll get to see my friends, my mom, my Pokémon, Paul! - Paul… He's the only thing that kept me going while I was in here. He's the only reason I didn't commit suicide. I can't wait to see him again.
Paul's POV
We infiltrate the building and start to attack Team Rocket members. I was towards the back of the group. Officer Birch told me that when a big enough commotion was going on, he wanted me to go and find Dawn. All I heard was gunshots and screams of Officers and Team Rocket members being shot. I have to thank everyone after I get Dawn out of here. I run down a hallway where I don't see and grunts. I slowly walk down with me gun loaded. I kick down multiple doors. I come up to one door and I kick it down.
Dawn's POV
I hear screaming. Blood-curdling screams. I also hear gunshots. I don't feel bad for the Team Rocket member that lost their lives, but the officers are risking their lives to save mine. I also hear the sound of metals doors being broken down. But the sound is far away. They'll never find me. I might as well give up hope. I bet they hid me door really well so that no one could find me. I then hear something kicking at my door. Is it Attila? Is it the police? The door comes crashing down and I start to cry.
Paul's POV
I kick down the last door in the hallway I was in. I kick it down and I was about to drop to my knees but something, or someone stopped me.
"PAUL!" Dawn's arms are wrapped around me. After all this time, she's finally come back to me. I wrap my arms around her and she cries and cries. "I missed you so much! I am so stupid! I let them get me!" Her salty tears flow onto my vest. She's alive. I never thought I would see her small, beautiful face again.
"Shh. Shh. It's alright. I'm gonna get you out of here. I won't anyone hurt you." I say. I squeeze her tighter and I see all of the bruises and cuts around her legs and arms. Those bastards. I kill them all for this. That is, if the police don't do it first. I just stand there will Dawn in my arms. She starts to hiccup from crying for so long and so hard. It's kinda funny. The gunshots stop. "It's all over." I say. I gently help Dawn up. I help her to walk at first. She keeps on falling. I kneel down in front of her. "Get on." Dawn climbs onto my back and I carry her to the entrance.
"Paul." Officer Birch states. He then see's Dawn on my back. "You found her." I then noticed that Dawn is asleep. Her breathing is steady. She's back. After all this time, she's finally come back to me. I see all of the officers behind Officer Birch. "Come on. Let's get her to a hospital." Dawn was covered in bruises and cuts. Doesn't sound like a bad idea. I walk out of the building and I see several officers with bullets in their arms.
"Thank you." I say to every officer I pass by. I hear Dawn groaning and trying to wake up.
"Paul…I wasn't dreaming. Am I really free?" Dawn questions. I slowly hop up onto an ambulance and I lay Dawn down on a gurney.
"Yes. Now rest." Dawn falls back to sleep and I sit on the bench next to her gurney.
Dawn's POV
I wake up in a hospital bed with bandages covering my arms. I feel really, really dizzy. Was I drugged or something? I hold me head.
"You're awake." A person who I think is my doctor states. "My name is Dr. Akane Tendo. But you can call me Dr. Akane or Dr. Tendo."
"Do you mind telling me where I am? I can't remember anything after I was rescued." I ask.
"Well after you're friend Paul and the Eterna City Police rescued you, you were transported to Eterna Hospital. After they checked you out, we transported you from there to Veilstone Hospital here." Dr. Akane replies. I think I understand. Paul and the officers rescued me. I look at my bandages.
"Do I have any serious injuries?" I question.
"You did have to get some stiches on your leg. That may explain you were a little dizzy when you woke up. We gave you some pain killers and some medicine that knock you out. Other than that, how do you feel?" Dr. Akane questions.
"I feel fine. Just dizzy." I reply. "Can I see my friends and my mom?" I ask.
"Of course. I'll be right back." Dr. Akane states. She walks out of my room. I look out my window. I'll be out of here soon and I can start my life again after it being on hold. I can start school. I can start a whole new chapter in my life. The past is something I can ignore for now. I hear my door open. I see Paul in the doorway.
Paul's POV
I open the door to Dawn's room in the hospital. She looks at me after staring out her window. I don't know why, but I feel that she's still upset about what happened. She looks like she's about to cry, but she still puts on a smile.
"Hi." Dawn is about to cry again. I just know it.
"Hey." I reply back. I walk up to her bed and sit on the other end of it. I look at her and she looks at me. I wrap my arms around her and she sits there silently.
"I am so sorry." I whisper. "I couldn't save you that day. I couldn't protect you. I am so sorry." I then feel something in my lap. Something warm. I look down at Dawn and she's silently crying.
"Why? Why was I kidnapped?" I couldn't answer that question. "What took you so long?" That was the one question that struck me.
"I didn't have enough evidence to find you. I just wish I could make it up to you." I say. Dawn looks up at me with her big blue eyes. I wipe away her tears. Dawn holds my hand. She leans in closer. Oh Arceus. Is she about to do what I think she's gonna do?! I'm not ready. I barely hugged a girl let alone ki- too late. Dawn is too close to avoid. I let myself go. I lean in and I press my lips to hers. I feel that her lips are swollen. I don't think she cares. I care for Dawn. But I didn't realize it until after I lost her. I never want to lose her again.
Dawn and Paul's POV
I want to be with you forever. Nothing will tear us apart again.