Hello, everyone! This is my first Fanfic. I had another one that I was gonna originally post first, but it was a Christmas one, so I decided that I would wait until Christmas to post that one. All of my Pokemon Fanfictions will only contain the pairing of Ash/Misty, so please do read unless you like this pairing. I know that there are other Shippers out there, but I only support the Ash/Misty pairing. I have nothing against the other Shippers, and I will not be rude to anyone about it as long as they are not rude to me:) I hope you all enjoy the story! Please let me know what you think. I do accept constructive criticism. Feel free to let me know how I can improve.

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon or any of the characters. If I did, Ash and Misty would've been together a LONG time ago LOL! :D

Summary: Do you remember the first time you ever tasted coffee? Ash certainly isn't gonna forget! And Misty is about to find out the hard way why secrets and caffeine don't mix! AAML Fluff! :D

Ages:

Ash: 12

Misty: 14

Brock: 15

Secrets and Caffeine DON'T Mix!

Misty sighed as she sat up in her sleeping bag. Her soft red tresses fell just to her shoulders as she shook her head slightly. "Azurill?," her newest baby Pokemon murmured sleepily. The red-head smiled softly. "Good morning, Azurill," she greeted gently. "Azu! Azurill!," the little blue baby Pokemon chirped happily as she bounced happily in reply. Misty smiled again. In a lot of ways, Azurill reminded her of Togepi. The red-head frowned sadly. She still couldn't really even bring herself to talk about Togepi. At the mere mention of the little egg Pokemon, she would tear-up, and it wouldn't be long before she would start crying. She sure hoped Togetic was taking good care of herself. The teenage Pokemon trainer yawned slightly as she stretched her arms up over her head. "Good morning, Misty," a voice greeted from off to her left. Misty turned to see the eldest of their group, Brock, busying himself with making breakfast. "Good morning, Brock," the red-head greeted happily as she climbed out of her sleeping bag. Azurill chirped happily again before hopping out her mother's sleeping bag as well. Misty was carefully rolling up her sleeping bag when she heard a soft snore to her right. She rolled her eyes slightly as she spared a glance at the third member of their group, Ash Ketchum. The wannabe Pokemon Master was currently laying on his back with his mouth wide open, his faithful Pokemon, Pikachu, snoozing quietly on his chest.

"Honestly, Ash snores as much as a Snorlax," Misty commented as she walked over to sit on one of the logs surrounding the fire-pit they had built the previous night. "Hahaha! It's good to have you back, Misty," Brock laughed, his squinty eyes gleaming happily. Misty giggled as she took a moment to take in a breath of the fresh morning air. She could hear the calls of the native bird Pokemon as they continued with their morning songs. "It's good to be back, Brock. I think I was beginning to go crazy. I guess I just really needed a break," the red-headed trainer replied finally. Truth be told, she had been looking forward to re-joining her friends in Sinnoh for a long time. After a week of preparation, she had finally been able to meet up with them in Pastoria City Harbor. She had almost missed her boat, however, when Daisy had insisted upon helping her pack her clothes, but here she was. The three of them were now on their way to Hearthome City, and were currently resting in a remote area on route 212. "Well, no one blames you for that. I mean, sure you have responsibilities as the Gym Leader, but everyone needs a break once in a while," Brock assured with an approving nod, his spiky hair flipping forward slightly. Misty giggled. She had missed her friends terribly, one in particular. The teen shook her head slightly to will her thoughts in another direction. She really didn't want to go down that road right now. The Water Pokemon trainer glanced to her right once more. Ash was still sleeping peacefully, his raven hair messy as ever.

Misty continued to stare, her gaze softening. "He missed you, you know?," Brock said quietly as he came to stand beside her. Misty immediately felt the familiar pull on her heart. Ash Ketchum miss her? Yeah right! He called so infrequently that, for a while, she had thought that he had forgotten all about her. She felt her eyes begin to sting with the tears she desperately wanted to shed. The Water Pokemon trainer quickly shook her head. She couldn't let Brock see her cry, not over Ash. "Yeah right," she finally mumbled as she turned away, shivering in the chilly morning air. "With all the other girls he traveled with, I'm sure he had plenty of company," she quipped, unable to mask the jealousy in her tone as she stood up again. Brock gave a sad smile. "I'm serious, Misty," he assured gently, "He told so many stories about you that it was getting ridiculous." Misty felt her cheeks redden with a slight blush as she felt the curiosity creep into heart. "W-what stories?," she questioned, turning to face the elder Breeder. Brock smiled and shook his head. "Why don't you ask him?," he taunted with a wink. Misty felt herself blush an even darker shade of red as she sent a glare in his direction. "What do I care?," she retorted, turning away again. She turned even more red when she saw the wannabe Pokemon Breeder shake his head in an exasperated fashion. "Misty, don't you think it's time you stopped hiding it?," he said in a lecturing sort of tone.

"I'm not hiding anything!," Misty retorted as she whipped around to face Brock again, her soft hair swishing gently. The Pokemon Breeder-in-training eyed her critically for a moment. "Hmmm is that right? Then why are you blushing?," he replied with a knowing grin. Misty bit her lip lightly as she attempted to get her runaway emotions under control. "I'm not!," she retorted, though she could tell it was a lie with the heat she felt radiating from her own cheeks. How long was she gonna keep telling herself that same old lie? She had gone to great links to keep her feelings for the Pokemon Master-in-training hidden. As of late, it was becoming almost impossible to even lie to herself. The love-struck girl bit her bottom lip slightly. She could already fell the tears building in her eyes again. She was Misty for crying out loud! The best Water Pokemon trainer in the world! She wasn't afraid of anything! That is, except heartbreak. She had faced many perils on her adventures, but they all seemed to pale in comparison to the one thing that truly terrified her; rejection. The red-head suppressed a shiver as a distant memory came back to her.

Long ago when she was traveling with Ash and Tracey in the Orange Islands, there had been one thing that had terrified her even more than rejection. She had thought for sure that she was going to lose Ash. She hadn't spared a second thought when she dove into that icy water to save him. The only thought that had occupied her mind was that the boy she was desperately in love with was in mortal danger, and she was the only one that could swim fast enough to save him. Tracey wasn't that great of a swimmer, after all, and there was no way that she would've been able to pull both boys to shore. She had risked hypothermia to save the boy that had stolen her heart without her even noticing at first. It was when she'd gotten to shore with him that her heart had almost stopped. He had stopped breathing! In that moment, Misty Waterflower had known true terror. When he had finally opened his eyes, her heart had finally begun to beat again. To this day, she didn't know if Ash even knew that she was the one that rescued him. She hadn't even had time to talk to him that day after she'd saved him. She had, like always, lost her nerve when his mother and Professor Oak arrived.

"Misty?," Brock spoke up, snapping the Water Pokemon trainer from her memories. "I can't do it, Brock. I just...can't," she mumbled as she turned away so that he wouldn't see the tears beginning to run down her cheeks. 'Maybe coming here was a bad idea,' she thought sourly, 'If I had known my feelings for him would effect me this much, I wouldn't have even come!' "Azurill?," the baby Pokemon questioned. At the sight of her mother's tears, the baby let out a frightened chirp before running over and hopping up and down frantically at her trainer's feet. "I'm fine, Azurill," Misty soothed. She was relieved when her voice didn't waver from the tears she was desperately holding back. "Azurill!," the baby Pokemon argued, her long tail straightening out behind her. Misty gave a small fission of a smile as she scooped up the, nearly hysterical, Pokemon. "Wait a minute, Misty. What do you mean? You can't do what?," Brock questioned, making himself known once more.

The red-head sighed as she looked down at the baby Pokemon in her arms, avoiding any eye contact with the Pokemon Breeder as she turned back around. "You know...tell Ash that I...well," she trailed off, her words getting stuck in her throat as she began to blush. Brock gave the younger Pokemon trainer a sympathetic smile. "You know, it's okay to say it, Misty," he said as he placed a comforting hand on her shoulder,"You're just in love. It's not a crime." Misty blushed a darker shade as she continued to avoid eye-contact. Instead, her eyes were fixed on the baby Pokemon in her arms, who was now looking up at her with a curious expression. "Azu?," the blue Water Pokemon muttered questioningly. Receiving no response from the girl, Brock squeezed her shoulder softly, causing her to finally look up at him. Brock gave her a comforting smile. He had to admit, Ash was a very lucky guy. Misty was a very pretty girl. In fact, if he wasn't absolutely positive that Ash loved her back, he might have tried asking her out himself. He gave an inward sigh of defeat. His two best friends were probably going to get together any day now, and he still didn't have a girlfriend! With a shake of his head, he decided to dwell on these thoughts later. Right now, he had a friend to comfort. "Misty?," he began in a gentle voice, "You know that Ash is no mind-reader. If you don't tell him, he'll never know."

The red-head shook her head wildly, causing Brock's hand to fall away from her shoulder. "No way!," she retorted, a little louder than intended. Both teens turned to glance at their friend who was, miraculously, still asleep. Both teens breathed a sigh of relief. "Besides," Misty began with a blush, "It's not like I admitted it anyway." Brock gave a slightly exasperated sigh and shook his head. "Misty," he said in a lecturing tone as he eyed her critically. Misty bit her bottom lip again as she spared another glance at her sleeping love-interest. "O-okay. I-I admit it," she muttered as she placed Azurill on the ground and folded her arms around herself. "It's...it's getting hard for even me to ignore," she admitted shyly as she turned back around, though she made no eye-contact with her older friend. "Well, it's a start," Brock smiled as he patted her shoulder comfortingly, "Now all you have to do is tell him what you told me." Misty's head shot up as she stared wide-eyed at her friend. "What? No! I can't!," she protested, shaking her head wildly as her cheeks flushed pink once more. Brock chuckled lightly as he pulled his hand away. "And why is that?," he questioned, raising his eyebrow in mild amusement. Misty swallowed nervously as she broke eye-contact, staring at her feet. "Well, think about it. If I tell Ash that I...love him and he doesn't feel that way about me...I'd...I'd," she trailed off, biting her lip again. Brock sighed, but nodded in understanding. "I guess I see your point, Misty, but that's kinda sad ain't it? He'll never know how you feel." Misty sighed a bitter sigh as she looked up at the Pokemon Breeder-in-training. "True, but I'd rather at least have him as a friend than not at all," she replied, running a hand through her scarlet hair. She needed to put it up for the day. She had been so distracted this morning that she hadn't even gotten dressed in her day-clothes yet. "You sure that's what you want for yourself, Misty?," Brock asked, snapping her from her thoughts once again. "Are you sure you want to travel down that road, Misty?," he questioned as he picked up his backpack and adjusted it over his shoulder, "It's your decision, but let me caution you. That road isn't really a happy one."

Misty took a deep breath in an attempt to clear her thoughts a little more. When had things in her life become so complicated? "I know...I know it might not be easy, but like I said, if he doesn't feel the same way, it could ruin our friendship and I don't want that," she replied, sounding more confident than she truly felt. Brock shook his head. 'That's not fair to you, Misty. You have a better chance than you think,' he thought sympathetically. "Well, alright, Misty. Like I said, it's your decision, so I won't push. I have to head into Veilstone City for a bit and pick up a few things before we continue on to Hearthome to meet up with Dawn, so I'll be back in a couple of hours. Try not to kill each other while I'm gone," he informed with a smile. "By the way, here. Why don't you drink this? It will help pick you up," he said, taking a warm pitcher off the fire and pouring it's contents into a mug before handing it to her. Misty gave the Breeder a questioning look. "What is it? Coca?," she asked glancing at the dark liquid. Brock laughed lightly. "No. That's actually coffee, Misty. Remember when we were gonna stop for lunch outside that Pokemon Prep-School and I told you that you and Ash were to young to drink it? Well, you're old enough now. Ash might still be a little young for the stuff, but you're fourteen, so you can definitely drink it," he replied as he handing her two canisters of powder. One contained a cream colored powder, while the other contained a powder that was as white as snow. "This is the creamer and sugar for it. I wouldn't really suggest drinking the stuff without it," he informed the younger trainer, "Anyway, I better get going so I can get back sooner. Breakfast is in the pot beside the fire. I shouldn't be gone to long." He had taken a few steps when he stopped and glanced back at her. "Oh, and Misty?," he called from over his shoulder. Upon hearing her name, said girl looked up from the mug of coffee she was staring into and gave him a questioning look. "Try thinking about what I said too. I really don't think you have anything to lose by going for it and just telling him," he said as he gave her one last smile before heading off down the trail.

Misty watched as he disappeared through the trees. She sighed as she glanced back down at the coffee in her hands. With a shrug, she sat back down on the log bench she had previously been sitting on. She opened each of the canisters and, using the spoon she found inside them, she scooped out two spoonfuls of each and dumped them into the mug of hot liquid. After stirring the liquid around a bit, She brought the mug to her lips and paused, blowing on it to cool it down. It smelled good at least. After another moment of inward debate, the red-head closed her eyes and took a small sip. She smiled slightly to herself. The bitter-sweet liquid was tasty after all. No wonder Brock drank it. The warmth was inviting a soothing in the chilly morning air. Misty took another, slightly larger, sip and sighed happily. She could get used to having this as a pick-me-up in the morning. With a small yawn, the Water Pokemon trainer quietly made her way over to her backpack to retrieve her day-clothes. Pulling out her yellow sleeveless hoodie and blue-jean shorts, the girl made her way over behind a large pine tree to change. The young teen gave another yawn as she stretched before slipping off her pink sleeveless shirt. After slipping off her pale-pink pajama pants, the girl carefully folded them before slipping on her day-clothes. The red-head smiled to herself. She loved these new clothes that Daisy had gotten her. They clung to her slim form just right. Daisy had been right when she told her that yellow was a flattering color on her. The new blue-jean shorts were a little longer than the other pair she had worn throughout Kanto, Johto, and the Orange Islands, but they were still a great fit. The rainbow-colored belt was a nice touch too.

Once dressed, Misty returned her pajamas back to her backpack before sitting down on the log bench again. Smiling, she retrieved her mug of coffee from a rock beside the fire-pit where she had placed it for safe-keeping while she changed. She was already starting to feel a buzz from the caffeine that the drink contained. Hearing a small rustle of fabric, the teen whipped her head around to see Pikachu stumbling his way out of Ash's sleeping bag. The red-head smiled as the little Electric mouse sleepily made his way over to her. "Good morning, Pikachu," she greeted quietly as she took another sip of her coffee. "Pika Pikachu, Pikachupi," the Electric Pokemon greeted back with a cheerful smile. "Azu! Azurill!," Azurill greeted her Electric pal, bouncing up and down happily on her tail. Pikachu smiled at the baby Pokemon. "Pika Pikachu, Pikapika," he greeted. "Looks like Azurill is happy to see you too," Misty giggled. "Pika!," Pikachu chirped happily, giving Azurill a warm hug. "Aww! How cute!," Misty gushed, giving each of the Pokemon an affectionate rub on the ears. "Cha!," Pikachu sighed happily, closing his eyes in appreciation. He had always loved Misty. He had often wondered why his trainer failed to see her advances. It was easy to tell, after all, that the two were in love. In a way, he felt a little sorry for the red-headed trainer. She was patiently waiting for his trainer to figure it out and make the first move, but his trainer was too oblivious to realize it. "Zurill!," the baby Pokemon chirped before bouncing over to Misty's backpack for a nap. "Pika!," the little mouse Pokemon said as he hopped up onto Misty's lap. Misty giggled lightly as she gave the Pokemon another rub on the ears. It wasn't long before the gym leader's thoughts began to wander. She wondered how long she would have before her sisters called her back again. Misty sighed, still stroking Pikachu's soft fur. "It's just not fair," she mumbled "Pika...," the rodent Pokemon replied sadly, his ears drooping. The red-head was brought out of her thoughts when she heard a yawn, accompanied by a soft rustle.

Ash yawned again as he slowly sat up in his navy-blue sleeping bag. He couldn't help the perpetual grin that graced his boyish features as he caught sight of where his best Pokemon pal had gone. Misty had been gone so long that he had begun to think that, maybe, he would never see her again. Ash knew that he really didn't have very much of an excuse not to see her. He bit his lip lightly. He had tried to get up the nerve to call her so many times, but always ended up chickening out. He had begun to miss her so much that even he was hard-pressed to deny it. The pre-teen smiled lightly as he looked the red-head over. She was beautiful, after all. There was definitely no denying that anymore. She had apparently forgotten to put her hair up, he surmised, and the soft red tresses fell languidly around her shoulders. Ash bit his lip again as the urge to hold her began to seep into him. This wasn't exactly a new sensation. He had been feeling this a lot lately. Now that she was back, he could only guess that it'd get worse. He had no more time to think about it, however, when she turned around to face him.

If Ash thought Misty was beautiful before, that was nothing compared to when she turned around and their eyes met. Ash thought that his heart had stopped for sure. Misty's eyes were positively the most beautiful in the world! The twin orbs of cerulean-blue simply had a way of dazzling him. "Good morning, Misty," he finally managed to say as he attempted to crawl out of his sleeping bag. "It's about time you got up," the red-head teased. "Same ol' Misty," Ash muttered as he continued to wiggle out of his sleeping bag. He was almost free when his foot got twisted up inside the contraption, his sock getting caught in the zipper.

Misty had to bite her lip to keep from laughing at the sight before her. Here was Ash, the great Pokemon Master-to-be, hopping up and down trying to free his foot from a sleeping bag! Setting Pikachu down gently, the girl made her way over to assist her struggling friend. "Here, Mr. Pokemon Master. Let me help before you break your ankle," she chided as she knelt down beside him. "Uh, th-thanks, Misty," the raven-haired boy muttered, avoiding eye-contact. Misty didn't say a word. She didn't trust her voice enough to speak. Blushing, the teen gently freed his foot from the troublesome sleeping bag. Once freed, the boy gently massaged his foot. "Thanks again, Misty," he said in gratitude, a bright happy smile gracing his lips. Misty smiled. "What are friends for, right?," she replied happily as she stood up. Slowly, she extended her hand to help the boy to his feet, blushing shyly when he accepted it.

Once he was back on his feet, Ash realized he was still holding Misty's hand and blushed. 'Oh, Man, she's gonna kill me for sure!,' he mentally panicked as he released her hand. "Uh, sorry, Misty," he mumbled as he looked away shyly, fully expecting her mallet of dome to come crashing down on him at any minute. Hopefully, she wouldn't see him blushing. Once again, Misty said nothing. The girl was far too lost in her own thoughts to say anything. 'I have to get a grip! This is getting ridiculous!,' she chided herself, 'It's not like he feels that way for you anyway, so safe yourself the heartbreak. Then again, maybe Brock was right...' "Misty?," Ash questioned, snapping her from her thoughts. "Yeah?" "Are you okay? You seem kinda...distracted," Ash asked, giving the red-head a concerned look. "I don't know what you mean, Ash. Of course I'm okay," Misty denied as she walked back over to the log benches and picked her coffee mug back up. "Are you sure?," Ash asked as he walked over to join his friend as she sat down on the log in front of the fire-pit. "Things are never gonna be the same now, are they?," he finally asked after a moment. "Gee, ya think?," the girl next to him quipped in a sarcastic tone as she took another sip from her coffee mug.

Ash flinched. There was definitely something wrong with Misty. Sure, she was as sarcastic as she had always been, but she just seemed...depressed. He had missed her terribly. Didn't she know that? Ash sighed. He supposed she didn't. The wannabe Pokemon Master had been a coward. There were so many times that he had wanted to call her, even if it was only to hear her voice. Even now, Ash himself couldn't begin to explain the reasons why he didn't call. His excuses were all the same. "She's probably too busy. I'll visit soon, or She's probably forgotten all about me," he would say, though his heart would be saying different. In the end, the results had been the same. He didn't visit, and he hardly ever called. He had been so surprised when she actually flew all the way to Hoen just to see him. That had actually started to be one of the best days he'd had in about a good month or so, that is, until Team Rocket had shown up to ruin everything yet again. This time, they had even endangered Togepi. That was it! Was she missing Togepi? Is that why she was acting so sad?

"Misty?," Ash asked tentatively as he glanced over at her. She was sitting beside him with that same glum look, staring listlessly into her cup. Wait! Was she drinking Cocoa this early in the morning? "Yeah," she murmured as she looked over at him, giving him her undivided attention. "Are you actually drinking hot chocolate this early?," he asked with a grin. Hot Chocolate just happened to be one of Misty's favorite drinks. Ash had found that out on their many travels. Misty glanced down at her mug, then smiled slightly. "Oh, no. It's actually a cup of coffee that Brock gave me. It's really pretty good," she replied. Ash's eyes widened briefly. Coffee? Misty was actually drinking coffee? Sure, Brock drank the stuff all the time, but he was a good three years older than him. Misty wasn't that much older and she was drinking the stuff too? It was then that another thought occurred to Ash. Where exactly was Brock? "Speaking of Brock, where'd he go anyway? I haven't seen him all morning," Ash questioned, glancing at the mug of coffee with mild interest. Ash had secretly always wondered what the stuff tasted like. Practically everyone he knew drank it. Misty shrugged, her hair feeling unusually soft against her bare shoulders. "That's cause he had to backtrack into town to pick up a few things before we went on into Hearthome City," she informed simply. "Oh," Ash replied dumbly, looking down at his feet. He should've guessed that. Brock was always looking out for the well-being of the group as a whole. "Hey, Misty?," the boy asked, glancing up at her, "How long are you going to be mad at me?" "Huh?," the girl questioned as she whipped around to face him, "What do you mean, Ash?"

Ash let out a long sigh as he glanced down at his lap. "I mean that you haven't really been yourself since you met up with us back in Pastoria City," he replied finally, looking over at his companion when he heard her give a huff of annoyance. "I don't know what you're talking about.," she scoffed, handing her coffee mug to the boy,"Here." Ash slowly accepted the warm drink. The mug was still nearly half-full. He was a little curious, however, as to why Misty was sharing her drink with him. He decided not to question it though, and took a sip. Misty began to feel energy from the caffeine in full force. She knew that there was no way that she was gonna need a nap later. Glancing at Ash through the corner of her eye, she blushed faintly at the fact that they were indirectly kissing. Truth be told, she didn't mind sharing a drink with Ash. It gave her a little hope that he hadn't questioned her methods for sharing the drink with him. Maybe he liked her after all. Ash took another sip of the coffee and smiled slightly. The drink was as pleasant as he'd imagined. It was sweet, but not overly so. He could definitely feel a surge of alertness flow through him as well. Is this what people called a sugar rush? The boy decided not to draw attention to the fact that they were sharing a drink, and instead decided to focus on their previous conversation. "I wish you would tell me what's bothering you," Ash commented, finishing off the mug of coffee and setting the empty cup down.

It was at this point that Misty snapped. She wasn't sure if it was from the caffeine or the pent up bitterness she felt, but she found herself speaking without really even thinking. Perhaps her heart had simply grown tired of all the secrets she had forbidden herself to say aloud? "What's bothering me?," she yelled, whirling around to face the wannabe Pokemon Master fully, "Gee, I don't know Ash! Maybe if you would pick up a phone once in a while, you'd have more of a clue!" Ash's eyes widened in shock. Perhaps he had actually hurt her more by letting her have her space. "Misty, I...," he began, only to be cut off. "Save it, Ash! I don't want to hear your excuses!," the girl continued. "I thought that, after all we've been through, you would at least be able to afford to pick up the phone once in a while. I didn't think you'd totally forget about me!," she nearly wailed, bowing her head miserably. "I-I thought we were best friends, Ash. You and Brock promised me when I had to leave that we were best friends for life, but you never called. The only contact I really had with you was when my tv in the gym was lucky enough to pick up the station that broadcasts the Pokemon Contests and League matches," she whispered, her eyes hidden behind curtain of red bangs. Try as she might, she couldn't stop the tears that had begun to run down her cheeks.

Ash wasn't sure what made him do what he did next. Perhaps it was the caffeine that had begun to seep into his awareness, or maybe it was the guilt that had been eating away at him for the past couple of months? Whatever the case, the sight of Misty's tears had a profound effect on the pre-teen boy. Misty crying wasn't something he was used to seeing. The only other time that Misty had ever really cried in front of him was when they had gone to the Pokemon Tower in Lavender Town. She had thought that Ash was dead and had begun to cry. Of course, Misty hadn't known that Ash was watching her the whole time. Ash took a deep breath as he reached over and pulled Misty into his arms, hugging her for all that he was worth. He bit his lip when he heard her gasp in surprise. He was relieved when she didn't pull away, or hit him. "Misty I'm sorry," he offered apologetically, "I never meant to hurt you at all. I thought you liked being home. I figured you'd be too busy with being a Gym Leader." "I'd never be too busy for my friends!," the red-head protested, pressing her hands flat against the boy's chest.

Ash felt the girl begin to pull away and tightened his hold on her. "Ash, just don't okay! Let me go!," Misty protested as she attempted to push away. Ash wasn't really sure what made him defy such a direct order from her. She was obviously upset with him, however, and he was determined to make things right with his best friend. "Misty, we are best friends!," he shouted, pulling her closer, "I was a coward and I'm sorry! Please don't ever doubt that again." He felt the girl in his arms go still. "I'm so sorry, Misty. I just...I thought...," Ash trailed off. Finding himself unable to say anything else coherent, Ash tentatively rested his forehead on Misty's shoulder. Misty bit her lip as she felt the heat rise to her cheeks. Ash had never really hugged her before, let alone held her like this. She felt her heart begin to beat rapidly. 'Wh-what's he doing? Why is he...holding me?,' she thought distractedly. Truth be told, this was a moment that Misty had only dared to dream of before. At any moment, she expected to wake up in her sleeping bag to find that this had all been a dream.

For perhaps one of the first times in his life, Ash Ketchum found himself speechless. He couldn't believe that he was actually hugging Misty! Not only that, but she wasn't half killing him for it either! Ash had never hugged a girl before in his life, except for his mother. Misty was so much warmer and softer than he had ever imagined. Was this what all girls felt like when you held them? No wonder Brock was obsessed with them. 'She's so warm...almost like my teddy-bear I had when I was little,' he thought to himself as he pulled back slightly. Misty gazed questioningly at him for a moment, and she felt her heart skip a beat. What should she say to him? Should she even say anything at all? Ash gave the red-head a shy smile, a blush rapidly making its way across his cheeks. He still hadn't let go of her. For some reason, he couldn't bring himself to. "So...uh...," Ash spoke up after a moment, clearing his throat. Misty gave a soft smile. He was so cute when he was shy. "Yeah?," Misty prompted softly, the smile never leaving her face. "I, uh, take it you forgive me?," Ash asked, a hopeful smile on his face.

Misty gave a gentle sigh. She never really could resist those soft brown eyes of his, especially not when he was still holding her. "Of course I forgive you, Ash," she replied quietly as she pulled away, watching with mild interest as vaguely worried expression crossed Ash's face before he grabbed her hands in an attempt to maintain their contact. Ash wasn't sure were this new need to be touching her came from, but all he knew was that he wasn't ready to release her yet. "Wa-wait, Misty. I...," he blurted, blushing when the rest of his words got stuck in his throat. Why had his mind suddenly gone blank? It was never like this between them before, so why now? Misty gave a shy smile, a blush painting her cheeks. She knew what he was trying to ask for. She wasn't a self-proclaimed romantic for nothing. The Water Pokemon trainer knew that this was her chance. For all she knew, her sisters could call her home in the next hour. The question was, would she go?

Misty bit her lip lightly. She had an important split decision to make. She gave an inward sigh. Who was she trying to fool? It wasn't a decision at all. Misty knew exactly what she'd choose. If forced to make that decision, she knew, without a doubt, that she would inevitably choose to stay with Ash. Misty took a deep breath to prepare herself for what she was about to do. She inwardly cursed the coffee that had managed to make her jittery enough to hold this conversation in the first place. "Ash? You remember how you said that we were best friends?," she finally asked, glancing down at the hands in her lap. Ash was still clinging to her hands for all he was worth. Misty felt him stiffen in nervousness, and gave his hands a soft squeeze. "Y-yeah. We are still best friends, aren't we," he replied tentatively, gently squeezing her hands back. Misty took another deep breath. 'Here goes nothing...please feel the same way...,' she thought hopefully. "That's just it, Ash. We're best friends, sure, but...I-I kinda think we're more than that," Misty answered quietly, refusing to look up at him. She had never felt more nervous before in her whole life. Training Pokemon was WAY easier than this! She could feel the heat rise to her cheeks, and knew that she had to be the color of a cherry by now. "H-huh? Wh-what do you mean, Misty," she heard Ash reply in a shy tone. She knew, without even looking, that he had to be blushing by the way his voice wavered.

"I mean that I can't pretend anymore, Ash. I can't act like I don't care, because I do," Misty replied as she looked up at him. His deep brown eyes were gazing at her in wonderment. She smiled. It actually felt good to be telling him her real feelings for once. Just how long had she kept this hidden? Too long, she supposed. "I care a lot more than you think, Ash," she continued. Ash swallowed nervously. Where was she going with this? Was she going to say what he thought she was going to say? He nodded for her to continue. Misty chewed her bottom lip nervously, blushing madly. 'Come on, Misty! You can do this!,' she assured herself. "Ash, I know you think that I don't like you sometimes, but I do...," Misty trailed off as she gently placed her right hand on his shoulder. Ash's eyes widened in surprise as he swallowed nervously again. He should be saying something, right? "I...actually like you a LOT more than you think," Misty said shyly, a small smile gracing her soft lips. She took another deep breath. If she wasn't positive that she was blushing before, she was definitely sure she was now. Her whole body felt as though it were on fire. Ash opened and closed his mouth several times in a vain attempt to speak, but he found that no words would come out. To say that he was in shock would be an understatement. His thoughts were interrupted when he heard her giggle lightly. She was definitely gonna have to fluster him more often. Ash gave a small shy smile in response. His heart should not be beating this fast, right? "T-the truth is...I more than like you. I...I love you, Ash," Misty stammered shyly before leaning forward, and gently pressing her lips to his in a soft kiss.

Misty thought for sure that her heart was going to explode. It was beating so fast and so loud that it was a miracle that Ash couldn't hear it. After all those sleepless nights she'd spent worrying, here she was; sharing her first kiss with the boy she had always secretly wanted her first kiss to be with. It was even more amazing than she'd dreamed it would be. The pleasant chills running up and down her spine were a definite indicator of that. Misty could tell that he was in shock. She couldn't really blame him either. She had only rarely ever given herself opportunities to be this close to him, and she had NEVER actually kissed him before. It really only took him seconds to respond.

Ash thought for sure that he had died and gone to Heaven. Never before had he felt such a feeling as he was now. It was like his mind had gone blank again, only this time, it was a good thing. He would definitely make a mental note to be a LOT nicer to Misty. Truthfully, Ash could NOT believe that he was actually sharing his first kiss with Misty. Never in a million years had he thought that Misty would be the one to love him. Contrary to everyone's popular belief, Ash had thought about having a relationship on occasion. It was ironic that, in all his fantasies, Misty seemed to be the only girl he could picture. He never thought that she'd return his feelings, however, but here she was, practically pouring her heart out to him. All he knew was that his heart was racing and he never wanted this moment to end. He tightened his grip on Misty's hand, leaning forward just a bit, deepening their kiss.

When the pair finally reluctantly pulled apart, both were breathless and smiling. "Uh...wow?," Ash finally managed to say, causing Misty to blush heatedly again. "Yeah...wow," she repeated shyly. "So...uh...does this mean that you, I mean we...uh..," Ash stammered. He was seriously starting to get frustrated with his inability to speak. Since when could she fluster him so badly? Oh well. He would dwell on that later. His thoughts were cut off when he saw her grin. Oh, man was he in trouble! "Not so fast, Ketchum," she chided lightly, poking him on the nose playfully, "You haven't asked me yet." Ash gave the red-head a dumb-founded look. "Uh...huh?," he squeaked in confusion. Misty rolled her eyes playfully. She just loved teasing him! "Well, Mr. Pokemon Master, I guess it means that you actually managed to get a girlfriend...if you want her that is," she replied, glancing down at their linked hands. Ash gave a shy grin as he squeezed her hand lightly. "I...I love you too, Misty," he said quietly, "I...I think I kinda always have. I was just too much of a chicken to admit it."

Misty thought that her heart had stopped for sure. Never before had Ash ever said something so sweet to her. 'This has to be a dream. There's no way that this can be real,' she thought with a happy sigh. 'Then again, if this is a dream, I don't think I want to wake up,' she concluded as she pulled the boy into a warm hug. "That's got to be the sweetest thing I've ever heard, Ash," she whispered, giving him a kiss on the cheek. She smiled when she felt him tremble lightly before hugging her back just as tightly. "I missed you so much, Misty. You have no idea," he replied, closing his eyes with a contented sigh. Misty smiled. "I wouldn't be so sure about that."

As the new couple embraced on the log bench, both had similar thoughts going through their minds. Both were glad that Misty had gotten the opportunity to come back and join the group traveling again. Both were glad that they had gotten the chance to be alone together as well. Ash knew that he was NEVER gonna forget the first time he had ever tasted coffee. Misty also learned a couple of valuable leassons: Always make sure that the ones you love know that you care or you risk them never knowing how you feel, and secrets and caffeine DON'T mix!

Author's Note: Well, there you have it! :) I really enjoyed writing this Fanfiction. I think I can really relate to Misty, because I know how it feels to love someone, but scared to tell them. If you notice, I didn't make Ash as clueless as he usually is. That was one flaw in his personality in the anime that I think really hurt the opportunities for a relationship between him and Misty. Misty was giving a few hints, but Ash just never got them. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the story. Feel free to let me know how I can improve. I also do request Fanfics as well, so if you want to see a specific senario with a specific pairing, let me know and I'll try to write it :) I will try to be on here VERY often, so I will reply to any and ALL reviews. Catch you guys later! :D