Derek's First Christmas by WyldClaw

Plot: short and sweet animeverse Christmas Day one shot. Takes places when Derek is is five months old and two months before his parents' wedding. Note: he was born near the end of July and was seven months old when his parents got married on Valentine's Day. I own nada but Derek, storm and her pups and the fact that I gave Misty a birthday of December 10. ""- Regular speech, ( ) is translated Pokemon speech italics are thoughts. edited 12/25/2017

XxX

It was a lightly snowing Christmas Day in Pallet City- about six the morning. Most of the city's residents were asleep ... but Misty Waterflower was not. The exhausted looking twenty five year redhead old wore red and green pajamas and had a sleeping little infant-not even half a year old in her lap . She watched the tiny snowflakes drift past the still dark window for a few minutes from the couch in her house before turning her gaze to the room. Shiny holiday decorations were on the walls and over the framed pictures on the mantle. The small-decorated fake but realistic looking Christmas tree had a few wrapped presents underneath it and the few stockings under the mantle were stuffed. On the other end of the couch about five feet away from her was a big fluffy pokebed with four sleeping Pichus-one smaller than her siblings -surrounding a small female Pikachu in it. Storm-The Pikachu- looked as blissfully content as she slept. she gazed over to them with love in her eyes. "It's a Christmas miracle: Thora and Electra aren't picking on Aki or causing trouble for once. All of them must be wiped out. I don't blame Storm - having four Pichus to tend too is a lot. " Misty said quietly to herself then added," poor little Zapp. ." She felt bad for the easy going Pichu with the tuft of head fur that seemed to permanently stick up. . It wasn't his fault he'd gotten a cold from the weather around the same time Derek had gotten that fever .

She then looked down at the baby in her lap feeling a great swell of affection inside. . A snoozing five month old black haired infant wearing a blue onesie with a red nosed Stantler below the green words 'baby's first Christmas ' lay in her lap. A few of his picture books were on the small table next to her. She rubbed her eyes and yawned. She'd been up for hours with Derek who had the tail end of a fever he got a few days ago. She'd been so panicked when he first got the fever and scared the blazes out of her fiancé until the doctor reassured her it was not fatal. Not to mention his teeth were starting to come in so he was in pain from that as well. The infant stirred in her lap and she picked him carefully with her arms. "Good morning sweetie. I know you're too little to understand it but Merry Christmas."

"gah guh.." He sleepily opened his eyes at his mother's voice-showing light green orbs. "Ba ga gih." He babbled. Five months on and Derek was starting to take after his dad- from his black hair to his enormous appetite. Contrary to what she'd read in the baby books his eye color hadn't changed much asides from going from a deep emerald green to a lighter shade of green. She didn't know where the green eye color came from . Perhaps it came her grandmother who raised her and her sisters when her parents decided being both gym leaders and parents to four young girls was too much for them . That's where Daisy got her green eyes from so that's a possibility.

"I love you too pumpkin. Do you feel better?"

"Guh be ba. "He babbled.

"I take that as a yes."

"Ah baba. tela "

"You must be hungry. You're just like daddy when it comes to food. "She lifted her shirt up and brought him close to her right breast. He grabbed onto the nipple and started nursing. She yawned again and felt her eyes drooping. "I'll just close my eyes for a second..."

.

The next thing she knew she smelled warm berry mini-muffins on a plate next to her and sensed her husband-to-be next to her. She opened her eyes and saw him next to her-dressed in an oversized red sleeping shirt and green pajama bottoms. His black hair was a mess as usual. Derek was in his lap grabbing onto his shirt as he gurgled. Zapp was in between them and the pokebed with his siblings in it. Pikachu was grooming his pups' fur as Storm tried -and failed to get Zapp's head fur to stay down. A small plate of the mini muffins was on the side table. "Morning ashy."

"Hi beautiful. Sleep well?"

"Mmm- hmm. What time is it?"

"Around 8:25. You must have been wiped out since you were fast asleep on the couch when I came out."

"Which was..."

"About twenty five minutes ago. I would have slept longer but I had to give Zapp his medicine."

"How is he?"

"I think his chill is mostly gone. It must have been something in the air. Right as I was feeding him his medicine Talonflame tapped on the window."

Her stomach rumbled and She took a still warm mini muffin from the plate on the coffee table and studied it before eating it. It had a perfect dollop of glaze on it. She knew from the delicious flavor explosion in her mouth that it could have only come from her future mother in law. They were so small she ate another one. "Yum. Did your mom make these? They're delicious."

He nodded. "Yup. Talonflame dropped a box off this morning with a note". He showed her the handwritten note on a piece of card stock with a festive Christmas border:

'Merry first family Christmas Enjoy the peace ...while it lasts.. Tell Derek that I love him . call me when you're up.

-Delia

P.S. don't eat ALL the muffins Ash'

She looked at her fiancé. "Please tell me you didn't let your appetite get the best of you."

He pretended to look shocked. "Of course not. I only had one when she dropped it off then maybe two or three more."

Idiot. She sighed. "You and your stomach"

The yellow mouse Pokémon flicked his ears as he looked up from grooming Aki's fur. (Huh? What did he do this time?)

"Just let his appetite gets the better of him as usual." She nudged him.

"Its mom's cooking. How was I supposed to resist?"

Pikachu rolled his eyes as he padded over to them and gazed at Derek grabbing his father's shirt. "Guh pabah be" the baby babbled as he looked at the mouse.

(He's getting closer to saying his first actual word.)

Misty bent down and kissed her son's head. "Mmmm hmmm. I wonder what it's going to be. Hopefully it's 'mama'."

"Bet it's gonna be 'dada' instead." Ash countered. " I hope he starts talking before the wedding."

She groaned. "Seriously ashy? It's in two months. Are you expecting him to speak sentences before then? .He'll start saying words when he's ready. "She paused as he got out a small red box with a green ribbon on it."You said we weren't doing presents until later when your mom comes by ... so what's that?"

She asked as she took the box in her hands. What's he planning now? His face went bright Tamato Berry red. "Uh ...it's a birthday gift."

"Genius, my birthday was on the 10th. You took me to that nice Italian restaurant remember?"

"But I said there was another part of your gift coming. It didn't come in until two days ago. But yesterday we were busy with the party, Derek's first Santa picture and putting up the tree and I was trying to figure out when to give it to you..."

She opened the box and could only stare at the gorgeous necklace on the white cotton lining inside. A beautiful vibrant blue crystal cut into the shape of two overlapping hearts lay in the middle of a gold chain. "Holy Miltank! This is incredible! Where did it come from?"

(Remember Mateo from Sunburst Island? The one who wanted to find the Crystal Onix for inspiration? ) The mouse asked as his trainer placed the necklace around her neck.

"Oh yes. I see his designs and works being sold everywhere." She looked at her fiancé. "Is that why you stayed an extra day during that Orange Island Crew festival?"

He nodded. "Guilty as charged. It's not too much is it?"

"It's gorgeous ashy." She put the box carefully on the table next to the couch and gave him a long kiss on the lips. "Does that answer your question?" She asked as she laid her head against his shoulder. "I love you. Merry Christmas

"Same to you too, water blossom."

"fa-duh-dah zee goo." Derek chattered.

"That's right. Daddy loves you too, sweetie, "his mother told him.

The baby turned and noticed the presents. "Da buh be lee-lee gafa"

His father kissed the boy's forehead. "That's right champ. Santa brought those for you and the pups . "

.

His fiancé lay her head against his shoulder as she gazed around the room at the occupants as the weak December sunlight lit up the room. Small but sweet Storm trying to get Zapp's head fur to lie flat to no luck he smiled in his sleep.. I wonder what he's dreaming about His sisters Electra and Thora-normally fighting lay curled up by their mother's side as if they had been best friends since the day they hatched. On the other side of the bed Storm's last two pups- Taran and Aki were curled up side by side. She smiled- the two Pichus seemed to have a close bond with each other. Taran and Zapp didn't care that their sister was the runt of the litter and smaller than them. She turned her attention to the Pichus' father who was playing peek-a-boo with Derek for the baby's amusement. He really made such a wonderful father. i bet its thanks to all those times he helped look after the younger Pokemon and … Togetic.

she felt a twinge of sadness as she thought that but it was overshadowed by an extreme feeling of happiness for the little mouse. In a strange way it had been him who'd tied her fate to her future husband all those years ago. if I hadn't fished them out of that river and told them where to go and Ash hadn't stolen my bike I'd be somewhere totally different. I wouldn't have gotten Horsea or Corsola or gotten over my fear of Gyarados. My life would be completely different be sitting here right now.

Her fiancé looked over at her, a smirk on his face as if reading her thoughts. "You wouldn't have gotten Politoed or Psyduck either. Things would be very different right now if you hadn't saved us."

She playfully flicked the top of his messy hair with a finger. "Hey… stay out of my head. Don't remind me about him. But you're right about things being different if we hadn't met."

( for starters you wouldn't know about any of this ) Pikachu poked his trainer's arm with a paw and the two humans blushed. The mouse didn't mention that he probably wouldn't have survived or bonded with Ash if they hadn't stolen and then fried her bike.

" fair point."

(You couldn't foresee the future back then. Think of all the adventures we've had. )

"And the new ones we are about to embark on." The redhead added as she looked down at her infant son who was happily gurgling away as Pikachu moved his tail up and down to amuse the baby. . "My little angel." She sighed happily. "Life's picture perfect at the moment."

He kissed her forehead and glanced at the ring- an aquamarine stone with a sterling band on her hand. "not piture perfect just yet,"

She followed his gaze at her engagement ring. "oh yeah… I almost forgot." Less than two months to go..She kissed her fiancé on the cheek. "Merry first family Christmas Ashy."

"Same to you too sweetheart." He stretched his arms. "We should get moving. Mom said to call her when we're ready to open presents-"

At his last word the pups' ears twitched and they opened their eyes. (Presents?) Thora asked.

(I'm gonna open mine first!) Electra said as she jumped out of the bed.

(No way sis!) Thora sprang out of the bed and started wrestling with her sister on the floor.

(Can I open my gift first mom?) Aki begged.

(huh? When's breakfast?) Taran asked.

(Huh?) Zapp sleepily looked up. (What's going on?)

Storm looked from her squabbling daughters to her trainer. (Good going Ash.)

( I thought we were gonna wait until your mom arrived) Pikachu added.

He grinned. "I didn't know they were going to awake up this -." just then Derek spit up all over his tee shirt. "Oh man..."

" ababoo-fee fee." The infant chattered .

Misty giggled. " good job sweetheart. " she turned to her fiance. " He must be hungry again . I'll get his baby food and bottle and then you can change." she forced herself to get up off the couch.

" naba guh-goo ?" Derek looked up at his mother .

"don't worry champ. Mommy's gonna be back with your food and bottle soon." Her fiance told the baby. " want to pet storm, Aki and Taran?"

"guh-goo" he chattered.

" okay sport here we go." Ash picked his son up carefully, got up off the couch and sat over where the mic Pokemone were. Misty sighed happily as she took in the scene: Ash guiding derek's tiny chubby hand as he pet Storm's soft fur as he talked to the little baby, taran , Zapp and Aki listening and Pikachu trying to stop Thora and Electra from roughhousing too roughly. It mat be chaotic later but I wouldn't have it any other way.