Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon, characters to their rightful owners.

His Eternity and Twelve Days

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The sun shined brightly but it seemed even brighter than it had been for the past few days. Maybe it had seen the couple together and decided to make their day a little better. The two of them were found by their group of friends sitting on the school stairs, chatting to each other. The conversation stirred immediately and the mood was lifted. School was drawing to a close before Christmas vacation so there were many plans to be made. Kids could still be kids on the cold winters day.

"Hey Ash, would you be able to get at least one day free when you're not seeing your lady-friend here?" One of their friends teased, putting her arm around the girl next to her winking.

"If you're lucky May, but I doubt it very much!" Ash responded, shoving her playfully away to put his arm around his girlfriend instead.

Ash Ketchum was known almost everywhere around the school for his talent in battling and bonding with Pokémon. He could light up a room with a smile or word any time. He was the star of the battle field and no-one underestimated him. Ash was a senior, along with most of his friends. He and Dawn Berlitz had been going out for three years. As they talked to the group, he would sway in her direction and their eyes would meet from time to time. Dawn would send a sweet smile his way that he loved.

He loved her, and she loved him. It was as simple as that. They had done for three long years. The two met up to see each other exclusively, as they were in love after all. With school out for the Christmas in a matter of two days, there was so much time to spent time together for as long as they needed. Ash could never get enough of Dawn. They had known each other for so long, being childhood friends and coming into high school with each other. Her smile and laugh still sent a spark threw him, even after all this time.

Ash knew that Dawn felt the same about him. The many times she had told him how much he meant to her. She would think about him all the time, everyday in fact, and it would often cause her to daydream throughout class just thinking about him. Ash was perfect to her in every way. She worried slightly about him going to collage and meeting other girls, but she knew the he loved her. Life was tough at times, at home and the school work she had. Ash was the sweet spot in her life.

Their strong bond and relationship gave them great confidence and that was why high school seemed a lot easier for them. Dawn finally managed to break away from the conversation with her friends to scurry after Ash who was waiting a little further away for her. She grinned as she approached him.

"Ash...?" She began to ask, looking up at him with a softened expression.

"Yes, Dawn, I'll walk you home," Ash said, already knowing what she was going to tell him. "Just like I always do."

He took her hand in his and they started to walk away from the school. They talked about so many things in the small amount of time it took them to reach Dawn's house. Both of them liked the same food, the same music, the same people, the same Pokémon. They shared so many similarities. Everyone in their class said they were the "perfect couple." As much as they were seen as boyfriend and girlfriend, they were also best friends. The two were just taking it slow, enjoying each others' presence.

Dawn enjoyed watching him battle and supporting him, as Ash loved to help her in her contests and dance with her. They spent every minute they could with each other. Ash would call her everyday after school and they would spend hours talking over the phone. Ash's mother, Delia, said they were very much like twins and that they were made for each other.

They arrived at Dawn's house and Ash followed her to the front door. They stood there for a while staring at the other lovingly before Ash kissed her as a "see you later." She saw him walk down the path and when she took a quick moment to blink, he was gone. With a smile on her face, she turned and entered the house.

Ash didn't lived far from Dawn and he came to the front of his home in a matter of minutes. He opened the door and his mother greeted him instantly. They shared a hug but broke away and Delia Ketchum stared at her son proudly.

"Welcome home, dear!" she said with a grin. "Are you hungry? I saved some food for you."

His stomach rumbled and he chuckled sheepishly. "That'd be great, Mom. Thanks!"

Ash sat down at the table and Delia placed a plate in front of him. He dug into his food the moment his mom let go of it. Delia smiled and took a seat opposite him. She watched him eat and thought happily about how some things didn't change. She didn't want them to, it was wonderful the way life was. Her son was everything to her and he was all she had left. Her heart had filled up with grief when her husband died when Ash was only small. It took her so long to get over the pain.

Truth be told, she never got over it. Delia only learned to live with it. She loved him so much and refused to find another man. She thought that no other could be as good to her as he was. They were high school sweethearts, just like Ash and Dawn. It was part of the reason why she liked it a lot whenever she saw them together.

The clattering of cutlery snapped her out of her trail of thought and she jolted her head to look up at Ash who was clearing the table. A smile spread across her face as she stood up and walked over to him.

"I'll take care of it, sweetheart. You go and talk to Dawn on the phone."

He beamed and kissed her cheek before speeding away upstairs to call Dawn. Delia giggled to herself and formed a circular motion with the soapy sponge on the stained plate in the hot water. She sighed with a small smile when she heard the noise for her son in his room upstairs. She knew as well as he did how much he loved speaking to Dawn.

Ash was rummaging through the clutter on his desk and the pile of stuff in his bag trying to find his cell phone. His hand was deep in the back of his rucksack, almost reaching the bottom. His fingers fiddled about, making their way past the many books, papers, and old candy wrappers.

"Found it!" He exclaimed, dragging his arm out of his bag to hold his phone above his head in the air.

It was something he used everyday so he found it odd that he struggled to find it every time. Maybe it was the excitement he felt whenever he dialed Dawn's number. It was only a phone call but that meant hearing Dawn's voice. They liked talking to each other when the day came to an end. Ash would pick Dawn up from her house in a morning to come with her to school and then, at the end of the day, they would call each other. His day started and ended with her. It was 6 o'clock when Ash finally called Dawn and she answered on the second ring.

"Hey Dawn. How are things?" He smiled brightly whenever he spoke to her.

"Okay." She answered, fiddling with the small braid in her hair. "My mom's head out for a while. She'll be back soon so I'm in the house by myself for a bit."

He nodded his head even though she couldn't see him. "Do you want me to come over?" He offered kindly.

"What? No, no... it's not that I don't want to see you, it's just..." She let out a giggle and Ash's smile widened. "Oh, look, she's back now!"

"That's a bit of a shame." He said jokingly. He wanted to see Dawn again even though he had just spent the whole of the day with her. Well, he wanted to spent the rest of his life with her.

"You can come over tomorrow. J-Just not now..." Dawn trailed off and Ash wondered if something was wrong. He decided to lift her spirits a little, just to be sweet.

"Well, can you come on Saturday? To a...movie maybe?" He asked in a somewhat nervous tone. Something told him that Dawn would never turn down an offer to go on a date with him but it was always suspenseful whenever he asked her.

Her face lightened up when she heard this. She smiled and clutched her phone tighter. "Oh, Ash! I'd love to!" She squealed excitedly.

Ash was pleased with her reply and sighed with relief quietly under his breath. "Saturday it is then. I'll pick you up, yeah?"

"Mm-hmm, thanks Ash! You're the best!" He really was in her eyes, and almost everyone's. She began fidgeting restlessly and she wondered how she would get to sleep. They hadn't gone out for a date in four days. For Dawn, that was too much of a wait. In some ways, they were all each other had, despite family and friends.

"I'll see you tomorrow." Ash said. There was nothing left to say, they just enjoyed hearing each other talking before they went to bed.

"I love you, Ash." Dawn said softly with a loving smile, thinking of him.

"I love you too, Dawn. Sweet dreams." They hung up, and Ash laid on his bed with thoughts of Dawn rushing through his mind as the house was silent.

The final two days before their Christmas break passed by quickly and soon it was time to put up the lights and walk out of the school gates for the last time that month. Ash and Dawn did just that, hand-in-hand, with cheery smiles on their faces. They were both looking so forward to Christmas, and spending time with their families and each other. They had said their goodbyes to their friends and wished them all a Merry Christmas.

Dawn didn't really have Christmas on her mind. She was too busy thinking about the next day, the day Ash was going to take her out somewhere. She had a grin on her face the entire way home but she didn't realize she had been squeezing Ash's hand to tightly. He held it up to she her when she eventually let go as they stood on the front porch.

"Something wrong, Dawn?" He asked, feeling concerned about the girl he loved.

"No, not at all!" She assured, smiling brightly. "I'm just really excited about tomorrow...!"

"Is that so? You just have to get a good night sleep and then you'll be ready." He smiled at her and she returned it happily. It was as if they knew what the other was thinking without even speaking.

"I won't be going in my pajamas, that's for sure!" They laughed in harmony and it was a joyful one. It sounded like they didn't have a care in the world, and all they cared about was each other. But neither of them were that self-centered. They had full awareness what was going one around them. Both of them even knew that a few of their friends would be nearby tomorrow, at around a similar time. Ash didn't mind, but Dawn felt a little uneasy about the idea. Maybe they wouldn't be at the same place. Who knows, she thought.

Dawn headed inside just before it started snowing. Ash stared up at the sky and smiled. He thought about if Dawn was looking out of her window, looking up at the same sky as him. Snowflakes fell and each one was different. Just as each moment Ash shared with Dawn was. His feet crunched on the thin layer of snow as he walked. He placed his cold hands in the deep pockets of his jacket.

When he reached the door to his house, where he and his mother lived, the layer of snow on the ground was thicker and his footprints had been covered. It was snowing heavier and the sky was getting darker. His fingers moved to wrap around the door handle, but when he twisted it, it wouldn't open. His mom had forgotten to unlock the door for him again. It didn't happen often, but sometimes she didn't know what time Ash would be home.

He slammed his fist on the door repeatedly and called out for Delia to know it was him. They had a pattern for knocking on the door to each other. It was one of the many thing that mother and son shared. She reached the door and stood on her tiptoes to look out of the small window on the door. She smiled when she saw Ash waving. The keys turned and the door opened. Ash stumbled inside, faking a cold and pretending to shiver.

"M-Mom... you let me stand out in the cold f-for so long." He complained, sounding like a little kid. Delia laughed and snatched his hat off of his head.

"Stop faking now, mister," She said trying to sound firm but she was laughing. "I'm sure some hot chocolate will warm you up."

Ash beamed and he felt so childish as he ran into the kitchen. He sat on the counter and swung his legs as he took sips of the hot chocolate in his hands. It reminded Delia of how he used to do it when he was a small child. "You were this high when you first started doing that, and how cute you were." She said, holding her hand just above her waist to show him. "You're a handsome young man now, so I can't call you 'cute' any more."

He jumped down from the counter and put the empty mug down. He trailed over to give her a hug. "Aw, Mom... you know you can call me whatever you want 'cause I'll always be here with you. I won't leave you."

Delia giggled softly and put her arms around Ash. "I love you, dear." She whispered.

"Love you too, Mom," Ash whispered back smiling before his mom let go. She sighed, but it wasn't a saddened one. It seemed almost like a happy sigh, or one that sounded appreciative.

"Well, I think someone had better go and get ready for their date tomorrow." She winked and Ash laughed. He nodded and went upstairs to his room to pick the right outfit for the following day. Delia listened and leaned against the wall, looking up at the ceiling. Her hands fiddled as thoughts of her son and husband passed through her mind. "He's grown so fast..." She muttered to herself with a small smile.

Even though Ash had grown up, he still needed some help from his mother when it came to choosing clothes to impress Dawn. It seemed so childish to him, double-checking with his mom about the clothes he had chosen for the next day. But he knew she wouldn't mind. He rushed back down the staircase to find Delia, who was still in the same place he had seen her last. She turned to him and grinned.

"Mom, do you think it looks okay?" He asked, slightly hesitantly.

She beamed at him and gave him a thumbs-up. "You look stunning, sweetheart!" She complimented, pinching his cheek causing him to complain despite to nice comments she had given him. In his pleaded white shirt and the dinner jacket that fitted him exceptionally well. She didn't say it to him, but he looked like he was going to get married. "I can't be embarrassing you, sweetie, there's nobody else around!"

"Okay, okay, Mom." He chuckled nervously. "But are you absolutely sure it looks fine...?"

She shook her head but the wide grin stayed on her face. "Don't be so worried, Ash. It's as if some of Dawn's self-consciousness has rubbed off on you. You look better than fine, trust me!" She said honestly, doing her best to convince him. She received a nod in reply as he straightened his jacket for the third time.

Delia knew Dawn and her mother, Johanna, really well. She definitely approved of Ash and Dawn's relationship, and would often coo at them whenever she saw them together. The Berlitz family had helped them out a lot in the past few months by giving support and a helping hand when needed. Delia did her best to return the favors. She would invite them over for dinner every now and then, or bake a nice treat for the family. It was the least she could do for her friend.

"Mom?"

"Yes, dear?"

"I'm going to call Dawn now." He announced, pointing his finger to the ceiling with a smile. "Thanks a lot!"

"It's no problem. You go and sort it out with Dawn then." She grinned at him one more time and gave him a quick hug before he shot upstairs. She was left to her own thoughts once again.

On the top floor, Ash was chatting to Dawn on the phone. They talked about nothing other than what they would be doing tomorrow. He told her that there was a nice restaurant he had in mind for them to check out. This only made her even more excited. She was bouncing up and down ecstatically on her bed as she listened to Ash on the phone. He eventually broke the news to her that he had gotten his driving license and she could barely believe what she was hearing. She told him "congratulations" over and over but she wondered if he would come to pick up in a car. It was a surprise, so she was told and she would have to get through one more night to find out. Ash never failed to please her, it was one of the many things she loved about him. How lucky she was to have him.

After a while, they said their loving good nights and sleep tights and hung up. Dawn laid her phone down on her bedside table next to the picture of Ash she had. She smiled and her eyes shifted across the room to look at the dress she was going to wear. It was a midnight blue velvet one and it hung by a hanger on the door of her wardrobe. She couldn't wait until Ash took her out the that restaurant he had been telling her about. He said her would come for her at around 8 o'clock in the evening.

Dawn sighed dreamily at the wonderful thoughts she had as she laid down on her double bed. She pulled the duvet over her and giggled softly to herself. She laughed herself to sleep and dozed off with a smile on her face.

The night after, Dawn was twirling in circles as she impatiently waited for Ash to arrive. She peered out of her bedroom window every five minutes but there was no sign of him. A groan escaped her mouth when she glanced at the clock. It was only quarter to eight and Dawn wished she had asked him to come for her a little earlier.

"Oh well," She told herself, stopping in the middle of the room with her head spinning from all of the rotating she did. "I'm just over-excited. He'll be here soon."

Moments later, there was the sound of the doorbell and Johanna's voice calling to her from the bottom of the stairs. Dawn bolted out of her room and flew downstairs. Johanna smiled at her before she went to the door and opened it.

"Hello, Ash." She greeted pleasantly. "Dawn's been so eager to see you!"

She let Ash inside and Dawn stepped forward with a delighted expression planted on her face. The two hugged and Ash pecked her cheek. They held each others' hand as they walked towards the open front door. Dawn caught sight of the car parked neatly outside their house and she shrieked happily and ran towards it. Johanna watched from the doorway and smiled at them. She raised her arm to wave to them before they left.

"Have fun you two!" She yelled. Dawn turned and grinned to her mother. She waved back and blew her a kiss. Ash nodded and sent a smile to Johanna. "Please, drive safely!" She admonished them, and Ash promised he would.

She wasn't very worried, she could trust Ash more than anyone else with her daughter. It was just something she happened to say to them. The car soon disappeared down the road with Ash and Dawn in the front seats, listening to some tunes on the radio.

On the way there, Ash stopped at a traffic light and a convertible pulled up beside them. They rolled the window down and one shouted out to them. "Hey, hey, Ash and Dawn!"

It was a friend from school, and there were three more of them in the car. Ash greeted them back and Dawn waved. It was a friendly surprise, but it was certainly unexpected to come across them on the road. The driver offered to have a race but Ash declined. He had Dawn with him, and he didn't want to endanger her. He was never the one to be found racing on a road against his mates anyway.

Ash and Dawn got caught up in a conversation between them as they waited for the lights to change. Dawn was unsure about the road at night, and she was worried about their friends in the car beside them. Ash was soothing her nerves and reassured her as best he could.

"I'll be right here beside you the whole way, Dawn. I'm never going to leave your side. No need to worry!" He said, taking one hand off the steering wheel to hold her hand comfortingly. She smiled and tingled with excitement when their hands touched.

"You'll stay with me... for eternity?" Dawn said, squeezing his hand.

Ash nodded and kissed her forehead. "Yes, for eternity. However long you need me to. Maybe even longer than that."

The lights finally switched from red to green and as soon as it did, the convertible sped off down the road. Ash sighed with relief and drove on at a steady speed. Suddenly, a few minutes later, he noticed the same convertible coming back the other way. They must have been going at eighty miles per hour at least as they roared when they came past the other cars. Ash yelped in panic and slammed the brake with his foot but he realized that he Wouldn't stop in time. He steered away from the speeding vehicle sharply and headed into the traffic that was coming the opposite way as Dawn screamed.

It all a blur after that. There was a sudden crash followed by the sound of grinding steel and they were surrounded by honking, veering cars. The convertible stopped in the midst of the melee and the scene wasn't a pretty sight. Ash had done everything he could to stop the car but it was only put at rest when it smashed between a truck and another passing by car. After that, silence filled the air for the longest time. In Ash's car, it appeared to be even quieter. Dawn was unconscious and Ash's head was bent over the steering wheel. All was still for seemed like... eternity.

Finally, a man peered into the car with a flashlight. He shone it on both of them, but he was too afraid to touch anyone. The noise of ambulances was heard soon afterward and there were already nearly twelve people at the side of the road looking bloodstained and in a daze. Paramedics came rushing in from all directions. Three came to Ash's car and helped the two out. They examined both and concluded that Dawn was unconscious with a few bruises. Next, they felt for Ash's pulse. There was a large bump on his head and they knew that he had broken his neck badly. One of the paramedics signaled to a fireman who rushed over to help.

"The kid in the driver's seat is dead..."

They covered him and Dawn awoke just as they were taking him away. Her eyes widened and she became shaky.

"What are you doing?" She shouted. "Why is he like that? Take it off! No, stop that!"

A police office took her arm and he sat her down gently. She was panting heavily and her entire body trembled. "Hush now, you're all right. It's going to be okay." His attempts to calm her down did very near to nothing as a result.

"No it won't, I have to see Ash... I have to! He said that... h-he said...!" Dawn started to tear up and soon she was screaming for Ash repeatedly. She was choking on sobs but was hysterical. "That's Ash... he can't be... he can't... oh, Arceus no!"

"Come on, you have to get to hospital," The policeman said firmly. Dawn began to sink towards the pavement as she sobbed uncontrollably. She was led to an an ambulance and it sped away moments later.

It took an entire three hours to clear the scene, send people to the hospital or on their way back home. Parents were called and kids got rides back home. Five of the bodies were sent to the morgue and the road had to be closed for the rest of the night. The police officers had to break the news to the families of the people who had died. The one who was sent to Ash's address had done painful tasks like this before and he wondered how this one would go. The boy was innocent and only very young. It was a relief not both of them were killed, but it was still a terrible accident.

At 1 A.M, the doorbell was rung on the front door of Delia's home. It had to be rung twice before the door opened. Delia looked groggy for moment before she saw the policewoman standing in front of her. She was shocked there was never a problem with Ash whenever he went somewhere. She had wondered why he wasn't back home yet as it was so late.

"Is something wrong, Officer?" Delia asked worriedly.

"I'm afraid so." She sighed and glanced up at the woman before her. "May I come in?"

Delia stood cautiously to the side, allowing the policewoman inside. She closed the door after her and they went into the living room to sit down. Delia grew nervous and could only wonder what she was going to be told. Her hands started to sweat and she took a quick glance at the picture of her husband on top of the fireplace. She took a deep breath and exhaled and moved her head to look at the police officer.

"There's been an accident." She began with a mournful tone. "It was a six-vehicle collision and there were some fatalities... I'm sorry ma'am, but you're son was one of them."

"Oh my God..." Delia muttered, gasping loudly as tears filled her eyes. "No... it can't be... i-isn't there some mistake?"

"A car hit them and it was forced between another car and a truck. I know how you must feel, but there couldn't have been anything your son could have done to avoid it. It's so awful how we lose young people like that."

Delia sobbed quietly at first, she tried to believe what she had just heard. But it was beyond comprehension. He son was... dead? Ash, the perfect son and he was all she ever wanted. Taken away just like that. She couldn't believe it, she didn't want to. He was all she had left, and now, he was gone. She cried into her hands and she didn't know what to say or think. She felt faint as more tears streamed down her face. Nothing could soothe the agony she felt. Nothing could change the fact that Ash was dead.

"Where is he now?" She finally managed to say in a croaky voice, nearly coking on the words.

"They've taken him to the county coroner. You'll have to make some arrangements, we'll do anything we can to help." She nodded silently and took her hands away from her face. She thought of him, and how she wanted to hold him in her arms or die with him.

The policewoman stayed with her for another half an hour before leaving and saying again how sorry she was. Delia began to sob all over again immediately after she heard the door shut. She stayed that way for hours, not moving from her place and letting the tears pour like a waterfall. It had to be a lie, she kept telling herself, a mean prank that someone had played on her and any moment now Ash would walk through the door and laugh at her. But he never did. It was unfair that he had been killed, with it being no fault of his own. She was glad that Dawn was okay, but she couldn't utter another word.

Hours later, the sun came up and it seemed like the end of the world. Johanna Berlitz called her at seven o'clock and she was still sitting in the living room. Delia answered the phone but burst into tears the minute she heard Johanna's voice.

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry Delia." Johanna was crying too. She had just collected Dawn from the hospital and her daughter was still in a watery state because of Ash being taken away. Dawn refused to believe that Ash was gone. "I feel so awful for you... Would you like me to come over for a while?"

"I-I don't know..." Delia said, feeling confused. Her mind swirled and it was impossible to absorb what had just happened.

"Let me come over and help, Delia." Johanna said softly, with the odd sniff here and there. "I'll be there in a few minutes."

Fifteen minutes later, Johanna appeared at the front door. Delia slowly opened it and the two friends went into the living room. Johanna understood that it was a time where you needed to be surrounded by friends and she wanted to make Delia feel at least a little bit better. She couldn't stand the sight of her friend upset but then she had every reason to be. Ash was not with her anymore, and what such a good kid he was. She soon found herself crying with Delia on the sofa over Ash's death. They put their arms around each other and sobbed until their hearts ached.

Johanna remembered that there was a few things to do, such as get him to a funeral home, pick out his clothes, organize the funeral, buy a place in the cemetery, arrange for the burial, all of that while having to bear with their own grief and sense of shock. Johanna wanted to do her best to help but she was hopelessly worried about Dawn as well. All of this was going to intolerable for her.

After an hour past, Delia asked if Johanna would take her to the coroner's. When they arrived, Delia gave out a long waif of grief when she saw her son. She held him tightly in her arms, her hands were as cold as his lifeless body. Johanna had to pull her away eventually. Lunchtime had past by the time they returned to Delia's house. Johanna quietly made lunch for them but Delia's plate was untouched and she didn't feel like eating at all. They turned the TV on and the news came up. It was one of the headlines, the accident that had happened. This only caused Delia to starting sobbing again. People from the neighborhood started to come to give food, drop by and hand over small gifts for the Ketchum family. Delia tried her hardest to appreciate it all as best she could.

Dawn finally came over for a visit. She wasn't in the prettiest state, especially compared to how she was the night before Ash came for her. She looked terrible. Her face was horrifically pale and she couldn't stop crying the whole time she was there. Johanna had to bring her back home sooner or later. Dawn kept saying how sorry she was and how she wouldn't be able to even imagine a world without Ash in it.

The next day was worse because, as the hours went by, it became more real. Johanna went with Delia to the funeral home as company and support. They chose a room and the following day, it was crowded with relatives, friends, and other kids. They had talked so much about Ash and the many memories they all had of him. There was a moment of silence to remember him and each person had cried no matter their age.

The funeral was held on Thursday, and Dawn had never felt so much pain in her life. She sobbed for the whole funeral but couldn't remember any of it afterward. The only things she could picture correctly were the flowers and looking down at her shoes. She had clutched her mother's hand the entire time. Many spoke about how wonderful Ash had been, but words couldn't dim the pain that they all felt.

When they had to leave him at the cemetery, it felt like the world was ending. Dawn went home with Johanna and collapsed on her bed when she got inside. She slowly reached for the picture of Ash and she held it close to her. She buried her face in her pillow and cried so hard. It was so unfair to, as it was to anybody else. It had happened to suddenly, without warning or reasoning. Her hands rest the picture back on the table and they took her phone next.

She held it to her ear and her hands trembled. All she wanted to hear was Ash's voice, as she always had done everyday. She missed it so dearly, the sound, the sweet sound of him speaking to her about whatever it might be. Him telling her that he loved her, how much she meant to him, and how he would stay by her side for eternity.

"Those were the last words he told me..." Dawn whimpered, her fingers wrapped around her phone tighter. There were so many photos of him on that phone. They treasured so many fun times they had with each other. She kept all of them in her heart, but just the thought of never getting another moment with him was unbearable. "That he would be by me side for eternity. O-Or even longer... if I needed. We spent an eternity with each other... didn't we, Ash? All the times we had together..."

Dawn sobbed harder as the words came out of her mouth. Johanna came up and poked her head around the door. She saw her daughter crying with her phone in her hand and she knew what she was thinking about. With a quiet sigh, she walked in and shut the door softly behind her. "Dawn, sweetheart," Johanna whispered, walking over to her to sit at the edge of her bed and she patted her foot. "I know you miss Ash, honey. We all do."

She gave one more sniff before sitting up to hug her mother. They stayed that way for a long time, swaying back and forth. The way Ash had done with Dawn when she felt upset. That night, Dawn had cried herself to sleep. It was nearly 4 A.M before she was finally able to close her eyes. It was the start of a very pessimistic time for all of them. Delia, Dawn, and Johanna couldn't imagine a time when life would return to normal.

Normal would be having Ash back in their lives. There was nothing normal about him being gone. Nothing. As the days wore on, the three of them grew more convinced that their lives would never be normal again.

Before the time Dawn knew it, it was nearly Christmas time. She had been looking forward to spending it with Ash before his death. They had even made plans together, to have a wonder family dinner, exchange presents, wait up for Santa like little kids... All of that wouldn't be happening because he wouldn't be there to spend that year's Christmas with. The holidays, they came to realize, were extremely tough. Dawn and Johanna would often stay with Delia, even more so now as Christmas was just around the corner.

It would be Christmas Day the next day, and for the first time, Dawn was dreading it. She and Johanna trailed through the Christmas markets but the spirit didn't seem to grab hold of them in the same way it used to. It was depressing, in many ways. The song, "Twelve Days of Christmas" started to play and Dawn to had to hold herself back from bursting into tears.

They arrived back home empty handed. Dawn didn't care about what she received this year for Christmas presents. There was nothing she really wanted. The only thing she did want was for Ash to be by her side. But she knew that it wasn't possible, not matter how hard she wished and prayed.

That night, Dawn stared out of her bedroom window for a long time. Her eyes had trailed from looking at the path, that she and Ash would walk down, to the clear sky above. There were so many stars in the sky and Dawn thought about if Ash was among them, watching over her. Each one twinkled in the sky and the moon shined brightly. It was the first clear night she had seen in months, but it pained her that Ash wasn't beside her to look at it with her.

She eventually climbed into bed, thinking of Ash as she always did. The last tear of the day fell before she drifted off to sleep. her mind was clouded as she dreamed about the one she loved so much. It was a strange dream that she had, but so enjoyable all the same. She didn't want to open her eyes and wake up, she wanted to stay in the dream forever.

There stood Ash, smiling at her like nothing was wrong in the world. Dawn saw herself staring at him, they couldn't take their eyes off each other. She walked up to him but was too afraid to touch him in case he would disappear with the slightest contact. She just wanted to reach out to him and hug him, kiss him, talk to him like she had done when he was alive. The sound her feet made with every step echoed even though she felt that she was walking on clouds.

He was the one to hold his arms out for her and she ran to him. They held each other for the longest time. He seemed so real, and Dawn wanted it to stay that way. If she couldn't have in there in her life any more, she wanted to dream about him every night if it meant seeing him.

"I missed you Dawn..." Ash said smoothly.

"I missed you, too Ash. So much, don't leave me again now." She muffled into his hair. Her fingers ran through it and it was still the same. Nothing had changed about him, he was still the Ash she knew and loved dearly.

"I know you miss me," He replied, holding her closer. "But it's no excuse to fall apart."

"No, Ash, I need you. How am I supposed to live without you here?!" She said, her voice trembled but not a single tear escaped her eyes.

Just then, it looked to her like he was fading away in her dream. She screamed and reached to him but her hand just went straight through. Her eyes were wide and she couldn't hold back the tears any longer. She begged him to stay with her, by her side, like he had promised but he said nothing. He just smiled at her. All of his body was close to fading away for good when she heard a distant voice.

"Wake up, Dawn... open your eyes... don't be afraid..." It said, and everything word she heard sounded like it was coming from Ash. But she knew it wasn't, he was still moving away from her right in front of her.

She took a quick moment to blink the tears away and then he was gone. She gasped and cried out but there was nothing she could do. It didn't seem like a dream, it all looked too much like reality. The voice in the distance spoke again and this time, Dawn forced herself to obey.

Her eyes fluttered open and the dream was instantly gone. The room around her was no longer dark and it sent a thought through Dawn's mind why it was already morning. The first beam of light was seeping through the clouds somewhere. It was 6 A.M and Christmas had arrived. Dawn sighed and turned to lay on her side. She kept her eyes closed, but she couldn't enter another dream where she could see Ash.

"Merry Christmas, Dawn!" She hear a voice say, but it wasn't her mother. It sounded like Ash and her clutched her hair with her hands angrily.

"I need to stop imagining Ash's voice in my head...!" She muttered to herself.

There was a laugh. "You're not imagining it any more!" Then she felt a hand on her arm that felt so warm.

Her eyes shot open as wide as they would go and she sat up in one swift movement. The first thing she saw was the unthinkable, but what her heart was telling her was different. She began to sweat and felt extremely warm all of a sudden. She couldn't move. She sat staring for at least a minute.

Ash was standing there in the center of the room with his trademark grin on his face.

Dawn finally rubbed her eyes to make sure she wasn't insane and hallucinating. When she saw that he was still there she squealed happily as tears filled her eyes.

"Ash...? Is that really you?" She asked with a small smile and she could heart her heart pounding.

He had a thoughtful expression as he patted his head. "Yeah, I think so." He smiled at her.

She slowly stood up and walked over to him, almost like she had done in the dream. She just hoped that he wouldn't fade away. His hands were held out for her and she took the in her own with the brightest smile.

"I can't believe it...!" She had never felt so happy in years. To see her boyfriend in front of her when it had been confirmed that he was dead, it was such a wonderful thing. She had never wanted to believe that he was gone from the start. It was too painful and she didn't know if her delicate heart could take it. "I'm so happy that you're here! But why? I thought you were..." She trailed off, not able to get the rest of the sentence out of her mouth.

"They allowed me to come back for a while Dawn, but they said only you can see and hear me," Ash said, squeezing Dawn's hands and gently dragging her closer. "I have some things that I have to take care of down here."

She nodded but she couldn't help wondering who "they" were. Ash explained to her that there were a few loose ends that were left and it's up to him to fix them. Dawn agree that he was taken away from them too fast, too soon. Ash had left a lot of broken hearts behind, and it wasn't his fault. He added that he would be staying for a bit, but Dawn was the only one he could allow to see him. She felt so important that she was the one who got to see Ash, and nobody else could. It was a shame that the others wouldn't be able to experience the happiness of knowing that Ash had returned for a while.

He said that it might have been to hard for his mom when the time came for him to leave. That was what Dawn wanted to think about the least. She knew it would come eventually, but she wanted to enjoy Ash being here with her. She stared at him and glanced at her hands that were still held in his.

It was the best Christmas gift she had ever received.

A/N: Voting has started for the competition so if you liked this so far, why not vote? :) Here's the link for it: -cavaliershark

Remember, this is going to be a two-shotso there will be one more chapter coming up! Don't worry, I won't leave you hanging for too long. A review would be nice... :) Thanks for reading!