Disclaimer-I do not own Pokemon or any of the characters mentioned in this story. Anyway the story is set after everyone's journeys. All of Ash's pokemon are in Professor Oak's lab. May's are in Hoenn in her father's gym. They're all in their late teens (17-19). All unspoken thoughts are in italics as usual. Now, let the story begin!
Ash sat in the hospital chair impatiently awaiting the arrival of the doctors. It had been an hour since he had arrived and he was getting nervous. He had the right to be. Misty, the woman who he thought he truly loved had just been part of a car accident. She was hit by an 18-wheeler, and was bruised pretty badly. Luckily the truck hit the passenger side of the car, so Misty didn't get hit directly, but that didn't change much. Ash saw the incident on TV and instantly realized it was Misty's car. He rushed to the hospital and looked for Misty. She was already in a room trying to recover. Ash then called his friends May, Max, and Brock to tell them the news. May, who was on vacation in Kanto for the week was able to get there quickly as Brock. Max however was still on his Pokemon journey so he couldn't come.
Misty…please be okay. Ash felt himself well up in tears but fought it, not wanting to cry in a public place.
"Mr. Ketchum?" a nurse said loud enough for everyone to hear. She looked around the lobby trying to find him.
"That's me." Ash stated.
"Well Misty has regained consciousness. However, we are not sure how long she can stay alive. Her body is under tremendous pain, and she may die any moment. You are free to see her if you want, but I would advise that you not stay too long, she needs her rest."
Without saying a word Ash passed the nurse and walked into Misty's room.
"Hey Mist, how you doing?" Ash asked.
"How does it look like I'm doing?" Misty asked sarcastically.
"Don't kid around like that Mist. I love you so much. I don't want anything to happen to you. I don't know what I'd do if you were gone." Ash and Misty had been going out for about three years so he became comfortable letting his feelings out like this. Instead of being a nervous wreck like he used to be in his younger days.
"Ash," Misty had a serious look on her face. "I don't think I can make it. I can't stand this pain."
"NO, MISTY YOU CAN'T LEAVE, NOT LIKE THIS!"
"Ash, promise me you'll find someone else. Don't let me ruin your life. I don't want to let myself do that to you."
"MISTY STOP TALKING! YOU NEED TO REST"
"I love you Ash." After that was said, Ash heard the separate beeping noise in the machine change to a steady note. Misty Waterflower…was dead.
"NO!" Ash screamed "MISTY, COME BACK!" Ash couldn't control himself anymore. He fell to his knees and sobbed uncontrollably. A few moments later May walked in the room. May heard the machine, and soon enough she started crying too. She walked over to Ash, trying to comfort him.
"Ash?"
"Go away…"
"Looks like this wont be easy." May said to herself. May stopped crying and tried to cheer Ash up again."
"Ash, how would Misty feel if she saw you like this? The great Ash Ketchum, savior of the world, prevented the world's destruction several times, reduced to a crying weakling." May didn't want to be mean, but she knew this was the only way to get to Ash. "Misty would want you to be happy. You've gotta move on, for her." May gave Ash a hug, Ash finally responded and hugged back.
"Thanks May."
"No problem Ash."
May helped Ash get up and gave him a handkerchief (A/N:do girls use those, or is it called something else?) to wipe his tears with.
The doctor came in and saw Misty.
"I am sorry for your loss Mr. Ketchum. I don't mean to put this upon you at a time like this but rules are rules. We can keep her here for a week at most. If you don't have a funeral arranged at that time, Ms. Waterflower will be cremated."
"Ok," was all that Ash could say.
"Hey Ash, I'll help you pay for the funeral if you'd like?"
"No that's ok May, Misty was my girlfriend, I should pay for it."
"True, but Misty was one of my best friends. I'd like to pay for it too." May argued.
"But-"
"I'm not taking no for an answer Ash. You know that it wont set me back much, I'm a top coordinator now, I have some cash to throw around."
"Oh all right."
"Good."
Since May took a taxi to Pallet from Celadon City, where her hotel was, she had no place to go. Ash offered to let her stay at his house. May happily accepted the offer and rode home with Ash. The car ride was awfully silent, which was understandable because of what happened that day. May attempted to start a conversation.
"So Ash, uhm…do you know what we're going to do for Misty's funeral."
"I think we should have her buried with her parents."
Misty's parents had died five years earlier when a thief broke into their house. They tried to stop him and called the cops. Unfortunately, the man was armed with a gun and shot the two and ran away. He was never found.
"That's a good idea, do you know what you'll put on her tombstone."
"Not yet, but I'll think of something soon enough."
"Ok, well let's try not to dwell on sad stuff like that," May tried to change the subject or else Ash, or her, might have started crying again, "anyway, where am I gonna sleep tonight?"
"Well, I have a guest room set up; I'll just have to dress the beds. If you don't like that you're welcome to sleep on the couch." Ash joked, trying to forget about the day's events.
"No I think I'll be happy with your guest room." May giggled.
"Suit yourself." Ash said.
Ash and May arrived at Ash's house. Ash opened the front door and held it open for May.
"Thanks Ash."
"No problem. Anyway, just sit down on the couch over there and make yourself at home. I'll go set up the guest bed for you. Feel free to go into the fridge, and there's some of that ramen you like so much in the pantry."
"All right Ash. Thanks for letting me stay, I'll try not to burden you."
"It's no big deal May. I should be the one thanking you." Ash replied.
"For what?" May asked.
"For being here for me, you cheered me up when I thought it was impossible. Not to mention saving me the embarrassment of having everyone see me cry at the hospital. You're a really good friend May."
"Well thanks Ash, you are too."
With that Ash went up and set the guest beds. May took this opportunity to explore Ash's home. It wasn't anything out of the ordinary. It had a living room, a kitchen, a dining room, all the essentials. She eventually found a shelf with about a dozen picture frames on it. Most of them were of Ash and Misty, some of them with Brock and some with his mother, but one was of Ash and May. They were holding hands on a bench in the park.
"Ahh those were the days." May said to herself. "Before this whole accident, when Ash was one of the happiest people on Earth. Hopefully I can get that Ash back."
"Hi there," May was startled; she turned around to see Ash.
"Well I finished setting up your bed. Your welcome to go take a shower and go to sleep now."
"Thanks Ash." May smiled and walked upstairs.
Ash picked up the picture of him and May and looked at it.
"May, I'm so lucky to have you as a friend. Thank you for everything."
That Night…
"May…"
"Huh? What' going on" May was in a hospital room. She turned around to see Misty, barely alive.
"Misty, but your- I thought that y-" May regained her compsure "What's going on."
"Well," Misty began, "for starters, this is a dream. However, unlike most dreams, you have total control over your body. Furthermore, I am really Misty, or should I say the soul of Misty."
"This is all so confusing."
"I know it must be, but we don't have much time. I'll get right to the point. May, I know you and Ash are good friends. I need you to do me a favor." Misty said.
"Sure, anything." May replied.
"I need you to take care of Ash for me. Make sure he doesn't do anything stupid."
"Ok, anything else?" May asked.
"Yes, there's one more thing. Please, whatever you do, make sure Ash gets to love someone else. He's too good of a person to die without having that one special person to love. Promise me that you'll get him to love another."
"I promise." May said.
Misty smiled. "Thank you May. I trust you. Knowing this I can rest in peace." Misty faded closed her eyes and faded away.
May woke up and looked at the clock. It was 7:30 A.M. She was still in the clothes she was wearing last night minus her signature red bandana. She had only brought a few outfits since she was still traveling.
"Well might as well get up." May got up and walked down the stairs. Ash was there making them breakfast.
"Good morning." Ash said.
"Good Morning Ash." May said back. "So what were you planning on doing today?"
"Well, I'm going to be planning Misty's funeral today. You can go out and shop and stuff if you'd like."
"Hmm, ok."
"Uhm May?"
"Yes Ash?"
"Well it's not that I don't enjoy your company, but how long do are you planning on staying here?"
"Oh well, I haven't really thought about that. I'll leave after Misty's funeral I guess."
"Alright." Ash murmured.
May was wrong. She had stayed far past Misty's funeral. She had bought more clothes, and even started helping around the house. Ash didn't question it enjoying the company and extra help he had. One day something special happened.
"Ugh I can't reach this thing." May was reaching into the cupboard to get a glass that was all the way in the back."
"What's wrong?" Ash asked.
"I can't reach this glass." May responded.
"Well, here let me help." Ash grabbed her by the waist and lifted her off the ground. May suddenly felt warmer.
What's happening? May felt her cheeks blush and was soon lost in thought. What's happening to me? What's this feeling that I'm getting? May would have stayed like that for as long as she wanted if it wasn't for-
"Anytime now May!" Ash yelled.
May remembered where she was and got the glass out of the cupboard.
"Uhm, thanks Ash."
Ash saw May's blushed face and suddenly realized what happened. He started to blush as well. "Yeah, anytime."
Several events such as that happened after that. Many involving close contact. One time, Ash was lying down on his bed thinking about something. May wanted to go up to him and yell "BOO!" as a practical joke but something very unexpected happened.
As she tip toed closer to Ash's bed, something caught her leg. Next thing she knew she was right on top of Ash. As they stared into each other's eyes an awkward silence fell upon the two. Both started to blush furiously.
"Uhm sorry." May said.
"Uh, it's okay." Ash replied.
However, this was short lived. One day, something terrible almost happened.
May entered the house after going out grocery shopping. When she entered the house she was terrified at what she saw. Ash standing atop a table, with a noose tied around his neck.
"ASH WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"
"I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE MAY, I'M SORRY YOU HAVE TO SEE THIS BUT I CAN'T STAND LIFE WITHOUT MISTY ANY LONGER."
"ASH, YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO THIS. IS THIS HOW YOU'RE GONNA DEAL WITH YOUR PROBLEM?"
"It's the only way to ease my pain, I have to do this."
"NO IT'S NOT ASH." May tried to stop yelling and spoke again. "I made Misty a promise, and I intend on keeping it. I promised her I'd never let you do anything stupid, and what you're doing now is beyond stupid."
"I love Misty May, I live for her. If she's not here, then what's the point of my existence."
"DAMMIT ASH, YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO THIS." May realized she was yelling again and stopped, soon she spoke again. "I also promised her something else. I promised that no matter what, I would make sure you found a love besides her, and I planned on keeping that promise as well. What I didn't plan on, was being the one to fall in love."
"May, what are you saying?" Ash was interested, soon enough, he took the rope off of his neck and walked to May.
"Ash, I've stayed with you for quite some time now. And whenever we're close, I feel…warmer, safer. The truth is, I-I love you Ash."
"May…" was all that Ash could say. Ash contemplated his thoughts and was finally able to speak. "May, I'll admit, I have had some of the same feelings that you said you had, but this is all so confusing. I thought I loved Misty, but I just don't know anymore."
"Ash…Misty told you to love another didn't she? Don't let her final wish go ungranted. Don't throw your life away. I know that I can never replace Misty, but I'm not asking for that. I just, want to be with you, I love you, and I hope you can love me back".
"May, I love you too. I just didn't realize it until now. Misty will always have a special place in my heart, and now, you'll have one too"
With that May ran into Ash's arms and gave him a passionate hug. He looked up into Ash's eyes and Ash stared into hers. Before either of them could say anything, their lips met, and Ash and May couldn't be any happier.
Two Years Later…
"Alright Mrs. Ketchum, just one more push and it'll be all over." The doctor told May.
"I don't think I can do it." May yelled.
"C'mon baby just one more push, I know you've got it in you."
"Alright, I'll try." May pushed with all her might suddenly her pain was gone.
"Congratulations Mrs. Ketchum. You've just given birth to a new baby girl."
May stared in amazement. "She's so beautiful."
"She weighs 6 pounds and 3 ounces. Have you thought of a name?" The doctor asked.
May looked at Ash and Ash nodded. "Yes we have, we'd like to name it Misty."
"Ok, Misty, a beautiful name for a beautiful baby. The doctor said.
Four Years Later…
Ash, May, and their four year old daughter Misty, stood looking at a tombstone. It was where Misty Waterflower had been buried. A tear escaped Ash and May's eyes and fell onto the tombstone. Ash read the words to himself:
Misty Waterflower
Forever remembered,
Forever loved.
So what did you all think. My first attempt at an angsty type fic. I know it may seem a bit rushed, but I don't have enough creativity to explain it in so much detail unless i make it a multi-chapter story, which I would have a hard time with. Sorry for all the time shifts lol. Anyway, please review, flames are accepted. But please no reviews insulting advanceshipping or advanceshippers. Oh, and sorry for killing Misty, Misty fans please know i have nothing against her lol.
