15th, OCTOBER of 1995
11:53 P.M.
1311 FERN LANE, PALLET TOWN, KANTO 01209.
INT : SALTZMAN HOUSE, NIGHT.

"Brandon?" His eyes lifted from the book he was currently studying, her soft voice like a warm blanket.

"Yes?" The book in his hands was abandoned as he turned to her, he stared at her for a second, studied a whole new subject. The dark blue dress hanging from her thin frame like those in the beautiful, ancient Kalosi paintings of beautifully sad women pressed up against rocks or the sea. Tessa was a painting all her own, one of the most beautiful that Brandon had ever come across. Her dark purple hair pulled up in her tichel, but like always, a long strand had come loose.

"We still have a appointment tomorrow with the Professor. We'll finally find out the gender. It's late, come to bed, you must be tired." She wasn't asking, but that didn't stop her voice from being softer than a Arcanine's fur. Yes, the baby. Brandon had almost forgotten about it, but as he stared at the bump that protruded through her nightgown, it solidified her words. He nodded quietly as he placed a marker in the book, watching her as she reached up to unwrap her hair and head off to the bedroom.

"Come on Brandon." She called a few seconds later, and Brandon heard the squeak of their bedsprings under her.

"I'll be right there." He finally closed the book and got up from his desk and stretched. He didn't know how long he'd been there, lost in that book, but he figured by the plates next to it, that it'd been all day. He picked them up and carried them off to the kitchen after turning off the light in the room, passing Reggie's room on his way. The boy had already been tucked in by his mother, well, not tucked, wrapped. Like a burrito, swaddled like a baby. The boy was nearly seven.

Once he got to the room he shut the door quietly, Tessa, already in bed, curled up under the duvet and one socked foot sticking out from under it. "Tessa.. you need to stop babying him." He could only sigh as he pulled back the covers and climbed under. "What happens when you get too big to wrap him up like a baby every night? When he gets too big for that?"

In all honesty. Brandon hated it. The way she fawned over their son like he was still the baby they'd once had. Just months ago had been when Brandon had finally put his foot down and kicked the boy out of their bed. He'd been telling her that Reggie was too big to sleep with them every night, that and he missed his wife. Tessa had just told him that she always let Reggie sleep with her whenever Brandon was off on an expedition.

"But Brandon, he's still my baby. He likes it." She reasoned, turning onto her side. She was getting too big to be sleeping on her back now and Brandon knew the baby knocked the wind out of her with how strong it was. Apart of him was warmed by the thought, of how deep her love for their children was.

But Brandon had had it. It was time. They'd have a new baby soon, Reggie would have to grow up. "He likes it because you still allow it Tessa. You have to stop or you'll be swaddling two babies soon."

"Is that a promise?" She cracked a smile at him, and for a second she caught him off guard. Her crooked teeth, crinkled eyes, dimples... he could hold a candle to her and it would never shine as bright as her. But then that smile faded as she sat up on her arm. "Brandon?"

"Hm?"

"I.." She looked away as she adjusted, a hand on her stomach. It must be kicking and without even thinking, he scooted closer to her and closed their gap, placing a hand on her stomach as he stared at her. Feet or hands, Brandon didn't know, pressed against his palm as he gently patted her stomach. "I need you to stay home with me. You say that I can't keep babying Reggie.. but I need help with him too. He needs his father, this baby.. needs a father." She took a deep breath as the baby kicked harder in response to what must have been her heart speeding up. "I need you to tell me that our family means more to you than your expeditions, I want to believe and trust in you. Don't let us down. Come home, stay home."

Her words hurt, they'd discussed this already the last time he'd come home. He was tired of reading about the triumphs of greater men, he wanted to be one of those men. For her, for Reggie.. for their newest baby. "You know I can't do that." Was the only response that came to mind when he leaned forwards and kissed her softly. "Goodnight, I'll see you in the morning." And he turned back over to turn off the light behind him and covered them both in darkness.

"Goodnight." Voice tinier than before, a bit broken, he only listened as she adjusted herself and carefully reached out to hold onto him. "I love you."

"I love you too." And for hours Brandon lied awake, watching the moonlight dance around on his ceiling and listened to her heavy, deep breathing. When the clock struck four, he found himself standing in their bathroom, staring at himself in the mirror. Teeth brushed, freshly shaved, dressed, for another day of work. His beeper buzzing with all of Arthur's messages about their newest site.

'It's just an appointment.' Is what he kept telling himself as he started the car after grabbing his bags, kissing her and Reggie goodbye while they slept. It's just an appointment, like she hadn't gone to them alone in the past. Just an appointment, was what he told himself as he watched his house disappear behind him as he made his way to where he'd last left his Pyramid.

He should have known that it was in fact, more than just an appointment. It was in fact, his biggest mistake.


16th, OCTOBER of 1995
10:35 A.M.
103 BIRCH ROAD, PALLET TOWN, KANTO 01209.
ENT. HOME OF SAMUEL AND ELAINE OAK, MORNING.

"There's your baby." Professor Oak, the only technician in town who would have seen her for free, smiled at her as he focused the ultrasound on the head of the baby. "And I remember you saying that you wanted to know the gender yes? You're six months! It's time."

Tessa frowned as she gave her bump a gentle pat. "I thought Brandon would be here to.. learn the gender with me. I've done a few at home wife tests..." She laughed and bit her lip as she stared at the screen. "I'm gonna be a good mom and say as long as it's healthy, but I know I want a girl."

Samuel just looked at her and began cleaning her up without a word. "Brandon has always been a serious man. He'll snap out of it... sometime I hope." He helped her sit up and pull down her shirt. Tessa only sighed as she shook her head.

"I pushed him.."

"I'm sorry?"

"I told him to chose, Professor. Me and our children, or work. He chose. I'm so stupid." She couldn't stop her eyes from tearing up, "I'm sorry Professor, hormones." She wiped her eyes, her baby kicked her in response to the wave of sadness that crashed over her.

"He chose work. Some men.. are never satisfied. That's not your fault, you've done your duty as a wife, as a lover obviously. You're bearing children, and keeping a home. Men like Brandon never realize what they have until it's too late, until they've broken it." A gentle hand was placed on her thigh. "You are not stupid." The man was sincere as he helped her stand, a hand placed on her lower back.

"I don't believe that." Her response was ragged, she felt shocked at herself. "I moved here to be with him. I changed my life for him. How dumb is that? Marrying at seventeen? Stupid. Having a baby a few months later?" Tessa sat back down. "But.. I have Reggie. He's the best thing to ever happen to me."

Sam smiled gently, hand still pressed to her back. "It's a boy, he's strong, stronger and bigger than Reggie was at six months. Brandon may not notice your dedication, but everyone else does. This baby's turned you into bones. Keep it up, I'll see you in one month."

A boy. Another baby boy. Her image of a baby girl faded and a new one of a boy filled her mind. "Thank you Professor." She stood and hugged him before grabbing her bag to leave.

"I've delivered your baby, I'll deliver the next. Call me Sam, no need for Professor. We're family." He called after her, turning back to his chair to clean up the space.

"Have a great day.. Sam." She smiled at him before she walked out of the office and into the living room of his home. "Come on Reggie, let's go home." She waved at the young boy who was playing with May Daisy, Samuel's granddaughter.

"But Mom!" Reggie began, their fort only halfway built. "May and I just started! She hasn't saved me from the Dragon yet!"

"May can save you next time. I need my big strong man to help me go shopping! You have a baby brother now, we need food to keep the both of you healthy." She ruffled his hair. And at the mention of the baby, Reggie's eyes lit as bright as a fire.

"A baby BROTHER?" He took her purse from her as she got the keys, and followed her outside. "You're serious?"

"Yes. Baby brother. He'll be here in four months." And his small arm wrapped around her, helping her down the overkill of steps down to the front gate where she parked Love, her van. "He really needs to finish that back entrance." She muttered, groaning as the baby then decided to kick against her ribs.

"Mama can I name him? It has to be something cool like! Like! Victor! After Dad's Victreebel! Or Agnar- That Magmar super from the movers!" He punched a fist out like the Pokémon. Tessa couldn't help but laugh as Reggie opened the gate for her.

"We are not naming your brother after a Pokémon. Regigigas. Your father isn't here to make that mistake. It took me a month to get your birth certificate changed to Reginald." She rolled her eyes remembering the fight with the court, her newborn clutched to her breast and Brandon sulking in the corner. "Definitely not after a Pokémon."

"Okay..." She could see Reggie pout as he buckled himself up in the backseat.

"Come on Honey. We have a lot of shopping to do." She turned on the van and waited for a few moments, staring at the sign just beyond Samuel's yard. The sign that let you know you were going to leave Pallet. The baby stopped kicking as she shifted into drive and made a u-turn for the market near their home.


6:43 P.M.
1311 FERN LANE, PALLET TOWN, KANTO 01209.
ENT : SALTZMAN HOUSE, NIGHT.

The day passed peacefully, Brandon had, of course, called and let her know that his choice to leave in the morning was not easy. That he did not mean to miss the appointment, that his work was truly important.. So, like the many months before, Tessa and Reggie ate dinner alone and then went to bed alone.

Well. Not Tessa. She sat at the edge of the tub, staring at the wall as she pulled her fingers gently through her long purple curls, thinking quietly. She pulled herself up and made her way to Brandon's office. The place that neither she nor Reggie were allowed in, just outside the door was what Brandon liked best. As if a pregnant woman or a child could mess up his life's work.

She felt uneasy, the whole room was filled with old dusty books, slabs of stone and papers strewn around the floor from Brandon's rush to leave their home. Peeking around, she pulled out his desk chair and heavily sat in it, eyes focused on the open journal in front of her. The page was blank. Tessa cleared her throat and took one of his pens, and put it to the paper.


1:36 A.M.

"Reggie? Wake up sweetheart." She ran a hand over Reggie's sleeping form. "Come on honey, I need you to put on your shoes okay? I need you to help Mama." Tessa began to pull out the boy's drawers, neatly folding in pairs of his underthings and shorts and shirts and socks.

"What's going on?" Reggie only yawned as his blanket was pulled off of him and folded. He blinked up at her and got up, pulling on his house slippers and helped her pack the bag.

"Put this in Love, take the pillows honey. Mama already has her stuff in there, go take your blanket." She handed him the blanket and two pillows. Reggie only nodded at her and carried his things outside and packed them in the van before heading back in for the backpack she'd been filling with all his clothes.

"Mama?"

"Reggie, take the bag. I'll be there in a second." Was her only answer as she picked up a pair of tennis and turned off his fan, ushering him out of the room.

Tessa stood in the kitchen one last time, tears in her eyes as she stared at the note she'd sealed and left on the table. After grabbing a thermos for water, she left through the front door, locking it behind her and handed Reggie the can. Trying to not cry as she buckled him into the van.

"Mama! What's going on?" Reggie asked from the backseat, Love roaring to life under her hands and the headlights turning on.

"We're going home sweetie. You and me and your brother. Mama's taking you home." She pulled onto the sole road that led out of Pallet Town.

"And... Dad?" She looked back at him, big blue eyes looking back at her. Tessa's heart hurt as she started at her boy, her first boy.

"Daddy's not coming. Just us. It's you and me honey, it's always been you and me. Your brother too." She reached back for his hand, a secret sigh of relief left her as Reggie's hand took hers with a strong grip.

"Us against the world!" He confirmed, yawning.

"Yes baby." Tessa answered him, taking her hand back so she could drive. Tears of joy left her as she passed the leaving sign, praying for a safe passage to Cerulean for the boat to Sinnoh.


Hello Hello! Here, we begin the journery that is my Paul's origin story. Kind of. More like, the story of how Reggie and Paul's mother met Jackson Weiss, their amazing step-father. I hope to finish this by the end of the year. Hope you enjoy! - Ariadne