Disclaimer: Everything in this story belongs to me! Ash, Misty, Nurse Joy, etc... Mine I tell you! Oh nuts... It's 4:00, time for me to see my psychiatrist...

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Always
By Nurse Joy

Ash looked in to mirror and pinned a white rose to the chest pocket of his tux. He tried to comb out his hat hair which refused to lie flat. Then, the final touch was to fix his bow tie to stay horizontal. It was a big day, 'they' were finally getting married. Ash looked into the mirror again and sighed. 'They' didn't include Ash.

Months ago Ash was checking his mail when he picked up a very fancy envelope and read:

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You are invited to attend Misty and Daniel's wedding on October 23, please be there at 4 PM, RSVP!

Love,
Misty
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It had been a long time since Ash had seen Misty. Ash was now 31. It had been 19 years since Misty had said she needed to return home because her mother was sick. She said she would return home as soon as her mother got well, but she never came back. Ash caught word that she had a boyfriend. He blinked back tears not realizing how much he had missed her for so long.

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Ash was now sitting in a church filled with people he half knew. Suddenly, it got quiet, and organ music began playing. He got his first look at Misty after 19 years. Her red hair was tied up in a bun on the back of her head. She looked a little stressed, but that was normal for a wedding. She was a lot taller now and her blue eyes twinkled more than ever.

He was mesmorized at her beauty, but was taken off guard when he saw Daniel. Ash remembered meeting him during his Pokémon journies as a kid, and the sight of him made his temperature rise.

The wedding started and Ash was taken away to "lala land". He always wished he could be up there at the alter with Misty, but his chance was gone. Why did they always argue? He loved her so much and he let the person he cared most about go away. He was interrupter when the preacher said, "If these two people should not be together, speak now or forever hold your peace."

Time slowed as Ash was fighting with himself. 'Say something!' He thought. 'No, you'll ruin the wedding,' he thought. 'But you missed your chance when you were young, you can get her back! No, I can't…" Ash argued to himself again, she wouldn't marry Daniel if she didn't think he was right for her. But deep down inside, Ash knew she was making the wrong choice.

"No!" He said, louder than he wanted to. His voice echoed on the walls of the church and everyone turned to see who said it, including Misty. "Umm," was all he could say after that.

"Well, why do you not want them to get married?" The priest said.

Ash broke down after so many years. "Because Misty... I love you. I loved you when you and I were lost in the woods, I loved you when you first got Togepi, I loved you when you were sad. I loved you before I even knew you. Don't you see, we were meant to be together."

"You did?" Misty asked.

"Yes... I did," Ash said.

"I made up that story about my mom," Misty confessed, "I said that because I thought you hated me. I was so sad because I loved you too. I went out with Danny because I thought you didn't care about me."

"But I always did." Ash said, tears welling up in his eyes, "Always."

And with that Daniel stormed out of the church feeling very unloved. Ash bent down on one knee and asked the question he always wanted to ask. "...Misty... will you marry me?"

"...Yes!"

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I'd like to thank:
MewGurl: You inspired me to write even when I said I sucked at writing (Check out her stories too!)
Captain Legeaux: Thanks for helping Sarah out in her/our hard times
My Fan(s): Thanks for reading my first story. Please send me feedback!