A/N: I know, I know, I know. I'm working on three multi-chaptered at a time! I must be crazy, but the muse bug has bitten me and I gotta get this stuff out. I'm attempting a rotating work thing, I finish a chapter of each before I update the first one, this way I won't get burnt out on one story or update too quickly.

Anyway, THIS story. I'm actually a bit proud of this one. It's one of the first fics I ever wrote and I loved it so much that I'm revamping it, the same as The Ira Crystal. In this one I have Giovanni playing the role of Ash's father, which is the opposite of what I actually believe but it works for this story. Let me know what you think, this chapter is short, but it's just the prologue, setting up the story.

Prologue

Misty rolled her eyes upward and groaned at the two shadows blocking the sun from her.

"What?" She snapped, "Did you not get the hint every time I ignored your phone calls?"

"Don't be mean to us," Jessie smirked flipping her dark red hair over her shoulder, "You have to know we won't give up."

She sighed and sat up, pulling her sunglasses down on the bridge of her nose, "That's true I guess, what do you want?"

"We need a favor," James leaned down so that he was closer to Misty's level.

"What makes you think I'm going to do a favor for you? Not to be rude, but I haven't seen or spoken to you in over 9 years."

"Oh, the favor isn't for us," Jessie trailed off smiling almost evilly.

***

"No, no, no, no." Misty shook her head and began to back away as she recognized the house they were standing in front of, "I can't go back here, I…I can't." her voice became softer as she shut her eyes.

"Relax," James' voice was surprisingly soothing, "he's not even here."

Misty looked up at him in shock, "How do you…?"

"It doesn't matter, all that matters is that there's someone in there that really, really needs to talk to you," he pushed her forward a little and Jessie nodded.

"We'll wait out here for you," she smiled.

Misty tried to swallow the lump in her throat and knocked hesitantly on the front door. Almost instantly, it was opened and she was greeted by a familiar pair of brown eyes.

"I'm so glad you came, I don't know what I would do if you hadn't," Delia sighed pulling Misty into a tight hug. The younger woman hugged her back feeling her eyes well up with tears.

"I didn't know where they were bringing me, but even so, I could never say no to you."

Delia straightened up and put on a smile, "Well, come in. I have a lot to tell you," she said stepping inside so that Misty could follow.

The house hadn't changed a bit in the last 3 years. There were pictures of Ash during various stages of his life covering every available surface. Her eyes fell onto one picture of her and Ash in their teens. Laughing with their arms around each other's shoulders. She gazed sadly at her childhood friend almost entranced by his eyes. Delia watched the younger woman as she traced a finger lightly on the photo of her son.

"He misses you, you know, we all do," Delia said softly, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"If it's all the same, Delia, I'd rather not talk about Ash," Misty said with a little snap in her tone.

Delia smiled, "I'm sorry, I can't promise that. Because the reason I asked you here has a great deal to do with Ash."

"You're not trying to get me to forgive him are you?" Misty's eyes narrowed as she realized this might be some sort of trap.

"No, no, no, nothing like that. Misty, please sit down," the older woman gestured to the couch and Misty obliged, "tea?"

Misty nodded and allowed Delia to pour tea in the cup in front of her, "So what is this thing? This Ash related thing that no one else could help you with."

Delia didn't answer, she took a long slow sip of her tea before taking a deep breath, "Ash has been kidnapped."

The redhead froze, "Why are you telling me this? Shouldn't you contact the police or something?"

"The police won't be able to help, the only person that can help, is you."

"Why me, Delia?" Misty asked sadly, "I don't even want to think about him, let alone help him."

"First, I need to tell you a story," Misty sat back in the couch and crossed her arms over her chest, she knew that she was being rude but at the moment she didn't care.

"A long time ago, I was sixteen and I fell in love with a boy," Delia started, "He was kind and handsome and I was young. We were too in love to be careful, that 'it won't happen to me' mentality, and then it did. When I told him that I was pregnant, he changed. He was older than me, almost twenty-two, and he already had a child. That was when I found out who he really was."

"Who was he?" Misty asked a little worried about the answer.

"Giovanni, and he was next in line to lead Team Rocket."

"Wait, so Ash's father…is…"

Delia nodded, "I never told him, I was too ashamed, so I made up a story about his father being a trainer who was out on some grand adventure."

"But, I don't understand, what does this have to do with Ash being kidnapped?"

"I told Giovanni that I didn't want my child to be raised in Team Rocket. He agreed to let me raise Ash on my own under the condition that when he turned 25, he was given the option of becoming the heir to Team Rocket."

"So you think Giovanni kidnapped Ash?" Misty asked.

"I know Giovanni kidnapped Ash, after he disappeared, Jessie told me that they had him."

"I still don't know what this has to do with me…"

"I need you to get him back," Delia set down her teacup and folded her hands together, "Giovanni has been monitoring Ash's life for a long time and he knows who all of you are. But I'm hoping that you've been gone long enough that all we have to do is change your appearance a little and he won't recognize you."

Misty shook her head slightly then put her head in her hands.

"I know!" the older woman stood and moved so that she could wrap her arms around Misty, "I know, it's a lot to ask. But there isn't anyone else. There isn't anyone that Giovanni wouldn't know."

Misty's shoulders shook slightly but she managed to compose herself before raising her head, "If I do this…it's not for him." She said softly, "I don't care what happens to Ash."

"I understand, thank you Misty," Delia smiled.

"If," Misty put all of her stress on that one word, "I do this, I'm doing it because of you."

"Well?" Both women were startled by another presence in the room, "What did she say?"

"She hasn't answered yet," Delia answered Jessie's question as she looked at Misty expectantly.

"I…" Misty started to shake her head but then sighed, "I'll do it."