A/N I wrote this fic for Mothers day, But I dedicate it to my own Mum, who passed away seven years ago. I thought to get through the tough day I would write a fic involving none onther than my fave fandom. Neoshipping ^^ However, the character's Josie, Kaede and Hope are not my Characters, this is a diclaimer saying I do not own them and they belong to TorukoRocket, so the credit of those awesome characters go to her. Anyways enjoy.
Cassidy sighed as she stepped out onto the spacious balcony connected to her bedroom and inhaled the fresh morning air, looking out to the breath taking ocean view she woke up to every morning. It was a clear morning, and the sun was shining down on the ocean making it glitter.
Leaning against the railing of the balcony, Cassidy closed her eyes. "Eighth of May...Mothers Day," she whispered to herself. Staring out to the ocean again as she became lost in her thoughts.
It was twenty-six Mother's Day's ago a little girl woke up early in her small bedroom she shared with her older sister. The room dark like it always was, the drapes blocking the shine of the morning sun. Excitedly, she climbed out of her bed and ran to a small backpack she owned, pulling out a Mother's Day card she had made herself.
"Cassidy, what are you doing," Josie asked from across the room, sitting up in her bed.
Cassidy turned around smiling, "Hurry up Josie, let's go give Mummy her gifts!" she beamed. After a moment of examining the handmade card, she raced out of the room. Josie following soon after.
Her mother; asleep on her bed, still in her everyday clothes as if she had passed out there, she clutched the pillow tightly as if it was replacing someone, breathing softly in peaceful repose.
"Mommy, wake up Mama," the four year old blonde exclaimed as she climbed up onto the bed, giving her mother a gently shake. Josie hesitantly standing in the doorway as she spotted the empty alcohol bottles by the bed on the floor.
With a little more of her daughters persistence, Kaede's eyes slowly opened and she reluctantly sat up. She felt her head was spinning as she placed her palm to her forehead, struggling to keep her eyes open. "Yes Cassie?" she mumbled at her beaming Daughter.
The little girl smiled up at her mother before throwing her arms around her thin torso, "Happy Mother's day Mommy!" Cassidy exclaimed in a excited tone, kissing her Mother on the cheek affectionately as Josie continued to watch on from the doorway.
Kaede's eyes narrowed, she had no idea what day she had woken up to let alone the recognition of it being "Mothers Day". She had become so wrapped up in her own personal problems she had become oblivious to the day even nearing. Tentatively, she returned her young Daughters embrace.
"Thank you Sweetheart, good girl for remembering," Kaede said appreciatively, trying desperately to hide from her Daughters that she herself had forgotten.
When she finished hugging Cassidy, Kaede turned her attention to her eldest Daughter, "what are you doing standing over there Josie honey?" she gently approached. "Come over here and give your Mom a hug" she said in a warm tone, gesturing her to come closer.
Josie looked over the room one more time before reluctantly crossing the room and sitting on the bed with her Mother and her Sister. Kaede embraced the two girls tightly.
After a moment, Cassidy pulled away from the embrace, pressing the card she had made her into Kaede's hand.
"Is this for me?" Kaede asked.
A proud smile spread across the four year olds face "Yes Mommy, I made it all by myself," Cassidy boasted as Kaede opened the card.
"Dear Mommy, Hapy Mothers Day, I love you very very much! Xox Cassidy"
Kaede laughed softly as she read the card, noticing the 4 year old's innocent spelling mistake.
"Thank you, sweetie, it's perfect," Giving her Daughter a kiss on the forehead, before once again turning her attention back to Josie.
"Is that one for me too?" Kaede gently prompted as she saw Josie patiently holding a card of her own.
The seven year old nodded and handed her the purple card. On the front of it there was a drawing of her Mother's favourite Pokémon and a glittery title that said "Happy Mother's Day." The inside of the card had glittery stars decorated randomly and read.
"Dear Mom, A happy Mother's Day to you, hope you have a fun happy day, since this is your day. I love you so much, Josie."
A smile returned to Kaede's face as she looked over at Josie, pulling her into another affectionate hug. "Thank you Josie, it's beautiful!" Cassidy smiled as she watched her Mom and sister embrace.
"Mommy?" Cassidy asked, breaking the silence.
"Yeah?"
"Uh...Where's Daddy?"Cassidy asked innocently, glancing over at the empty side of the bed.
Kaede's expression fell, her heart sank as she heard her Daughters question.
"Uh, he had to stay in town for work honey," She lied, avoiding both her daughters eye contact, before Cassidy could ask more questions like she usually did, she decided to change the subject all to suddenly.
"But I have my two girls and that's all I need! So let's have a wonderful day together!" Kaede said in a cheerful tone, however it couldn't be further from how she was really feeling.
Cassidy let out a weary breath of the fresh sea air as she looked out to the horizon once again. That memory was the last Mother's Day she had ever shared with her Mother. It was the year after Kaede committed suicide, only to be found by the five year old she claimed to love so much.
Cassidy never thought about that aspect of her life, the sight she layed eyes on as a five year old girl haunted her for many years. She eventually trained herself to block the memories from her mind, and before long, Kaede became lost in the past. However, Cassidy couldn't help but blame her early childhood on some of her faults in life.
Growing up, Cassidy became hostile, manipulative and spiteful. The attitude she acquired caused her to become intimidating, giving her the idea she was somehow superior to everyone around her. Her overconfidence in herself easily made her the popular "queen bee" during her time enrolled into Pokémon tech. However, it caused her to become her sisters living nightmare when she moved in with her soon after graduating from Pokémon tech.
As Cassidy grew into her later teens, she had found a lifestyle pattern involving partying, drinking and hooking up with different boys, most she didn't even know and seemed to be much older than the sixteen year old. She would always drink too much because she thought it was the "cool" thing to do, and she honestly believed she had no limits. Her insecurities became hidden behind the lifestyle and attitude she had.
Soon enough, Cassidy became tired of the same life style of partying all night and sleeping all day and decided it was time to move on to the next chapter in her life, the one she loved the most.
Joining Team Rocket, Cassidy was no different to how she always was and therefore treated other people how she usually did, inferior. But there was one person who came into her life who believed there was something more to her than the high maintenance, bitch she portrayed herself to be. The one person she was partnered with, who she hated at first, but soon enough feelings grew and she considered him a friend, the friendship that grew eventuated into love.
Butch was the only person in Cassidy's life she felt genuinely cared for her, at first she treated him like she treated everyone, pushing him away, just like everyone else. She expected him to eventually give up on her just like everyone else had, but to her surprise she was wrong, her partner stayed by her, no matter how difficult it was. As Cassidy grew closer to Butch, she found herself revealing a side to herself she had never let anyone see. A side that was sensitive, vulnerable, caring, and sometimes even innocent. It was almost like the little girl she had locked away so many years ago had been released once again, all she needed was someone to take the time to care.
Cassidy smiled to herself as she reminisced through the changes she had experienced throughout the years of her life. Since meeting Butch, Cassidy had allowed herself to become a different person. She had made herself become cold and spiteful back in the days of Pokémon tech because deep down she was afraid of getting hurt. However after meeting Butch and developing a close relationship, she felt she could finally let some of this defensiveness go, because time and time again, Butch had shown her no one would ever hurt her while he was with her. It was now she understood exactly what unconditional love was. During her teens, she slept with those older men because she admitantly wanted the attention and enjoyed being told she was "hot" or "sexy". However, as much as she was using them, they were using her. It was now when she looked back she realised how foolish she was.
Butch had defiantly changed Cassidy's life for the better.
In the doorway of the bedroom, a little girl stood looking out at her Mother standing on the balcony, watching as the breeze tousled her long golden locks much like her own. "Wow Mommy is so beautiful; I hope one day I am as beautiful as her..." Hope thought as she admired her Mother's beauty, she always looked so perfect.
Suddenly, Hope's train of thought was interrupted by a light tap on her shoulder. Startled, she turned around. "Daddy," she said smiling up at him, like she always did.
Butch smiled down at his daughter. "Hey squirt, watch'ya doing standing in the doorway?" He asked before he looked up and saw Cassidy standing outside on the balcony, looking out at the sea.
"I dunno, just watching Mommy, she looks so pretty," Hope exclaimed turning her attention back to her Mother.
"She does," Butch agreed, ruffling Hopes golden blonde hair, like Cassidy's it was so shiny and soft. "Say Hope, come with me," Butch said walking down the hallway gesturing the four year old to follow him.
Hope followed Butch into the kitchen as he got his wallet and keys off the bench. "Do you know what today is Hope?" He asked.
"Sunday?" Hope answered.
"Yes, but it is a special Sunday, its Mothers Day," Butch said smiling at Hopes excited expression.
"Ohhhhh, what's that?" Hope asked quizzically.
"Well, it's a special day to show Mommies just how much we love and appreciate them" Butch explained. "Why don't we do and get Mummy a present?" Butch suggested, watching Hopes dark brown eyes glitter.
"Yeah!" Hope exclaimed excitedly as she followed her father out the door.
Butch and Hope drove down town to the local florist. He couldn't help but smile as Hope went around smelling all the different types of flowers, finding the ones she did like and didn't like, after about 15 minutes contemplating, she finally made her decision.
"Daddy, don't you think these would make a good present for Mommy?" she asked turning her attention back to Butch.
Butch looked over at the large bouquet of flowers Hope was referring too, they were different types of flowers, and none really Butch was familiar with aside from the large lilies. "They would be perfect honey, your Mom likes lilies, you're defiantly your Mother's Daughter!" Butch exclaimed as he leaned over to take a look at the price tag, his happy expression suddenly dropped. 90 dollars Butch read silently, his eyes narrowing at the digits. Like her mother, Hope also had expensive taste.
"Yep, I want those," Hope confirmed.
"Are you sure?" Butch asked, maybe she would change her mind and look at a less expensive bouquet of flowers.
"No, I want those," Hope answered confidently. Like Cassidy, when she had her mind decided on something, it was almost impossible to change.
Butch sighed wearily and picked up the Bouquet out of the water bucket. "So much like your Mother," Butch thought to him as she followed his Daughter to the check out.
Cassidy sat at her dressing table drying her hair after a long relaxing shower. She had noticed both Butch and Hope were not home so she chose to enjoy the alone time while she could, these days peace and quiet was scarce.
Suddenly, there was a small knock at the door. Cassidy turned her attention to the entrance of the room to find her daughter standing there with a large bouquet of flowers, so large it looked like she had difficulty carrying them.
"Hope," Cassidy exclaimed, rising from her seat and walking over to her.
Hope smiled up at Cassidy "Happy Mother's day, Mommy" Hope said sweetly.
Cassidy's eyes watered as she took the flowers from her daughter's tiny hands and gazed at them, they were perfect, it was exactly the kind she would buy herself. "Sweetheart, they are absolutely beautiful!" Cassidy exclaimed after the inhaled the flowers scent.
"Mommy?" Hope asked, getting Cassidy's attention once again. "You are the best Mommy in the whole world and I love you very much" Hope said, happiness evident in her voice.
Cassidy set the flowers down on the dressing table and lifted Hope into her arms. "I love you too honey, you are the best daughter a mother could ask for, I honestly don't know what I did right to get you," Cassidy admitted, holding her daughter close.
"You married me!" Butch called as she leaned against the doorframe, arms folded across his chest with something in his hand. "I also have a present for the best, most beautiful Mum in the world." He said as he approached his wife and daughter. Uncrossing his arms, he held out a small velvet box, which he opened in front of her. Only to reveal a heart shaped pendent of amethyst stones that shone in a similar way to her eyes, on a gold chain.
"Butch," Cassidy gasped in disbelief. "It's so beautiful, Thank you."
Butch fastened the chain at the back of the neck. "Just like you," Butch said winking at her.
Cassidy blushed as she shifted Hope into her right arm and leaned into Butch, giving him a passionate kiss. Hope giggled at the sight of her kissing parents.
When Butch and Cassidy finally drew apart, they smirked at their daughter.
"Just what are you giggling at little miss?" Cassidy asked.
"Yeah squirt ,heh, we will give you something to giggle about," Butch added in a threatening tone as he and Cassidy smirked at each other before pressing their mouths to each of Hopes cheeks and giving her a huge exaggerated kiss, making Hope squeal out in laughter.
After a few minutes the family finally drew apart. "Come on, how bout we get some breakfast, well Brunch by now," Butch suggested, placing Hope back down again "I'm starved".
Cassidy smiled as he ventured off to the kitchen, she put her hairdryer away and left the bedroom with Hope at her side.
"Mommy?" Hope asked, her large brown eyes looking up at Cassidy.
"Yes sweetheart?" Cassidy replied.
"You know how it's your special day today? Does Daddy get a special day too?"
Cassidy grinned at her daughter's question, thinking about what they could do for Butch on Father's Day. "Yes he does, Hope," Cassidy replied. "Yes he does."