Hello! So this is an idea I came up with because clearly if Serena ever does confess, Ash isn't going to date her straight away so this is a little more realistic but still will probably never happen sadly!

At the moment this is a one-shot but if I get enough response I may do some drabbles of Serena teachingh Ash about love but it won't be regular...

Disclaimer: I do not own pokémon

Serena's Confession

Serena sat alone on a cold, wooden park bench in one of the quieter parks in Lumiose City. She let out an exasperated sigh as she leaned back and stretched out. Her starter pokémon, Fennekin watched her trainer with a tilted head, eyes glistening with curiosity and concern. Serena didn't speak though and her exasperation slowly melted away into sadness as tears began to fall down the honey blonde haired trainers cheeks.

Serena let out a choked sob and opened her mouth to speak only no words came out. She composed her self and coughed to clear her throat. "Fennekin, We have to go..." Serena's voice cracked on the word 'go'.

Fennekin's ears went back as she looked up at her trainer, alarmed at what Serena had just said.

"We have to go now or I-" Serena took a deep breath before continuing. "Or I'll never be able to let him go, I'll never move on..." Serena's voice was now a whisper as she replayed the earlier conversation she had, had with Ash, Clemont and Bonnie.

Ash was talking about his journey's through Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh and Unova. He talked about the friends he made along the way and all the things they had gotten up to. It was during this conversation that Serena realised what would happen after Ash challenged the Kalos Leauge. He would move on to another region and meet new friends that he would travel with, maybe even another girl who would go through the same heart wrenching experience she was going through now. Serena didn't want to be just a memory to Ash, she wanted to be something much more than that. From the get-go Serena knew that Ash would eventually enter the Kalos League and move on but the difference was back then she was just acting on a small crush and when he suggested that she joined him on his journey she was overjoyed and it was a dream come true! Now after spending time with Ash and really getting to know him she certainly was not fine with the fact he would eventually move on and she would be nothing more than a name in his stories.

"Fenne!" Fennekin let out a soft bark, attempting to comfort Serena.

Serena wiped away the cascading tears with the back of her hands. "I don't want to leave either, Fennekin but..."

Serena's voice faded out and Fennekin looked up expectantly at her trainer, hoping that she had just had a sudden change of heart.

Serena took in a deep breath before continuing. "I... I think I love him..."

Fennekin was shocked to say the least, her eyes went wide and mouth slightly agape. Fennekin knew Serena had strong feelings for Ash but didn't realise it was love, despite that Fennekin was still pleased that Serena had finally admitted her feelings towards Ash, but she was also concerned that it would be those same feelings that also drive her away from Ash.

"The more I'm with him, the more I love him..." Serena's voice came out calm and controlled but she could still feel the water welling up in her eyes as tears threatened to fall. She put her head down and closed her eyes. "The more I love him, the more it will hurt..."

Staring at her lap she let the tears splash down staining her skirt.

"Kin..." Fennekin felt her own heart break at Serena's words, she had no idea that her trainer felt this way.

Serena took in another deep breath and let out a shaky laugh. "I... I'm fine!" She began to play with the hem of her skirt nervously wondering whether or not she should say goodbye to her friends or just leave a note behind and go silently. She felt like both would cause her equal amounts of pain though physically saying 'goodbye' would give Bonnie, Clemont and Ash a chance to persuade her to stay and she didn't want that, she needed to get away from him before it becomes too late, before it gets too unbearable for her.

"We'll slip away tonight," Serena decided. "If we walk all night we should be able to reach Vaniville Town by morning..."

"Fennekin!" Fennekin protested small embers flaring out from her nose and her ears tensing up.

Serena leaned down and picked Fennekin up, holding her close to her chest she petted her head gently. "I know Fennekin... But please, for me?"

Fennekin's ears went soft again and relaxed, how could she refuse Serena after all they have been through together. Serena placed a kiss on Fennekin's forehead.

"Thank you so much, Fennekin..."

Serena put Fennekin back on the ground before wiping her face one more time and plastering an award winning smile back on her face. She retreated back to where Ash and Clemont had been training. If all she was going to be was a memory, she'd be a happy one before she left.

-.-.-.-

The sun had begun to set and once again Serena had found herself sat alone on a cold wooden bench. This time she was outside of the pokémon centre contemplating whether or not she would leave. Part of her was begging herself to stay, to confess, to follow Ash until the end but the other part of herself was telling her that it would only end up with her in pain. Serena knew that she loved Ash, she knew that she would always love Ash but she wasn't an idiot. She knew he didn't feel the same, she wondered if he had ever felt that way about anyone... She knew that Ash loved her as a friend and before that was enough but now she craved more. Ash was dense and oblivious to anything romantic and that was one of the reasons why she loved him but as her love grew she found it slightly frustrating how he treated her the same as though his feelings towards her hadn't changed in the slightest.

Serena sighed and leant back, she was going to confess to Ash before she left. She knew that it wouldn't change anything but she needed the closure of Ash turning her down in order for her to move on.

She had asked Ash to meet her in front of the pokémon centre after he had gotten Pikachu healed although now she could feel her stomach tying itself in knots. She wasn't entirely sure she could tell him. She was about to stand up and leave early when Ash ran through the pokémon centre doors.

"Hey Serena! Sorry about the delay!" Ash greeted, his goofy smile present on his face.

Avoiding eye contact with Ash, Serena just stayed silent as she looked down at her skirt and patted the spot next to her on the bench.

Ash sat down, he was now a bit concerned by Serena's body language. "Hey are you okay?"

"Ash," Serena began, still refusing to look at him. "I... I need to tell you- no ask you something..."

"Go ahead, you can ask me anything!" Ash said with a smile, trying to make Serena seem more comfortable since she seemed really nervous.

"Well... What I mean is..." Serena sighed, frustrated with herself. "Do you... Have you ever... Have you ever been in love?"

Ash was confused by Serena's question and given her serious tone of voice right now he guessed that his answer was important to her but he didn't know why. "Well, I love pokémon,"

Serena clenched her fists together, his obliviousness was annoying yet cute.

"Of course that's what his answer would be!" She thought, frustrated with herself. "Be more specific Serena!"

Serena took in a deep breath to calm herself down, it was just Ash being himself after all. "No, Ash... What I'm trying to say... What I mean to ask is... Have you ever loved a person?"

"I love my mom," Ash replied still confused by Serena's choice of questions.

"Ash you still don't get it do you?" Serena finally looked up into Ash's eyes. "Have you ever been in love with Misy? May? Dawn? Iris? Have you ever felt like you could have been more than friends with anyone?"

"Have you ever loved me?" She mentally added on, there was no way she was being that specific.

"You mean like best friends?" Ash questioned still not understanding.

"No Ash. I mean more than best friends." Serena answered seriously.

Ash now understood what Serena was referring to and leant back, rubbing the back of his neck. He suddenly felt his cheeks getting warmer as he thought about it and went over Serena's question again in his head. "No. I love them just as friends." He stared at Serena, wondering what she would do next.

"Oh." Serena murmured, Ash had never loved anyone the way she loved him so why would he start now? She felt so stupid, thinking she could confess to him when it took him ten minutes to work out what she meant by 'love'.

"Serena?" Ash waved his hand in front of her face, snapping her out of her thoughts.

"I umm... Ash, me and Fennekin are leaving," Serena blurted out, she didn't know why she told him, she had wanted to leave in secret later on in the night after the awkward confession, it seemed like nothing was going as planned. Serena secretly wanted Ash to fight for her, for him to show her that he cared more than he let on.

"Why?" Ash asked, trying to mask his emotions, he looked Serena directly in the eyes and her usual sparkling cerulean blue eyes were filling up with tears once again.

Serena looked away, she couldn't answer him. She was about to cry and she couldn't cry in front of him.

"Why Serena?! Why are you leaving?!" Ash cried, finally showing his sadness as a tear rolled down his cheek. He placed his hands on her shoulders, forcing her to look at him.

"Ash I can't-"

"Tell me..." Ash begged, interrupting Serena. He had never had a friend get up and leave halfway through a journey and couldn't help but wonder if it was his fault or if something bad had happened to Serena's mom.

"You..." Serena choked out in a whisper, no matter how hard she tried she couldn't stop the tears from falling. Brushing Ash's hands off of her shoulders she stood up. "I'm leaving because of you! Because I love you and don't want to get hurt!"

And she ran, Ash staring after her in shock.

"She... She loves me?" Ash's mind was racing trying to comprehend everything, trying to figure out why his chest suddenly felt on fire.

Ash shook his head and ran after Serena, his stomach was twisting and his palms were tingling with a whole new sensation taking over and it wasn't just his chest on fire anymore, it was as though he was a charmander and his blaze was kicking in, he could only think of Serena, her hair, her eyes...

"Serena!" He called out, running up and down random streets. Rain started to fall mirroring both his and Serena's emotions. "Serena wait up!"

He ran and he ran, but Serena was no where in sight.

"There's no way... She must be hiding from the rain, I would've caught up to her by now!" Ash told himself, determined to find Serena. He would do whatever it took.

Ash set off sprinting once again going inside every shop that he passed. He was drenched but he didn't care, he just needed to find her. He ran past an alleyway and stopped as he heard crying. It sounded familiar.

"S...Serena?" Ash poked his head around the corner to see Serena sat on the floor sniffling and shaking, he sighed in relief.

"Leave me alone, Ash!" Serena cried, turning herself around. "I told you, I don't want to get hurt!"

Ash looked hurt at Serena's words. "Serena, I would never hurt you..."

Serena shook her head. "Don't you think I don't know that?! You'd hurt me without knowing it!"

Ash knelt down next to Serena, trying to comfort her but she only pushed him away. "Serena, I don't understand..."

"That's what I mean Ash," Serena's voice softened slightly, there was no point in getting angry. "You don't understand what I feel, you can't love me back, you can only hurt me but I know you don't mean to..."

Staring at the ground Ash thought for a moment before hugging Serena from behind. She stiffened up and her eyes went wide but when she realised he wasn't letting go she relaxed a little.

"Serena... I don't know what love is, but I know that I feel something when I look at you that I've never felt before..." Ash began. "So I don't want you to go anywhere because maybe, if you stay I can learn what love is and I can't think of anyone better than you to show me what it is..."

Serena melted and cried tears of joy. So maybe it wasn't the confession she wanted but it was all she needed to hear.

"Serena? Why are you still crying?! I made it worse didn't I!" Ash released Serena from the embrace only for Serena to turn around and hug him again.

"No you knuckle head! These are tears of joy!" She let out a soft giggle before placing a kiss on Ash's cheek.

He felt his cheeks heat up and his stomach twisted again.

"Serena?" Ash spoke up, a goofy grin on his face. "What does it mean when your stomach twists and your cheeks heat up?"

Serena rolled her eyes and smiled. "You'll find out... Eventually..."

So maybe Ash would leave after going to the Kalos League but for now Serena didn't have to worry about that. She had taken a big step forward in her relationship with Ash and she was determined to help Ash discover his feelings for her, no matter how long it would take!