AN: I know, I know, I have to update my other stories...I have what...2 stories I'm co-writing with Leagle, DWLTU, and Ylisse. I'm horrible for writing more one-shots. But I can't help myself!

This is an AU from my other stories...I heard the song Rockabye by Clean Bandit, Anne-Marie, and Sean Paul...and it made me cry. Then I looked up the video. And I cried some more. So...this is the product. It's similar to the song...with my own sad ikari twist. I seem to like writing tragedies. Oh well. I suggest you look it up...but of course, you don't have to. Just a suggestion. :D

Don't like don't read, NO FLAMES. If you have a problem, then just don't read this. Thx.

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon. No arguments. ;)

Warning: Mention of Character Death. And sad feels. Happy ending though!

Dawn pressed a kiss against Spencer's sweaty forehead.

"No one's every going to hurt you, love."

Spencer blinked blearily at her mother, her small hands reaching.

A soft cry escaped Spencer's lips as Dawn brushed Spencer's hair out of her face. Spencer let out a small whimper.

"Poor baby, I know you're sick, Mum's gonna try and help, okay?"

Dawn rocked Spencer as she blinked back tears. She couldn't even take care of her daughter, what type of mother was she?

She felt the tears drip down her face as she kissed Spencer's head again. Spencer quieted, drifting against her chest.

"No one matters more than you. My baby, my love, you're going to be okay, Spence."

Dawn set her down, wrapping her in layers of quilts.

"Your life's gonna be nothing like mine. Whatever I have to do."

Dawn stared at the slumbering babe with a sad, forlorn look.

"You're going have a good life, not like mine, not like your father's. It's going to be different for you. I swear. I love you."

She grabbed the keys, sliding out of the room as she walked out of the apartment. She pulled her phone out with a deep, slow breath.

"Hey May. I need a favor."

May unlocked Dawn's apartment with her phone to her ear. "Yeah, I got it Dawn. Spencer'll be fine. You go to your shifts, okay?"

They didn't speak of the things Dawn had to do to raise Spencer.

May could only help so much. Especially because Dawn was stubborn. She refused to take May's charity, or Drew's. Or any of their friends'. She was determined to raise Spencer by herself. Especially when Paul wasn't around anymore. Especially when she never finished high school.

She worked two, sometimes three shifts. And when she couldn't get decent jobs, she did what she had to.

Dawn's father had left when she was little. Johanna had done what she could to raise Dawn as much as she could, so Dawn was no stranger to single moms. Dawn just never thought her mother would pass early. Or that she would become a single mother herself, all alone in the big world...except for her baby. And her friends. Her wonderful, amazing, loving friends.

She was completely devoted to her daughter now. She didn't have a choice. Not if she wanted her baby to have a chance.

And none of them spoke about what Dawn had to do, what she did for her baby.

She brushed her brown hair to the side as she stood in the doorway of the cramped apartment.

"Oh Dawn."

Spencer started wailing as May stepped further into the tiny space.

"Hold on sweetheart, Aunt May's coming."

"Once upon a time," Dawn began.

"Wait! Is there a princess?" Spencer asked quickly, looking imploringly at Dawn. Dawn smiled.

"Of course darling."

"Okay Mum, continue."

"That's a big word, love."

"I know! I learned it at school."

"You were always a bright one, just like your Daddy, hmm?"

"Uh-huh!"

"Alright. Once upon a time, there was a Princess. Her mum raised her all by herself, as the Queen. Her daddy died when she was little. And that Princess became the greatest ruler in all the world. She was beautiful, and smart, and kind. The Queen had to go to war, had to do a lot of terrible things for her kingdom to be safe. She had to work super hard so the Princess would have a chance to be a kind, great Queen."

"Why didn't the Princess just become a good Queen without her mum going to war?" Spence asked curiously.

"Because the Queen was showing the Princess how to be a good ruler, and their kingdom had fallen on hard times. She wanted the Princess to be able to have a flourishing kingdom to rule."

"That's nice of the Queen."

She felt a smile tugging at her lips, "Yeah Spence, it is."

"The Queen worked extremely hard, and by the time the Princess was old enough to rule, their kingdom had become prosperous. Their kingdom had become one of the strongest, and kindest in the world. The Princess found her own love, and when she became Queen, she had a King to rule with her. And the new Queen became known as the kindest, most just, and successful ruler the kingdom had ever seen."

"What happened to the old Queen, Mum?"

"Well. She achieved her goal. To give her daughter a chance at being great."

"But she should be remembered as one of the greatest!"

Dawn rocked six-year old Spencer on her lap, pressing her forehead to hers. She laughed, shaking her head with creased eyes. "I guess darling."

Spencer giggled as she tugged on Dawn's hair. "It's true."

Dawn bit her lip before nodding. "If you think so Spence, stories are-"

"-for me to think about, I know Mum!"

"Good."

"That was a good story Mum. But it was really short."

"Yeah. Shall we go visit Daddy today?"

Spencer let out a soft, delighted laugh. "Yeah!"

Dawn suppressed a bittersweet smile. "Alright love, go get your jacket, alright?"

Spence beamed, scrambling across the floor towards the closet.

She pulled the door open, reaching for her tiny jacket.

Spence slipped her small boots on and ran into her mother's waiting arms. "All ready Mum!"

Dawn smiled faintly, pressing a kiss to Spencer's head. "Alright love. Let's go."

The crisp air brushed tenderly against Dawn's cheeks as she led Spence down the street to the nearest bus station. The graveyard was across the city, so they couldn't walk.

The sharp, muggy scent of gasoline filled the air as the bus approached.

The driver glared at Dawn before puffing on his pipe. "Get on."

Dawn shrugged off the curious stares of the other occupants as she picked Spencer up confidently. It was clear that some of them recognized her, whether from her...less savory jobs, or simply from seeing her around the small town.

There were a couple empty seats in the back, and Dawn led Spencer towards them, settling the fidgeting girl next to her.

A man leered at her with yellow teeth and a smirk, but Dawn just glared coldly. The man let out a sharp, chilling laugh before turning away.

Dawn knew she didn't have a good reputation, but when she wasn't at her job, she didn't have any part of it. This man evidently knew her from there. But Dawn was different out of work. She was different with Spence. And she wanted people to know that.

Spencer bounced on bus seat excitably, her little hands moving furiously.

"Mum, can we bring Daddy flowers today? Do you think Daddy's happy today? Oh we haven't gone in weeks!"

Dawn chuckled lightly as Spencer entwined their fingers with a bright smile. Dawn's eyes turned sad as she shook her head.

"Sorry Spence, Mum...Mum doesn't have the money this time."

Spencer's big eyes looked at Dawn knowingly. She already knew more than she should.

"It's okay Mum. Daddy won't mind." The sheer innocence and kindness in her voice made Dawn want to cry.

"I know, love. I know your Daddy won't mind," Dawn whispered against Spence's forehead. The bus creaked as it stopped, more sketchy, hostile people getting on the bus. Another couple people seemed to recognize Dawn from her job. She couldn't allow them near Spencer.

Dawn sighed, gripping Spence's hand tighter. "Come on love. We can walk the rest of the way."

"Okay Mum," Spence agreed, hopping off her chair as they got off the bus.

Dawn hated how much Spencer's life was affected by hers.

It was only for a little while, she told herself. Only so Spencer can have a chance.

Dawn watched her daughter with a content smile. It may have cost her humiliating years of hard work, but she had gotten there. She had gotten them a decent sized house, Spence was going to a good school, and Dawn finally had a good, steady job.

But it hadn't always been like that.

She thought back to those darker days harshly.

If Spence ever asked, how Dawn had raised her...if she ever asked what happened to her dad, Dawn decided that she wouldn't sugar-coat anything.

When Spencer asked, when she was ready, Dawn would tell her. There was no point in protecting her. Perhaps she'd be ashamed of the things her mother did, or perhaps she'd be grateful.

It didn't matter as much as her daughter's love. And the honesty between them.

Dawn let out a free laugh, flashing back to her childhood days as she swung next to ten year-old Spencer.

"I bet I can go higher than you, Mum!" Spencer challenged, her legs swinging hard.

Dawn smiled so hard it hurt.

"I bet you can, love." She whispered to herself.

"Well Mum?" Spence asked, her swing already flying higher.

"We'll see, yeah?" Dawn said, her own legs pumping harder as she swung herself faster.

Spence laughed again, the sound pure music to Dawn.

Yes. This was she worked for. For Spence to have a chance at the life Dawn never had.

The life Paul never had.

Dawn leaned her head against the swing's chain, the world a blur around her as her daughter laughed.

"I think...I think you'd be happy for Spence. For me now. It was always my goal, our goal, to give her the chance we never did, hmm?" Dawn murmured to the open sky. "I love you."

"Who, Daddy?" Spencer asked innocently, her eyes observing. "You never did tell me...Luke said that Aunt May said that Daddy and you met in high school. Then Ely said Daddy died before I was born. Is that true?"

Dawn started to slow down her swing, Spencer following in suit.

"Okay Spence," Dawn began as her swing stilled, "I have one more story to tell you."

Spence nodded slowly. "Okay Mum."

"So. Once upon a time, there was a teenage girl in high school, who was very much in love with a boy..."

AN: Before you get pissed at me, remember, this is all 100% fiction, if you don't like how Paul, or Dawn, or anyone else reacts...this is an AU, I did say that Dawn is a little OOC, and this is just how I interpret how everyone would react. I apologize if this is not what you thought it would be. Please drop a constructive review. Thanks for reading ;)

Also, if you think a six year old is not smart enough to know all those words...you're wrong. I have a little brother who is that age, and VERY capable of saying all those things, think those things, and way more. Just saying.

Again, thanks for reading. I truly appreciate you taking your time to read this. :)

-Ange