DISCLAIMER: I do not own Pokémon!
A/N: As it said in the summary, this is the sequel to my egoshipping story "Decisions of the Heart" and I promise I'll never ever do another one again! (o^_^o)
"Gary, I'm really gonna have to buy a new strap for this bag soon. It's starting to annoy me" Misty complained, her bag precariously hanging off her right shoulder by one thin and fraying strap.
Her boyfriend of one year, Gary Oak, grinned mischievously and swung his arm round her shoulders. "There, that holds it better, you don't need a new strap now" he teased.
Misty laughed and let his arm stay there as they slowly walked along the familiar road that linked Viridian City to Gary's hometown of Pallet.
They were in no hurry now. The Johto competitions were over, with Gary gaining a respectable (but in his eyes useless) 10th placing, and now, a year after the competitions and a lot of intense battling later, Gary was ready to come home before the Indigo League competition commenced.
"I'll buy a new one in Pallet" Misty said, referring to her bag strap. Gary nodded and they continued to walk in silence as the approaching mountains of his hometown loomed towards them.
Their last year together had been fun, testing and sometimes unbelievable. To think that, once upon time, Misty had been best friends with his arch-rival, Ash Ketchum, was in itself remarkable. No one had picked that this would happen. But, in retrospect, it had turned out for the best. Misty no longer felt the strains of her crumbling friendship with Ash, and Gary made her happier than she had previously thought possible.
"Mist, you don't mind staying with my grandfather, do you?" Gary asked worriedly.
Misty simply smiled and briefly kissed his cheek. "I already told you, it's fine! Stop worrying, I know Professor Oak, he's a great guy. Where else were you expecting us to stay?"
Gary sighed. "I dunno...I just thought, there's a very good chance Ash will show up to visit Grandpa and, y'know, I want you to be cool with that."
Misty felt her throat freeze as she lost words. She hadn't actually thought of that. Of course Ash would visit, he would want to check on his Pokémon at the professor's place!
"Well...I'll admit to you that won't be cool, but what are we gonna do? If it happens it happens" she said with a shrug. "I don't think it'll ruin the whole visit, Gary."
"Okay" Gary nodded and flashed her a smile that she instantly reflected. She knew that, a year ago, she had made the right choice coming with him. If she had still been with Ash and Brock now, God only knew what would've happened as a result.
"Well, here we are!" Gary announced grandly, waving a hand way too theatrically. Misty playfully swatted him and they both laughed as they approached the Pokémon professor's house. They walked in without knocking and Gary simply shouted his arrival. "Grandpa! We made it!"
The reply he got was muffled and quite distant. "We?" the professor repeated from another room. Gary and Misty followed the direction the voice had come from.
"Yeah, remember, I told you Misty was coming" Gary said, sounding frustrated. He didn't
understand how his grandfather could be so world renowned for being a Pokémon expert and yet be totally absent-minded at the same time.
Prof. Oak poked his head round the corner of his central lab and smiled warmly at the two of them. "Ah yes, Misty, I forgot about you. No offence or anything, it's just strange to see you without Ash" he commented lightly.
Misty, again, lost words but smiled back politely. She didn't care how strange it looked to be seen without Ash, she rather liked it.
"Speaking of Pallet's favourite trainer" Gary said sarcastically, "Has he shown up at all?"
"No, not that I know of" Prof. Oak shook his head and noticed Misty let out an almost unnoticeable sigh of relief. "But I believe he'll be coming home soon."
Soon. Soon meant anytime, but Misty decided not to dwell on it. If she thought about Ash, she would get upset and not enjoy this visit as much as she wanted to.
"Uh, Professor, I hate to be a pain, but do you mind if I take a shower or something?" she asked awkwardly.
"Oh sure, no problem. You've got the ensuite upstairs" Prof. Oak announced, to which Misty's eyes lit up.
"She got the ensuite!" Gary exclaimed with a laugh. "Whyyyy?" he fake whined.
"Gary, act your age and let the guests get the nice room" the Pokémon professor said severely. Gary went quiet and bit his lip to suppress the giggles that threatened to escape.
"I'll be up soon, okay? Just get yourself sorted first" Gary said gently. Misty nodded, gave him a quick kiss on his lips and shot upstairs. She was totally oblivious to the conversation Gary and his grandfather were about to engage in.
"I hope you realise what this has done to Ash" Professor Oak said, his eyes not moving from the computer screen in front of him.
Gary looked at him in shock. "What are you talking about?" he asked cautiously.
"The whole Misty thing" Prof. Oak said casually. "It still hurts him, you know. I think it might've affected his training in a bad way, he seems so...what's the word...distracted all the time" he shrugged.
The younger boy had grown up learning to respect his elders, but this time even he had to narrow his eyes at his grandfather. "Look Grandpa, I didn't force Misty to come with me. It was her choice, and I made sure she was totally cool with it before we left, okay? So don't go blaming me for Ash's problems. Besides, I care a lot for Misty" he added.
"Do you love her?" Prof. Oak asked bluntly.
"What?" Gary spluttered, totally caught off guard.
"I asked you if you love her" Prof. Oak repeated.
Gary paused. "I don't know" he said simply. "Maybe."
"Maybe?" The professor turned around in his chair and eyed Gary seriously. "You've been going out for a year and you're saying maybe?"
"Oh what would you know, Grandpa?" Gary exclaimed in frustration. "It's none of your business when my feelings towards Misty are concerned."
"Whatever you say." Professor Oak turned back around, leaving his puzzled and angry grandson to think his own thoughts.
Gary slowly trudged up the stairs, repeating his grandfather's words in his head. Do you love her? Well do you? His mind played confusing games with his heart as he thought this over. He could hear her softly singing in the shower and smiled to himself. Even her mere voice made him smile, or laugh, or feel warm and gooey inside. Warm and gooey? Gary? The two would never have gone together a year ago.
But Misty had done something to him. Something had been revealed in him that no one, even himself, could have considered possible. She brought out his good side, a side that he saved only for her really, but a good side nonetheless.
Ambling into Misty's room, he gratefully flopped down on her bed and sighed. Since when did his grandfather care what he did? He vaguely heard the water in the bathroom shut off but didn't move. His feet were so sore and tired from travelling, much like his head now was from listening to Professor Oak's weird confrontations of his life.
Misty walked in five minutes later, just as Gary's eyes were dropping defeatedly in sleep. She smiled and walked over to him. "A bit tired, huh? You've been working too hard, you know" she gently scolded, rubbing his shoulders as he continued to lie on her bed.
"Mmhmm" Gary replied non-comitally. "Misty...do you mind if I be a bit blunt with you here?"
Misty looked surprised but shrugged nonetheless. "Sure, what is it?"
"Misty...do you love me?" Gary asked nervously.
Naturally, Misty was surprised, but she smiled anyway. "You know what, Gary? I think I do."
"Really?" Gary asked in astonishment.
Misty nodded. "I think I honestly do."
Gary smiled as he brought his lips to hers in a tender kiss. "I think I love you too" he mumbled softly as they broke apart. It felt completely natural to the two of them, and all thoughts of Professor Oak and Ash evaporated from Gary's mind as he embraced the time alone with the one he loved.
*******
The next morning the early summer sun beamed down on Misty's eyes, causing her to rouse from her slumber earlier than her body clock was used to. With a half-sigh, half-yawn, she slowly sat up and took in her surroundings. Where was she? She panicked for a second before she remembered she was staying with Gary at Professor Oak's. Her room was nice, airy, sunny and, above all, luxurious. A four poster bed was an indulgence Misty was not accustomed to.
She checked the alarm clock beside her bed, which visually announced that it was 7.22am. Too early, her mind screamed. But her body and her mind were two separate things, and she somehow found herself putting her feet on the ground and slipping on a robe before heading downstairs.
A quiet calm filled the house, indicating to Misty that the Oaks were obviously not morning people. She stole into the kitchen quietly, rummaging around cupboards for something to satisfy the hunger that was gnawing away at her.
But somehow she found herself stopping. Slowly rising from a cupboard under the sink, her gaze turned instinctively to the window on her right, and she gulped at the sight it gave her. It was the Ketchum residence, a place she had been to so many times, every time she had been welcomed as a guest and treated with such hospitality she felt like a queen.
If she went there now, she knew what she would be greeted with. A shocked, maybe icy welcome, a sarcastic inquiry on how Gary was doing, and quite possibly a door slamming in her face. Well, that's how it would be if Ash was there. Delia Ketchum would probably be totally oblivious or extremely compassionate and let Misty in without any hesitation or questions.
Misty quickly shook her head, throwing away all thoughts of Ash as she did so. Breakfast was more important at this stage. As her toast was cooking in the toaster, she thought it would be safe for her to go outside briefly to grab the morning paper. No one was going to see her in her robe outside on an early Sunday morning.
She unlocked the front door and frowned in puzzlement when the paper wasn't at the first step. Where did the paper boys leave the papers in Pallet? She non-chalantly walked forward, now in the front yard, but also carefully checking that no one was out. She was stuck here for the next six days and she didn't want them filled with some nosey six-year old's taunting about her being outside in a robe.
Misty quickly found the paper on the front lawn, stooped down to pick it up and was unwrapping the cling wrap around it when a movement on her right caught her eye. Out of both fear and curiosity, she swiveled her head to where she had seen the movement, and immediately dropped the paper at what she saw.
"C'mon Pikachu, an early morning hike won't kill you!"
Misty automatically felt tears welling up in her eyes at the voice that had been absent from her life for a year now. She quickly wiped them away but stayed glued to the spot, frozen by fear and disbelief.
Ash didn't see her at first. His vision was cast sternly at stubborn Pikachu, who was refusing to start the day with a hike. Ash sighed, ready to give up all hope, and absent mindedly glanced at Professor Oak's lab, wondering if the professor would be up yet. But what he saw he was not prepared for in any way, and the protesting cries of Pikachu faded to the back of his mind as he stared in shock at Misty.
He hadn't seen her in a year, but she looked exactly the same. The unmistakable hair, the gentle face, the piercing blue eyes that had haunted him for so long. It was her alright. He had no doubt in his mind that she had been invited there by Gary, which somehow settled him slightly. After the Johto League, Ash had been clueless as to what had happened between Gary and Misty, and was still as worried as the day she left about her happiness. A happiness that he had selfishly denied her for a year before she left him.
The two teenagers stared at each other for well over 30 seconds, until Pikachu suddenly ran up to Misty and jumped into her arms, nearly bowling her over in her shocked state.
"Pikachu Pi!" it exclaimed, happily nuzzling against Misty's arms. She slightly smiled, admitting to herself that she had missed the feel of Pikachu's fur against her skin.
"Hi Pikachu" she greeted it quietly. She stroked its back, but soon moved her gaze over to where Ash was still standing. He gulped in response and slowly walked over, their eyes still glued to each other. As he stood in front of her, Misty sighed, not sure whether she was happy to see him or not.
"H-hi Misty" Ash stammered, desperately wanting to rid the awkwardness between them. It wasn't like he hadn't been expecting it, but still hated it.
"How's it going, Ash?" Misty asked calmly, trying to shield the nervousness that was circulating throughout her.
"Not bad" Ash replied easily, sending Misty into a state of surprise. She was expecting to get an angry or sarcastic remark back in her face, but decided to play it to her advantage.
"Good, good." She went quiet, running out of conversation as she did so. She lowered her gaze to the ground, unable to meet him in the eyes. She couldn't deny there was something different about him, but she had to wonder if it was just the awkwardness of the moment.
"Misty!" Misty's head whirled round as the front door to the Oak household opened and Gary walked out, fully dressed and a smile dominating his face. Misty inwardly cringed. This was not the most ideal situation in the world.
"Gary" Ash muttered, now also averting his stares. Gary raised an eyebrow and walked up to the two of them, casually placing an arm around Misty's shoulders as he did so.
"Hi Ash. You training for the Indigo League?" he asked. Ash meekly nodded, feeling about the size of a Digglet. "Cool. We might see you there." We. Could Gary have emphasised the word any more?
"You never know" Ash mumbled. "Anyways, we're off to do some training. No time to waste." Pikachu's face fell in disappointment. It wanted to stay longer with Misty, and Ash sensed this, sending it a stern look to stop its forthcoming protests.
"Okay. Good luck Ash" Gary said, his tone seemingly friendly. Ash nodded, his eyes finding their way back to Misty, who reluctantly handed back Pikachu. He wondered if he had just been imagining it, but he could've sworn Misty had tears in her eyes.
"Bye Ash" she barely whispered. Ash slightly smiled and turned away, as did Misty and Gary.
"You've missed him, haven't you?" Gary immediately asked as they walked in. Misty was caught off guard but knew how terrible a liar she was, and she didn't want to be lying to Gary of all people.
"I never realised it until today." Gary sighed as she finished speaking and she mentally panicked. "Gary please, don't get mad, he...he was my best friend. I thought I'd buried him in the depths of my mind, but seeing him today...it just -"
"Flooded the memories back, huh?" Gary asked. Misty shrugged and walked up to him.
"But don't worry. Just don't. I came here to be with you and I've been with you this past year because I love you." As she finished speaking, she placed a soft kiss on his lips, as if she were confirming it. "Ash knew we could never be friends again, we both knew, it was too late by the time I left." Gary nodded and smiled down at her.
"Can you blame me for being just a little worried? Any guy who sees you would want you."
"You didn't want me when you first saw me" Misty teased. Gary laughed.
"That's cos I was too stupid to think straight. Look, if you've missed Ash, which I can tell you have, you can hang out with him while you're here, there is nothing stopping you. Not even me" he reassured her.
"I dunno" Misty said uncertainly. "He might not be too thrilled about the whole idea."
"Are you kidding? He'd love to catch up with you again. Even before the whole incident last year, it was easy to see you two were the closest of friends."
"Yeah, before the arguing and the teasing became too serious and we drifted apart" Misty said sadly. "It might just be too awkward."
"But it might not" Gary argued. "You don't have to think about it now, don't even think about it. If you wanna cruise over there at any time, don't let me or Grandpa or anyone stop you, okay?" He searched her eyes for her approval and she slowly nodded, a smile coming to her lips.
"Thankyou Gary. I never thought you'd be the one saying something like that."
"Yeah yeah. I just know Ash would find you a whole lot easier to forgive than he would find for me" Gary pointed out. Misty nodded and suddenly realised she was still in her robe.
"Hey, I better go get changed" she slightly laughed.
"Well you've got a whole damn ensuite to yourself, don't think you'll have any trouble doing that" Gary grinned. Misty smiled and quickly kissed his cheek.
"Be back in a minute" she promised. Gary watched her run up the stairs and couldn't help feeling a twinge of panic in his heart. He was wondering if he had just made a huge mistake by letting Misty visit Ash. But it wasn't like he could stop her from going. Besides, he told himself, she had already told him twice that she loved him, and that was enough of a barrier for Ash to have to get over if he ever had the urge to grab his girl. Gary sighed, mentally yelled at himself for worrying so needlessly and walked into the kitchen to start preparing some kind of breakfast.
A/N: And there is chapter one! Yeeha! lol, anyways, please review, egoshippings are not my forte so you gotta be brutally honest! This was not easy for me to write! Thanks guys, you're the coolest! (o^_^o)