~*~

Coming Back

~*~

It was a beautiful day; just as beautiful a day as the days in the previous week. It was quite ironic really, that it was such a lovely day. I mean, you'd expect it to be grey, drizzly and depressing, thought Ash, as he stood in the bright, sunny churchyard, trying his hardest to close his ears to the sobs all around him. Pikachu sat at his feet, her ears dropped and a sad expression on her face.

He couldn't see his mother anywhere; he guessed it had just been way too much for her gentle soul to bear, and imagined that Brock most probably led her inside to the shade, where she could cry privately. She was funny about that, his mom.

Ash shoved his gloved hands into the pockets of his grubby jeans, squinting as he braved the sunlight to watch his best friend, standing by a meaningless stone pillar, crying her broken heart out. The folds in Ash's squinting face uncreased, as he walked towards the redhead sadly. He reached out, and touched her on the shoulder, trying his hardest to comfort her.

His face fell as she didn't even acknowledge his gesture in the slightest, and chewing on his bottom lip self-consciously, he withdrew his hand, cramming it back in his pocket. Conceding her need to be alone, he took a few steps backwards.

Misty was a wreck. She had spent most of her early childhood learning to be alone - but now she was scared to death of the prospect. Scenes from the last few days raced through her head, causing a headache to parallel with the ache in her chest.

~*Flashback*~

Misty pressed her nose and her palms right up against the clear window, uncaring if she smudged it. She sighed; she felt like her skin was the only thing stopping her from going everywhere at once. Her older sister, Lily slid into the seat next to her, wearing a short blue skirt, and tight green top. Lily blinked her large blue eyes and twirled a ringlet of bright pink hair around one perfectly manicured finger.

"So, is he like, coming?"

"Mmmhmm,"

"Togetic teleported straight to Mount Silver…"

she asked, in excitement. Misty verified, hardly able to stop herself grinning as she hugged her knees closer to her body. "That's a good thing right?" she asked, suddenly. "I mean, he wouldn't be coming if it wasn't good news…right?" Lily smiled genuinely at her little sister, and nodded. she murmured, "and she found him there, and gave him the note…" Lily noticed that she was clutching a small piece of paper in her hand, and reached for it. Misty gave it to her without hesitation. It was a scrap torn off the bottom of the original note, with the words 'I'm coming back' scrawled hastily on it.~*End Flashback*~

"He promised me he was coming back,"

Misty sobbed, as Brock held her soothingly in his arms. "He should have been out of that stupid cave by then! Why? Why was he still there, Brock?" Brock quietly stroked the top of her hair until she fell quiet in his arms, her body still wracking with silent sobs.

Ash stood on the other side of the room, in respectful silence. He hated seeing her like this. He hated being powerless to help. He watched as Tracey stood up, and took the still form of Misty's from Brock's lap, picking her up as if she weighed nothing and carrying her up the stairs.

Quietly, Tracey tucked Misty into Ash's bed and shut the door on the two. Ash stood, Pikachu by his side in the darkness. Something in his chest wrenched as he heard her begin to cry again, but this time her tears were different. They were softer, more desperate, and displayed a lot more pain than her hysterical sobbing earlier had.

Still unsure of what to do, Ash scratched the back of his head, and moved silently over to his bed, sitting down in the empty space where Misty's body curved into a semi-circular shape under the covers. He ran his hands down her bare arms, as she clutched the dampening covers tightly in her fist.

"All this for me, Myst?"

Ash whispered, hearing his voice crack inside him. He wished that he could hold her in his arms and cry along with her.

~*Flashback*~

"O-okay Misty, now don't like, freak out or anything…"

"W-what is it guys?"

"There was a like, cave-in at Mount Silver…"

"Well…well…that's awful…"

"Misty…Ash was still in the cave,"

"I-It's okay,"

Aspiring Pokémon Trainer Dead,

began Daisy, as she looked around at Violet and Lilly for support. Both avoided her eye contact, Lily bearing a pained expression on her face.Misty asked, warily, her earlier happiness fading away, and a feeling of dread replacing it. It was one of those times, those times where you know bad news is coming, and you'd do anything not to hear it, not to make it true, but you know you have to listen.confessed Daisy, her musical voice dropping a few octaves. Misty's eyes darted around the room. Her lips itched to smile, but she didn't know why.she began carefully. "I'm glad that Ash got out of there to come back then…" She smiled around at her sisters, but they all avoided her gaze. Her expression sobered, and she felt a cold feeling slip into her throat. "What?"Violet, the normally quietest sister spoke up, genuine sadness apparent in her voice. Misty forced herself to laugh.she murmured, more to herself than to her sisters. "Ash has come across much worse things than a pile of rocks falling on him! I bet he got out, I bet he's on the road back to Pallet right now, I bet…I bet…" Misty's voice trailed off as she saw Daisy shake her head sadly, and hold out the newspaper. the headline on the Cerulean Blue Gazette screamed out at her.

A wave of nausea overcame her, and she sunk to the floor. Later, she couldn't recall if she threw up or not; she just remembers sitting on the cold tiled floor of the Cerulean Gym reception area, feeling the coldness in her throat sink down and diffuse throughout her entire body till she was numb all over.

~*End Flashback*~

"Oh Misty," murmured Ash, as he stroked her hair. He knew she couldn't feel it, but it was comforting to him. "Do you know how happy I was when I got your note? How happy that I knew it wasn't just me? But I was in one of the off-limit areas in Mount Silver. In too deep. I'm so stupid, I know. I know."

Ash moved off the bed, changing his position so he was kneeling down, his face level with hers. It seemed surreal - he was here, cradling her face but even if she were to open her eyes she would not feel nor see him. But he could even feel the wetness from her tears on his fingertips.

"I guess I'm a ghost,"

"You won't remember this, but somehow, I know you'll know that I came back."

he continued, "because I have 'unfinished business'. I promised my best friend I'd come back to see her, see?" he smiled. His sight was becoming blurred, and he could no longer feel her under his skin. He guessed it was time to leave. "My last thoughts were of you, Misty," he swore, as he felt himself being pulled in different directions.

Misty stirred in her sleep, the blanket that still smelt of him clenched tightly in her fist. The air was dark and still around her.