Johanna was worried. She was worried about her daughter. Of course, this was nothing new, she worried about Dawn constantly, but it had always been in the way that most mothers worry about their children. This type of worrying, the kind that gnawed away at you, was the result of a phone call she had gotten from her daughter a couple of days ago. They had chatted about Dawn's progress as a coordinator, how she and her Pokemon were doing, but toward the end of the conversation Dawn had said what was at the root of Johanna's worry.

"I have to tell you something mom, but I have to do it face to face."

Johanna's mind had been firing off various ideas as to what her daughter had to tell her that was so major she had to come home to do it. Had she been diagnosed with some rare disease? Had she been assaulted? Had something happened to one of her Pokemon? Was she doing drugs? Had she accidentally killed someone?

At the chime of the doorbell, Johanna ran to the door, desperate to see her daughter. When she opened it, she not only saw her daughter, who was looking perfectly okay and whole, but also her friend Zoey.

"Hi, mom," Dawn greeted, giving her mother a hug.

"Hi, Mrs. Berlitz," Zoey said and Johanna noted the hint of nervousness in her tone.

"Hi, honey. Hi, Zoey," Johanna looked intently at her daughter, "So what is it you need to tell me?"

At this, Dawn moved next to Zoey, and Johanna couldn't help notice that the two girls were holding hands. "Zoey and I, we're um…we're dating."

The relief that Johanna felt was indescribable. "For Arceus sake, Dawn, I thought something had happened to you."

She had to stifle a laugh and the shocked look on her both her daughter's and Zoey's faces.

"You're not…mad, that I'm dating another girl?" Dawn asked, her voice tinged with nerves.

Johanna smiled, "It's something I'll have to get used to, but you picked a good one," at this Zoey smiled sheepishly.

"Hey mom, Zoey and I were going to go to the lake. Is that okay?"

Johanna made a show of looking like she was in deep thought, "Hmmm, I suppose. Just make sure you two are back for dinner," she glanced at Zoey, "And don't get into any trouble."

The way Zoey said, "yes ma'am," let Johanna know that the red headed girl got the meaning.

Dawn grinned at Zoey, and grabbed her hand. "See you later, mom!" she called, already dragging Zoey out the door.

Johanna chuckled to herself and closed the door behind the two girls. Dawn dating Zoey was something she'd hadn't been expecting, but it sure beat what she had been.