Hello, Pearlshippers! I'm back with a new and final chapter! I hope this thing works for you because I worked hard for this. Anyways, enjoy and REVIEW or FAVORITE it.:D

(Ash's POV)

Dawn! Dawn!

Here I am, trying to find the girl I've hurt in the wide and dark forest. I ran and ran and ran, trying to find her. Where is she? I didn't know. But, my mind tells me to go and find where she is because this is my fault. I hurt her. I just told her the truth that I really don't know what I feel about her but that wouldn't change the fact that I was the one who made her feel a lot of pain. Ugh. Why am I feeling like this? I know that I should feel guilty because it was because of me that's why the situation is like this but why do I feel something more than guilt? *sigh* I didn't know why. Oh, why am I thinking of this now if there's a more serious matter in my hands? I better go to Brock and ask for help in finding her.

I used my fastest speed to reach Brock in the shortest time possible. I have to find Dawn. She might be in trouble…Wait! Oh no. Ugh… I was so focused solely on finding Dawn, now I didn't know where I was. Oh man…why now? I really have to find her. If she gets in trouble or worse, I'll never forgive myself. She is my friend. Not just any friend, one of my closest friends.

I'll just have to trust my guts in this. Without giving things a thought, I wandered the entire forest trying to find either Dawn or Brock or both.

As I continue to run in hopes of finding my two companions, all I could really do was wish that I could somehow bump into anyone of them. All this running is so tiring but …It doesn't matter. Even if I'm… tired, I have to find them. I held my chest, gathering the air that I've lost. This has really turned into one horrendous event.

"Ash?"

Hey, I know that voice! That was Brock's. I quickly twisted my head and saw my breeder friend. Still panting, I asked him while in between breaths. "Brock,… did you… see Dawn?"

He looked at me and shook his head.

"Why are you asking me that? She was trying to find you, you know?" He told with a serious expression trailed on his face.

What have I done? Dawn is lost because of me… What am I gonna do now? I looked directly at Brock and tried to explain things in the calmest of ways. "Yeah… I saw her. I suddenly bumped into her when I just finished gathering the firewood." I said to him while showing him the bundle of wood in my arms.

He still stared at me with those squinty –looking eyes.

"So, what happened? Where is she?" He asked, crossing his arms…waiting for an explanation coming from me. I shrugged my shoulders before I told him the continuation of my explanation.

"I don't know where she is right now but let me explain things first. When we met, she was scared, thinking I was a Mightyena or some scary pokemon because I suddenly popped out of the bushes. I told her that there was no need to be scared I'd protect her and then…she told me. Her feelings…Of course, I really didn't expect that so I had no clue on what to tell her. I thought about it and since lying isn't an option, I just told her the truth that I didn't know what I felt about her. Ironic isn't it? After telling that I'll protect her, I was the one who hurt her…" I looked down at the grass, feeling guiltier than ever.

Brock gasped at this. Covering his mouth, he muttered "Ash, how could you?"

I didn't know what I should say to that but he didn't let me finish. So, I told him to let me finish before interrupting.

"Ok…?" He said with uncertainty in his voice.

With that, I coughed on purpose, trying to clear my throat.

"Ok. Then, when I told her that, she cried and cried. I felt guilty, of course but I really didn't know how I should react at the situation. I thought about it fast and when I did come up with something, she ran away. I tried to stop her but she continued on anyway… I tried to find her and I explored every part of the forest just to find her but I had no luck. Since I couldn't find her, I thought that it would be better to find you since if we two search for her, we'll find her much easily."

I looked down again, thinking how mean I am to such a pure-hearted girl and that all of this was my doings. I felt really sad and guilty but for some reason, I felt my heart aching. I really don't know why but I know my heart is crying. But why? Is it just because I know that this was my fault or is it because…Dawn was in pain?

When that thought came to mind, I suddenly remembered when she lost the third time in the Solaceon Town Pokemon contest. I knew that when she found out that she didn't pass the appeals round for the second time, I know how hurtful that was for her and when I saw her like that, my heart felt a pang of pain for no apparent reason. Is that just really friendship or is this what everyone call…love?

"Ash, Ash!"

My train of thoughts was broken by Brock's voice.

"Oh, I'm sorry 'bout that, Brock. I was thinking of something very important."

He twitched his eyes, obviously because I wasn't paying attention to whatever he was talking about.

"What is that and how is that more important than Dawn? It might not be your entire fault but it doesn't cover the fact that you're the one the hurt her! I really thought that you had the same feelings but I guess I was wrong…" He yelled at me, pointing his index finger directly in front of my face. I understand him though since he did have a thing for the girls.

"Ok, let's find Dawn, now! You go there!" He said, pointing at the left direction. "And I'll go there!" He said; this time, he was pointing to the right. I nodded in agreement. With that, he swiftly rushed to the right, leaving me in the dust.

With him out of sight, all I could do was look at the ground in shame.

"Oh, Dawn… I'm so sorry… Because of me, you have to experience such suffering…" I mumbled with a tear dropping from my eyes. She didn't do anything bad to me. In fact, I was the one who hurt her so why am I crying? Tears fell down one after another, even if I didn't really have full understanding of why I was crying. The only thing that I found as a valid reason was because Dawn was in pain. I could feel it. She's so heartbroken right now…because of me…all because of me…

"Oh c'mon, Ash. You should find Dawn first!" I told myself with a weak slap on the cheek. Shifting my body to the right, I dropped the pieces of wood and dashed to that direction, looking for the blunette.

As I ran, I would look from left to right and vice versa as I might see Dawn doing that. I have already run a long distance but Dawn is more important right now.

After a few minutes while I was running frantically in hopes to find Dawn, I stopped all of a sudden while I was standing behind a pile of thick bushes. Right there in the middle of a couple of trees was female figure sitting on a stump who wore a beanie as headgear. Due to translucent light provided by the moon, her skin glowed and gave off a glorious luster. I was amazed by the sight so I walked silently to see who that was. Hiding behind one of the trees, I realized that was Dawn! I smiled after seeing her ok…at least physically but it was immediately replaced by sadness. She was there, covering her eyes with both hands, shedding tears just because of me. I wanted to talk to her but I have to be sure that I don't mess up again. All I could do at the moment was to watch her from here.

Normal POV

"So this is how it feels…to not be loved by the one you loved." She finally revealed her face. She was still beautiful but her tears were only hindering her natural beauty. "I finally understand Brock." She cracked up a joke, attempting to cheer herself up but that obviously didn't work.

As Ash witnessed firsthand how miserable Dawn was, he began to shed tears of his own.

"I'm so sorry Dawn. I'm sorry… please stop… It hurts me so bad to see you sad." He said sadly and weakly from afar so obviously, the blunette did not hear a single word he muttered.

"I wonder…what if…I fell for Kenny instead. Would that be better? I know that she loved me but…" Dawn asked no one in particular, still crying.

Ash heard this and for some reason, he felt a painful shock in his chest.

"Why did it hurt to hear that? Is this…what it feels to be jealous?" Ash asked himself as he continued to watch over the weeping blunette.

"If I could make one wish…just one wish… I wish Kenny was the one I loved instead so I wouldn't be hurt like this."

Ash heard this as well and it sent a much more painful shock in his heart. He couldn't take to hear those anymore. It hurt him a lot, hearing this from Dawn. He held on to his chest and tried to feel its heartbeat. It was beating fast for no apparent reason. He thought about it hard, trying to figure out the reason. He glanced at the blunette once more and he finally came to a realization.

"How stupid can I get? All this time…all this time. I loved Dawn but I was too dense to even notice. I thought she was a friend so it was normal but after this, I realized it was not. I loved her… but I hurt her…This much…"

Tears formed again and dropped down to the grassy land. He wanted to approach her now but his mind and heart was debating on what to do. His mind was telling me to let her chill down a bit but his heart said otherwise. His heart told me to go to her and comfort her. He have no clue on what to do. He was scared to hurt her again. He wouldn't want to make her more miserable so he really didn't know what action to take.

While he was preoccupied, thinking of what to do, Dawn muttered something again.

"I wish that after this, Ash would still treat me as a friend at least. I know that wouldn't be a problem but I don't even know if I'm ready to treat him as a friend after this."

Ash, although preoccupied, heard that as well and that triggered him to do something now. He knew what he had to do. Even if it might be too late, he wanted to tell him his own feelings towards the blunette. He just decided to let his heart do the talking so without giving things much thought, she approached her. Sneaking behind the girl's back, he placed his hand on her shoulders. With his hand making contact with his shoulders, the blunette flinched and stood up to see the boy who broke her heart.

"W-what are you doing here, Ash?" Dawn asked while sobbing.

He didn't respond to that; what he did was wrap his arms around the blunette's body. Initially, she was shocked and grew wide-eyed but that didn't take long as she hugged back and placed her chin on the boy's shoulder with a smile forming on her face. Dawn was more than happy as her tears gradually stopped over time. Both had felt a hot but soothing feeling inside them. If they would've had a choice, they wouldn't want to break apart but they had to, whether they like it or not.

The moment they're bodies separated, Ash shed tears again as he gazed at the blunette's sapphire ones. She was clueless on why the boy in front of him was crying but she wanted to know.

"Why are you crying, Ash?"

Ash shook his head and smiled weakly at the girl.

"I am so sorry, Dawn… because of me, you have to experience such pain…just because of me, you were hurt this much…"

This time, it was Dawn's turn to shake her head. " I understand, Ash. I know you were only being honest so No need-"

She stopped right before she could finish her favorite catchphrase as she wasn't sure if she still believed in that little saying. She looked away so Ash wouldn't notice that tears started to form again. Too bad for her, Ash quickly took notice of this and using his hands, he turned the girl's face towards him. Dawn couldn't resist but she could still turn her eyes away so she did. Ash stopped her, however.

"Please, Dawn. Please, at least look at me…" he pleaded; the girl shifted her gaze to the boy but she didn't say anything.

"I am so sorry that I was so dense to realize that… I love you, too. It might be too late to say that but-"

Ash's eyes widened when he was interrupted by Dawn's lips. At first, he didn't know what to do as he was only at the process of analyzing what was occurring right now but he didn't say that he didn't like it. He loved it so he kissed back soon. That kiss was a passionate one but it was rather simple. It wasn't too mature but also not too childish. They stayed like that for a while with both not wanting to let go but instincts itself would be the one to push them apart. After a couple of seconds, they broke free, gathering up a new batch of oxygen.

Although Ash knew that Dawn was now fine as she was grinning like her old self, he still felt bad about it.

"I am so sorry, Dawn. I've hurt you so I think you don't deserve a nobody like me." He told the girl, in a tone that was obviously filled with sadness.

Dawn instead, held the boy's hand and shook her head slowly with a sweet smile plastered on her face.

"I don't care, Ash."

"But-"

"It's alright. No need to worry!"

So how was it? I'm not sure if it was good but I did exert a lot of effort in this so please, give me your insights at least so I could even get a small reward for this. Pleeeeease. ^_^