Helllooooo, my beautiful readers and welcome to my first update of 2016! I just want to say before I let you start, happy belated new year and happy reading this slightly longer chapter Only the Young and Foolish :)

Chapter 4

Leaf awoke the next day and was discharged from hospital after a quick check up from the doctor. It seemed Gary had taken up her offer of leaving her alone if he didn't want to be involved with their child. Leaf surprised herself. She didn't expect it to be so hard to take; after all, Gary wasn't exactly her friend per say.

Misty had left the flat by the time she returned home, giving Leaf plenty of time to rest and dwell on that fact that she was about to make her first appointment with an obstetrician. Her hands shook as she dialled the number that she had found online for the clinic on the other side of town. Leaf had always imagined this moment to be a glorious first: her first baby related phone call; her first baby with her first and only husband. She had expected this moment to be fill of joy and excitement, not the shame and nerves that she felt now.

Within a few rings, someone picked up at the other end and before she knew it, she had booked her first appointment for her baby. On Friday her and the little life within her would see a doctor. Alone. No boyfriend, husband or partner.

Pushing the thought aside, Leaf finally checked her messages from her phone yesterday.

A text from Misty saying Where are you? xxx followed by three voice messages and a few texts and missed calls from Melody checking in on Leaf.

She had decided that Melody was not a priority- she'd see her at work on Monday- Misty was and she was going to be difficult to convince that Leaf was okay if the truth about her hospital stay came to light. Leaf let out a yawn then climbed under her sheets and laid there for barely a few seconds before she drifted off in the familiarity of her own bed.

The aroma of lunch wafted into Leaf's room as she awoke, causing the brunette to awaken from her semi-conscious state. She slowly peeled her duvet off her body and clambered out of bed and into the kitchen.

"Oh, hey Leaf." Misty greeted when she noticed Leaf's presence. "I didn't know you were in."

"Yeah, I got back late last night and slept in today. It's what Sundays are for." Leaf answered casually.

"I see, I was wondering where you were last night."

"What's for lunch?" Leaf quickly changed the subject.

"I made some soup. It'll be ready in a few. Can you grab some cutlery out?" Misty asked as she sliced the baguette up and laid it out on a tray.

Leaf nodded and grabbed some spoons and bowls out from the cupboards.

There was a brief knock on the door before it opened up, revealing Ash.

"Hey guys," he greeted. He was still dressed in his pyjamas and his hair was pointing in all directions. "What's for lunch?"

"Misty's made soup." Leaf answered.

"Great!" Ash cheered.

The trio settled down for lunch on the couch. Leaf sat cross-legged on the floor with her bowl on the coffee table while Ash and Misty sat on the couch and somehow managed to balance their hot bowls in their hands.

"So how was work last night?" Ash asked, "I heard from Melody about your fall last night."

"What fall?" Misty asked.

"It was nothing." Leaf quickly dismissed. She really didn't think Misty would ever find out about it. "Just a small fall."

"Really? I heard from Melody that you were taken to hospital by Gary." Leaf really wished that Ash would shut up.

"Oh my god, Leaf. Are you okay?" Misty asked, concerned about Leaf.

"Yeah, I'm totally fine. I mean, they didn't even keep me in." Leaf lied. She really felt it was unnecessary to go into details about why it was vital for her to stay overnight in hospital. "I came home and slept like a log!"

Misty looked at Leaf before deciding that she had given a sufficient answer. "Okay, but the next time something like that happens you better call me!" Of course, Misty could not let Leaf off the hook without a mild scold at least.

"So what's the plan for later?" Ash asked, changing the subject.

"Come back here for dinner then pub golf starting at the The Ghastly down the road. Think we've to meet everyone there at nine." Misty answered. (A/N: Pub golf is a social event where by a group of people dressed like golfers travel from pub to pub, completing set tasks of drinking certain alcoholic drinks in varying quantities. Ironically alcoholic punishments are given to those who fail to complete the alcoholic task… Those who fail to dress as if they are going golfing are also punished with drinks.)

Leaf had totally forgotten that they were supposed to be meeting at the pub for another day of deadline submission celebrations. At least now Leaf had a good alibi for skipping.

"I might give it a miss. I feel like I can use a night in bed."

"Are you sure you're okay, Leaf? I can stay with you tonight if you want." Misty offered.

"No need. All I'm going to do is sleep so you might as well go out. At least one of us should enjoy the night."

"I guess... But call me if anything happens."

Leaf smiled back at her friend. She really appreciated how kind and caring Misty was to her friends but knowing how kind and caring she is made her worry what Misty would treat her like if she knew about the pregnancy.

Leaf felt as fresh as she could, after having only a couple hours of sleep. In her bed, she could hear Misty return from pub golf, trying her best to enter the flat quietly but the clutter of noises seemed to prove that she was failing miserably. She was intoxicated, after all.

Leaf managed a small bowl of cereal before she set off to her first antenatal appointment across town, not far from where she had met Gary to inform him of their mishap days earlier. She set out early enough to miss the rush hour traffic on the underground; though it was likely that she would be caught up in it on her way back later.

Standing before the hospital ward was when things really hit Leaf; the waves of nerves and nausea, fear and on some level, excitement, was more than she could bare. She could feel her limbs become increasingly limp as she stood for a good few minutes, watching people enter and leave the hospital, each expressing different emotions through their bodies. But what made her hurt and tear up wasn't the look of sad expressions and hunched shoulders but the beaming smiles of couples, who were clearly expecting a child with the one they love.

In people's mind, it has always been assumed that becoming a mother in a happy family was not a difficult task but for Leaf, she had always thought differently. To wake up and see the man she loved playing with their very own child seemed much harder than hitting the books or running a marathon and to her, that had always seemed like the ultimate prize in life.

"Are you alright there?" asked a voice behind Leaf.

The brunette had barely managed to catch a glimpse of the voice's owner before she blacked out.

"Ah, she's waking up."

Leaf's eyes slowly opened catching site of the young nurse moving aside for a young doctor to make his way through. "What happened?" Leaf croaked, her throat felt abnormally dry.

"You passed out while you were standing outside." The doctor said as he took down some information on a clipboard and then shone a bright light into Leaf's eyes. "I saw you standing outside from quite far down the road when I was heading in and you were still standing there by the time I got closer. You were looking quite pale too."

"I'm fine." Leaf managed to croak. "What time is it?" She asked, suddenly remembering why she was at the hospital. She reached over and grabbed the doctor's arm and pushed his sleeve up, peeking at his watch before attempting to stand up. She was late for her first appointment.

"Not yet, young lady, just let me finish." The doctor put a hand up to meet Leaf's forehead, stopping her from making her dramatic exit. "I've just got a few more routine checks and questions to ask before I can discharge you."

"Fine, but hurry or I'll have my appointment cancelled." Leaf pouted.

"Now, according to your driver's licence your name is Leaf Green, am I correct?" He asked and glanced up at Leaf for approval before continuing. "Your body was dehydrated so we've given you some fluid."

Leaf had somehow failed to notice that the nurse was in the midst of removing tape and a needle connected to a bag from her arm, maybe because her, mind was occupied by the fact that they had been into her bag and seem her bad driver licence photo.

"Now, since we managed to find you on our computer system, I take it you know that you're pre-"

"Yes." Leaf cut in abruptly. She did not need another reminder. "And I'm supposed to be at my appointment now." Leaf said as she hopped onto her feet.

"It's okay. We have been in contact with the obstetrics' department and we've changed your appointment time. After collapsing like that, it is important to be examined now rather than later."

The nurse was dismissed to tend to other patients round the ward as Leaf headed out of the room. Her hand had touched door handle when the doctor called out to her.

"I'll show you the way down."

"Thanks." Leaf mumbled before she opened the door up for both herself and the doctor whose name tag she finally managed to catch a glimpse of. Doctor Proctor. An unusually rhythmic name for a young, tall and somewhat attractive brunet. Leaf couldn't help but wonder if he became a doctor just for the rhyming title or was it an unfortunate accident that he didn't realise until he was qualified.

The walk down the first corridor was silent and awkward. Leaf didn't know what to say to the man, so instead she chose to study his looks. His head of slightly tussled up brown hair and bright eyes that made her feel nostalgic of the tree trunks of the forest back home back in Pallet Town, both comforting yet dangerous at the same time.

"So, Leaf, what do you do?" Doctor Proctor asked her, breaking her thought of home.

"I'm a student." Leaf answered with no further detail than necessary.

"What do you study?"

"Regeneration and Development of Stem Cells."

"Sounds smart."

"Coming from a doctor?" Leaf questioned with a raised brow. Her head was cocked up towards him and at the look of his face, she started giggling hysterically.

"What?" He asked her, confusion smeared across his delicate features.

"Nothing." Leaf replied once she'd calmed down and the atmosphere between the settled back into silence, although a more relaxed one this time.

"I know it's not my business but do you know what you want to do next?" He asked, referring to her unborn child.

"I've always wanted to get a PHD in Stem Cell Research but it seems my next steps are going slightly differently than planned…" Leaf had to admit that she hadn't thought everything through. She had always dreamed of being a top scientific researcher in her chosen field and be a wife to an intelligent and handsome man and a doting mother to at least one child, ideally a girl, and live in a modest house in the countryside. "I guess I'll have to leave the PHD dream for a few years."

"You know, keeping it isn't the only option… Anyway, we're here." Doctor Proctor said as he stopped in front of a door midway down a long, but quiet and almost empty corridor.

"Thanks." Leaf replied before knocking on the door and heading in, bidding a goodbye as she moved. The option of abortion once again back in her mind.

Leaf's early morning trip to the hospital had taken much longer than expected. But on the plus side, she had managed to avoid the morning rush hour on the train back and had managed to get a seat. It was barely eleven by the time Leaf made it back to her flat and judging by the undisturbed plates from the day before, Misty was still not awake.

Leaf took the opportunity to examine her baby scan photo with more care. In silence of the flat, she could hear her own breath as she ran a finger over her baby. There was an absence of any distinguishable features but already she felt an overwhelming love for this child that she had only been aware of inside her for less than a fortnight and it was at that moment that she knew abortion was not an option.

She sat for a few moments longer before she became aware of the sound of shuffling in Misty's room and the door creaking open. The scans had immediately been shoved carefully back into the yellow envelop in Leaf's bag before the ginger-haired girl stumbled out of her room, looking worse for wear. It took Misty a while before she noticed Leaf perched on the couch.

"You're up early." Misty yawned as she ruffled her own hair then pulled the hood of her dressing gown up. Her arms wrapped round one of the cushions on the couch.

"It's almost like half eleven." Leaf pointed out.

Misty chose to ignore Leaf's point and instead snuggled further into her fluffy cushion and slide deeper into the couch.

"So what's the gossip from last night?" Leaf asked she got up and poured Misty a glass of water.

"Thanks." Misty accepted the glass and temporarily loosened her hold on the cushion. "Lemme try and remember… Dawn failed at every challenge, Drew may have hooked up with that brunette girl that works at the Old Tavern..."

"Are you talking about May?" Ash asked, suddenly appearing at the door with his Pikachu onesie on. He marched over to the island in the open kitchen and poured himself a glass of water. Leaf was surprised at how energetic he looked for someone who had been on a bender the night before.

"Yeah, that's the girl." Misty said. "What else happened last night? I can't remember much of it."

"You got into a fight with a bouncer." Ash said and Leaf snorted at the news.

"What happened?"

"She tried to steal a bottle of tequila."

"Misty, what have I told you about stealing?" Leaf teased.

"Only do it when you're distracting the bartender." Misty muttered. "At least I didn't get beaten up."

"Who got beaten up?" Leaf asked.

"Melody." Ash replied. "She got into a cat fight with some other girl after she saw Gary flirting with her."

"Oh." Leaf didn't know what to say. It wasn't the first time that an incident involving Melody, Gary and a third party female had happened before but hearing about it now in her condition felt much harder to take. Clearly it didn't take him long to get over the news nor did it take him long to decide to take her up on the offer of leaving her alone.

"Needless to say Gary then had this massive argument with Melody and she went off in a huff. Thankfully it was the end of the night then so the main event wasn't ruined." Ash pointed out optimistically. "That aside though, pub golf was a huge success!"

"A lot of people were disappointed that you weren't there." Misty said, feeling better. Her throbbing head was slowly retreating and the conversation of last night's events was bringing back more of her memories from the night before, many she'd rather not remember.

"I know. It was my suggestion as well…" Leaf pouted.

"Well, it wasn't the same without you if that makes you feel any better." Ash chimed.

"I bet it wasn't." Leaf said, "Gutted I missed it though."

"We can go to the pub later to make up for it." Ash suggested and earned a groan in response from Misty.

"We can go to the pub but I am not drinking." Misty said.

Ash and Leaf looked at each other then laughed in response, for they knew that that was in fact a complete lie.

The rest of the day passed pretty normally. Leaf had managed to stash her scans and related paper work away in one of her many folders in the box under her bed while she started packing a small bag to take home with her next week. Misty had spent most of the day on the couch with her DVD boxset of Downtown Abbey, countless glasses of water, a loaf of bread and jam on the coffee table since Leaf is incapable of cooking anything edible and Ash, as they had found out as soon as they started watching the tele, was still drunk and felt that Downtown Abbey, Misty's favourite show, required "modern day English" translation and commentary.

By the time dinner rolled round, Misty was visibly more refreshed and Ash had shifted from his drunk stage to his hangover stage, whereby tears, tantrums and painkillers were involved. And when the girls managed to convince Ash to change out of his onesie and into more acceptable attire for going out to the pub, the trio left the flat for dinner.

Leaf was glad to get out of the flat. Being in the flat constantly reminded her of the baby and the evidence of its existence under her bed. She was also thankful that they'd made a no alcohol pact before they left.

"That burger was amazing." Leaf said as the waitress took her plate away.

"Agreed. We really need to do this more often." Misty said then took a sip out of her glass of juice.

The pub was fairly quiet, only a few other customers enjoying a meal while some enjoyed a cool drink up at the bar. The pub was always quiet when there were no sporting events on, resulting in cheap meal deals and beers which in turn attracted students like bees to honey.

"I fancy our usual pudding." Leaf said.

"Me too." Misty agreed then looked over at Ash, who was comatose after eating two burgers. "I think Ash is taking a pass on this course though. But it's your turn to order anyway."

"Fine." Leaf pouted then rose to her feet and started towards the bar, purse in hand. There was nothing like a slice of hot chocolate fudge cake and ice cream to end a calorific meal. She hadn't realised the students slowly filing in and cluttering the bar within the short space of time spent deciding whether or not to have cake. Looking at the faces, Leaf recognised many from her course.

"Hey Leaf." Greeted Giselle, "glad you could make it to tonight's pub night. We missed you last night."

Leaf had totally forgotten about the planned pub quiz night. The biological science group leader, Giselle, had planned an end of term pub quiz for tonight. And at that realisation, Leaf suddenly remembered that Gary was also part of the biological science group…

"Yeah, I wasn't feeling all that great last night, but I'm ready for your pub quiz tonight."

"Glad to hear it. It's an open bar for everyone who's part of the group so drink up."

"Great." Leaf smiled even deep down at that very moment, she dreaded those two words. Why were all the fun things happening now? Forgetting about her original task, Leaf returned to her seat. "Turns out the big biological society night out is tonight and I totally forgot!" Leaf said as soon as she plopped herself back down in her seat.

"I heard the bio students are wild." Misty commented.

"Any other night I'd be all for pretending to be a bio student but not tonight. I can feel the remnant of last night's drinks churning in my stomach along with that burger." Ash commented, temporarily regaining consciousness.

"It's a good thing we didn't order you any cake then." Misty said.

"Ah! I forgot t-" Leaf suddenly remembered that she had forgotten about the desserts when Giselle appeared over the empty seat at their table.

"You left this at the bar Leaf, and we're about to start the quiz soon since just about everyone has checked in. You better go find a group before they're all full! Remember, teams must contain between two and five people." Giselle ushered before bouncing off in an uncharacteristically energetic fashion.

"Well guess it's gonna be discount cake for us then." Misty concluded, referring to the post 8PM discount on baked goods at their local shop. "I'll see you later."

"Aren't you guys staying?" Leaf asked.

"Nah, I think Ash might end up in hospital if he has another drop of anything that's not water."

"Maybe I'll come home with you guys. I'm not sure if I-"

"Oh no you don't, Leaf, this is our last pre-Christmas social event and you are not missing it. I'm counting on you to get the party going!" Giselle interrupted and dragged the brunette over to the crowd, giving her no time to say goodbye. "Ah, Gary, glad you made it!" Giselle smiled, "We're about to start the pub quiz. Why don't you two pair up since you don't have a group?" She suggested before heading to a small podium-like desk where the microphone was set up and several papers were laid out in piles.

Leaf peeked at Gary out of the corner of her eye and she could see that Gary was blatantly staring back at her. Didn't he feel at all uncomfortable after their last encounter two nights ago?

"Are you in or not?" Gary asked, his tone seemed to bear no traces of discomposure. "We could use this time to have a proper talk."

"Sure." Leaf replied then followed Gary to a small corner table, slightly further away from the rest of their group and miles away from Giselle who was currently running microphone tests by spewing out the longest words she could think of.

Gary took his seat first before Leaf sat down and shuffled about, trying to settle in. How did she usually place her arms when she is out at a pub with the father of her unborn child who, as it stands, seems to be dissociating himself from said baby? Is arms on lap an acceptable sitting position? The pair waited for all the papers relating to the quiz to be handed out before either of them spoke a word.

"In hind sight I may have come across slightly harsh last night." Leaf had given her words a lot of thought during the silence. She had recognised that she had sprung a lot of information on him in a short space of time. Gary opened his mouth to speak, only to be met with Leaf's hand, signalling him to hold on, "But I stand by what I said the other night. Since then, I've been to see an obstetrician and just being in that room and answering all the questions and talking about it made everything sink in. There's no way I'm giving up the baby."

Gary tried to speak and again he was met with Leaf's hand.

"Let me finish." Leaf said then continued on, "I also stand by what I said about you wanting to be involved. If you want to be then you are by all means welcome but if not… That's fine too. I will do this with or without your help." Leaf stopped and took a breath. "I'm done now."

"Thinking back, I might've been slightly harsh too that night." Gary started then ran a hand through his hair. "I've been thinking about things too and I do want to be involved."

Leaf let out a sigh of relief. She had no idea up until then how much she wanted her child to have a father figure in its life.

"But," Gary continued on, "I want to keep this between us."

"What?" Leaf asked.

"I don't want anyone except me, you, our parents and your doctor knowing that I'm the father."

"I'll see what I can do." Leaf made no guarantees about keeping his identity a secret but at least their talk went better than last time.

"Anyway, we should probably pay attention to the questions if we want to win this quiz." Gary said then picked up the pen.

"Sure." Leaf smiled, "This can be our first team building exercise." She then grabbed the pen off Gary and took over.

I hope this instalment will suffice for now, my wonderful readers! As always, let me know what you think and I shall see you again real soon!

silver-hedgehog

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