"Can you see him?" Gary asked worriedly.

"He's not here"

"Cannot see him around"

"Nope"

The mixed answers came from all the directions and it made Gary even more worried. Normally, Gary would never worry for Ash but adding the fact that not he was just his friend but he saw him going down in his doom, Gary couldn't help but worry badly about him. He had a chance and he could have saved him. But he did not. He knew Ash would have jumped for him but he did not. Perhaps it was fear but he was too stubborn to accept it.

"Damn it!" Gary mumbled in frustration. "Why he has to be so stubborn!"

"Don't take it too hard, Gary. It wasn't your fault," Ritchie said, trying to calm down his friend. But his words did the work near to void. Gary wasn't feeling any better and he would not until he would see Ash safe and sound.

"I just don't get it, Ritchie," Gary said out of blue. "Why he had to go after that girl at all?" Gary said, remembering the girl that Ash followed. It was the same girl he jumped after to protect her, but he couldn't be lucky all the time, could he? Ritchie didn't respond but eyed his friend in concern. He wanted to come up in defense for Ash but he could not, knowing that it would not make things any better. And he knew he did not need to answer either. Gary was taking the thing too hard than others, but again you don't see your friend falling to their death every often.

There was something about Ash that had still kept the spark of hope alive in them. 'Never give up till the end,' that was Ash's motto. He born with that, he grew up with that and he lived with that. Maybe that's the reason nobody had given up on Ash yet. Not the mere thought had occurred to them at all.

The group right now was at the scene of that horrible accident that almost left Gary stunned. When the rain died down everybody decided to go and look for him. Gary stared down the same spot where he had last seen Ash. The tree was still rooted in the group in its all might. Gary could still picture Ash in the same situation, holding on the root that was coming out of the ground. It was thick and strong, so that was clever of Ash to hold up on it. However, adding the fact that Ash was holding on that girl as well, not letting her go like his life depends upon her. That picture got him carried away.

"Just be safe, Ash," Gary said.

"Do you think this is the way?" Serena asked nervously. It's not that she didn't trust Ash, but she couldn't trust his mapping skill. In past hour or so she had witnessed him leading both of them to several dead ends. Serena had to remind him of some basic facts over and over again that Ash was ignoring from a while. She even asked him to let her lead them out. Maybe it was his ego or his passion to lead them, specifically her to safety that he did not want her to take over. And she was appreciated for that. Nobody has ever thought this much about her.

"Nope," Ash responded and hooked his arm in a long and strong vine that was coming down from a very high steeped slope. He pulled his arm several times until he was satisfied that it was safe for them to climb up. "But we will never know till we check it out," Ash said and then turned to look at her. "We gotta give it a try. Maybe, just maybe this is the way out"

Serena looked up at the slope and grew more concern. It was long, really long and steep as well. It even seemed to be slippery. She doubted that they could make it to the top at all. Ash read her facial expressions with ease and smiled.

"Here," Ash held on her wrist and pulled her towards him. She was easily tugged in his direction and looked at him with confused expression. Ash handed over the vine to Serena and smiled. "You should go first," he said.

"M-me?" Serena stammered nervously.

"Yes"

"But it seems too dangerous. What if I fell down?" Serena replied in a panic voice. She did not notice how weird it sounds that earlier this day she was preparing to end her life and now she was afraid of the fall. That was the effect Ash had left on her in just some hours.

Ash placed his hands around her arms and gave them a long, gentle and reassuring squeeze. "Take a long breath and relax," Ash said. Serena however didn't do the same. She was still confused why Ash was sending her first. Ash sighed and then looked back at her. He placed his hand over her head and slowly slide down, closing her eyes in process. "Now, relax and take a long breath," Ash said. Serena obeyed without a word. Ash smiled and then slowly turned her around as her back faced his front. He stood behind her and held her hands from behind. He then led them to vine and forced her to hold them.

The moment those vines came in contact with her hands her eyes jerked open and she tried to step back, only to bump into Ash's chest. She looked back and couldn't help but blush and her cheeks flushed a little pink, realizing how close they were. Something about Ash was really attractive to her. She stared back in front in order to hide her blush. Ash didn't notice and that's the only thing that relaxed her at the moment.

"Don't worry, Serena," Ash said and forced her hands back to the vine. "I'll be right behind you. I won't let you fall, again," Ash said, adding a little humor in the last part. Serena smiled in appreciation. She relaxed against him and let him do his work. When her hands finally clamped on the vine Ash let her go. "Alright, start climbing up, one step at a time," Ash explained.

Serena hesitated a bit at first but obeyed him nonetheless. There was no reason for her to not trust him.

"There you go. See, was that so bad?" Ash commented when Serena had managed to climb up around few inches. Taking it as his hint, Ash held the vine tight and started climbing up. However, instead of taking the small steps Ash made quick hops and within the matter of seconds ended up right behind Serena. The sudden force that jerked the vine a little send some force in Serena's body as well and she curiously looked down. Ash was right behind her.

Ash somehow felt her looking down at her. He looked up and smiled at her. She smiled softly and then turned back, slowly climbing up the vine. Ash was following her, trying to keep his balance while looking after Serena as well. As Serena assumed before indeed the slope was slippery. She once accidently stepped on a rock. The rock was pulled out of its place and Serena lost her balance with it. Her legs wobbled and she found herself hanging on the vine. She kept her grip tight on the vine so to not fell down.

"You okay, Serena?" Ash asked in concern.

Serena looked down. She knew that if she would have stared down at the ground that was feet below her legs, she would have lost her consciousness by now. But instead, what came first in her vision was the concern look of Ash. It was genuine and Serena knew that. She just knew.

"Y-Yeah, I'm…I'm fine," Serena respond with hesitation. Her fast breathing started to slow down. She held the vines even tighter and reminded herself that Ash believed in her. He was with her, he said that himself. There was no reason to worry. If he was there for her, Serena knew she was in safe hands. She knew that Ash would never let the world touch her, harm her. He would keep her safe not matter what. She believed in him. She trusted him.

"Are you sure?" Ash asked once again, obviously he wasn't convinced.

Serena sighed deeply. "Yeah Ash, I just lost my grip, that's all," Serena said, a little confidently this time. She then placed her feet back on the sloppy wall and started climbing up, making sure not to place her foot on any other wet and slippery rock.

They keep climbed for what seems to be hours but literally would have taken around fifteen minutes. When Serena placed her hand on the ground, she quickly pulled herself up and then sat down on the cliff. Soon after, Ash climbed up from there as well. When he finally resurfaced, he extended his arms wide and then looked back at Serena who was breathing sighs of relief that they finally made it up to the top.

"You seem quiet better now," Ash said with a toothy grin.

Serena looked at him and smiled sweetly. "Yeah," she just nodded. Honestly, she had many things to say to him right now but she couldn't let them out. She couldn't form the right words to express how amazing she was truly feeling right now, to have Ash by her side. The only regret she had was that she couldn't tell Ash about it.

Ash extended his arm towards her and offered her up. She gladly took it and Ash pulled up with a quick tug. Feeling too week after climbing up, Serena lost her balance immediately and ended up falling against Ash. Her hands rested down his both shoulders and her head past his right shoulder, almost in a hug like condition. Ash's hands were around her arms, holding her in a tight and firm grip. She didn't want it to end but she was too surprised to understand why she did it. But she felt very disappointed when she finally pulled back. Her eyes were wide in shock as she stared at him. A small blush crept over her cheeks and despite her millions try, she couldn't hide it at all.

"I think we should continue or we won't make it to the camp site until the dusk," Ash said, breaking her trance. Serena suddenly snapped and blinked, trying to understand what just happened but Ash just loosen his grip around her and walked past her, her arms slowly sliding out of his hand. Serena stared at him and then at her arm. When his hand finally let go her completely, all the hollow feelings from before started to return. She felt depressed, abandoned. The worst part, it was because of Ash this time. She just couldn't understand what just happened.

Ash would be lying if he said he wasn't feeling awkward. Maybe not embarrassing but this has to be the most awkward moment of his life so far. When Ash offered her his hand, it was an innocent effort to help her but when he pulled her, she fell against him. A weird feeling started running down his spine when her hot breaths countered his ear. He felt his body tensing up and a burning sensational feeling fulfilling a spot in his heart that he never knew existed.

But he felt wrong, to feel this way about Serena. He had just met her and he was already thinking about her this way. She was a nice girl and a friendly material. But the way he thought about her, he was afraid that it would affect their growing relationship.

Serena shook her head and forced a fake smile and followed Ash. But she knew she was feeling really disappointed in Ash that he left her that way. She felt horrible all inside, the way she was used to feel by now. She hated feeling it and therefore she hated herself and her life, for being so miserable to her. As she walked, Serena griped her hands on the straps of her bag and stared down on the ground. Her mind was racing wildly. She had many questions in her head seeking answers but she couldn't satisfy them all. She wanted to know why Ash left her heart all alone. Did not he know how much that hurt her, more than anything else? She considered him close, very close. He was the first person ever she considered her everything. He was her first true friend, a friend that she could count on whenever she would want to; someone who would never let her go and keep her safe from the world; someone that she could completely trust with everything, including her life.

Her constant gaze on the ground didn't let her see where she was going and she bumped into Ash. She retaliated back but then noticed Ash looking at her awkwardly. Was he thinking she was stupid or was that just a concerned look? She did not know. However, when Ash did not start walking again she grew curious.

"What's wrong?" Serena asked in a whispered like sound.

Ash smiled brightly in response and pointed in a direction. Serena followed his point and noticed few people. There were around five people. There were two girls, a brunette with a green bandana wrapped over her head and a blunette girl wearing a cute white dress. Her hairs were covered under a hat that she found a little baggy from distance. Next to them was brunette boy wearing a pair of shirt and pant that were green and blue in shades. He also had a cap and on noticing carefully she found him quiet similar to Ash. There was blonde boy next to him who seemed to be lecturing the blunette girl, that's what she assumed and tilted her head in confusion. The last person her eyes spotted was quiet familiar. She took a moment or two but remembered him as the boy she saw with Ash earlier that day, when Ash was trying to warn her.

"Are these-?"

"Yup," Ash answered before Serena could complete. Serena looked at him for a brief moment before turning back to all of them. Ash then turned back to Serena and held her hand. "Let's go. I think I managed to piss off them all," Ash said and dragged Serena along. She didn't complain but the jerk it sent in her body was pretty harsh for her.

Ash kept running towards the group of teenagers while dragging Serena with him. When he was in the range he started shouting to gain their attention. They first didn't seem to notice but after several shouts they did listen and turned in their direction. A wide smile plastered on their faces as they all ran towards them. Serena found herself growing nervous as the distance between her and the group was decreasing dramatically fast. Even if she found Ash really nice and could assume his friends as nice as he was, she was still nervous. Her past with new or old peoples had never been a good memory. There was always someone to ruin her every moment, to depress her. Those small moments added up one after another and transformed into very big wound in her heart that emotionally hurt her, depressed her. Her grip around Ash's hand started to lose but she couldn't get her hand free as Ash had a really tight grip around her hand.

Ash was almost in front of them now, everyone seemed too happy to see him safe and sound. However, something happened the next moment that took everyone, including Serena off the guard.

"Hey man w-"

Before Ash could complete he was cut short and shoved back very harshly. His grip around Serena's hand completely lost and her hand slipped out. Ash took several steps back before gaining his attention back and Serena looked at him worriedly.

"Have you lost your mind?!"

Serena expected it to be Ash, enraged for how he was being treated because she would have reacted the same way. But to her great surprise, it wasn't him. She turned to the occupant of that voice and saw the spiky headed boy glaring at Ash. It was so intense that it could kill someone. Serena shivered a bit.

When Ash regained his balance he looked up at Gary in surprise and shock as his smile turned into frown and then into an angered look. But before he could begin he was pushed back once more by Gary.

"What were you thinking, huh?! Always playing hero. Did you know how dangerous that was?! What would I've said to your mom if you wouldn't have return?! That was so irresponsible and stupid thing you have done. You always do this! DO you like dying or something! Do you know how much you made everyone worried?! Huh? Why are you silent Ashy boy?! Someone got your tongue? You really-" Gary raised a fist and punched straight on Ash's face.

Everyone gasped as Ash stumbled back. But before he could recover from what seemed to be a completely unexpected move from Gary, Gay charged for another.

"Hey! Stop it!" Ritchie pulled Gary and shoved him back. Gary was barely affected by that and charged on Ritchie this time. However, Barry came up from behind and held him tight, pulling him along with himself. "Cool down! Go, walk it off!" Ritchie shouted rather angrily on Gary. He then turned around and saw Ash glaring at Gary and charging at him to make things even but Ritchie hold him and stood like a wall. "Don't you dare!" he said in a loud voice.

"But he started-"

"I said don't you dare!" Ritchie said in even louder voice.

"Damn it!" Ash spat angrily and shoved Ritchie away. "Whose side you're one, huh?!" Ash yelled and then about to spat something else as well but he was lost for words. He looked around and frustratingly shook his head. "Just…Just forget it!" Ash said and then walked back, facing his back to everyone.

Serena was awestruck, but not in the way she should be. The Ash she met earlier today was completely different. He was kind, gentle, friendly and cared for others. The Ash right now was an angered wild beast that was losing his cool very quickly. It was so, un-Ash. But Serena wouldn't blame Ash for that. Ash said he had the greatest friends in the history but the way that spiky headed boy reacted took the cake. Ash was completely off the fault in this one and it was that spiky headed boy who charged on Ash first. Ash deserved to make things even instead of being pulled away in the fight. Serena then turned to the other boy who was trying to stop the fight. Ritchie wasn't seemed to be angered anymore. He was frustrated but the angry look he was showing was faked and she could tell that

"Just great…" Serena heard Ash whispering in frustration and a little pain. She wanted to help him, for what he had done for her. She took a step but stopped dead in the track when the other two girls rushed to Ash.

"Barry, take care of him," Ritchie said one final time. Serena turned in the direction he spoke and saw the blonde boy nodding and then rushing after that spiky headed boy who was walking away.

Serena then finally turned to Ash again. She noticed that the two girls were looking at him with concern. The brunette touched his cheek, seemed to be inspecting something on his face. The next moment, when the brunette stepped aside, the blunette girl wrapped her arms around Ash's neck and buried her head on his shoulder.

Something ran through her that she wasn't much familiar with when she saw the sight. There was something about the blunette girl hugging Ash that made Serena feeling weird. She never felt jealous in her whole life before and now when she did, she felt horrible. She bit her bottom lip and her stare lowered in a soft gaze. She knew that it was meant to be a friendly gesture and that the blunette girl did that because she was concerned for Ash, but Serena wanted to be the girl to be in Ash's arms and not anyone else.

The thought just slipped in her mind and she didn't even realize it. She then noticed the brunette boy, who stopped the fight before, patting Ash's shoulder and giving him a weak smile of reassurance. The smile spoke everything that was needed to. Even Serena understood that. The contact both the boys just made was something unnoticeable for Serena. They seemed to be so close and it made her wonder whether it was even possible when she compared herself with Ash.

Nobody in the group had noticed Serena yet but it was just the matter of time when someone would do. Just the moment later the brunette haired girl noticed Serena and then said something that Serena couldn't listen to as she was still lost in her own world.

"That? A new friend that I made today," Ash said and then rushed to Serena's side. He quickly wrapped his arm around her and then grinned. "Everyone, I would like you to meet my new friend, Serena," Ash said. Couldn't understand at first Serena raised her eyebrows but her eyes widened when she did understand. Ash was introducing her to his friends.

"The girl you dived for?" the blunette girl said and Serena narrowed her eyes a little on the reference. Her sentence was innocent but her tone was saying everything Serena needed to know.

"Yeah," Ash then turned to Serena and stood between her and the rests. "This is Serena," Ash said to everyone as he pointed at Serena. He then turned to his other friends. "This is Ritchie, Dawn and May," Ash said pointing respectively at the brunette boy, the blunette girl and the brunette girl.

"Hey," Ritchie just raised his hand for a small wave and smiled.

"You still didn't answer my question, Ash," Dawn placed her hands on hips and stared at Ash as she spoke. But Ash rolled his eyes in annoyance which caused Dawn to turn to Serena instead. "Were you the girl he dived for?" she asked.

Serena grew nervous.

"Don't mind her," May interrupted, helping Serena just in the moment she needed. Serena looked at her instead and her eyes went to normal. The aura that surrounds her seems too friendly to resist. And even if that wasn't, Serena knew that if they were Ash's friends then they had to be the best persons ever. May offered her hand and grabbed Serena's hand before she could respond. "It's nice to meet you," May said, shaking Serena's hands eagerly.

"H-Hi," Serena responded sheepishly.

"Hmm? A shy one," Dawn commented and giggled at which caused Serena to raise her eyes at her. Ash narrowed his eyes at her. Just what she was talking about?

"Would you stop that?" Ash said in complaining tone.

"Nope," Dawn giggled more.

"Aww, that ain't fair!" Ash snarled frustratingly.

"Just let him relax, Dawn!" May hissed at Dawn who shut her mouth up immediately but was struggling with her laughter. "He has just returned," she added. She then grabbed Dawn's hand and dragged her away. Ritchie just chuckled at them, who have been watching the scene from sidelines. He then turned to Ash.

"You feeling alright, pal?" Ritchie asked and patted his shoulder again.

"Yeah," Ash nodded.

Ritchie nodded as well. 'Hmm, that's a relief. Now come on, I don't wanna ruin rest of the day, spending time standing here," Ritchie said and then turned to Serena. "Ash's friends are always welcome and so are you to join us, Serena," Ritchie said and then walked away, giving a last look to Ash.

Serena just stood stunned. She was just asked by Ash's friends to join them. It was like a dream for her. Serena held her hand together, close to her heart and nervously fiddled them. Ash noticed her and shook her. Serena looked at him.

"You are coming, aren't you? You said yourself you before," Ash said, his voice had a request in it and even if she wanted to, she couldn't ignore it. Pushing her nervousness aside she forced a smile and nodded.

"Yeah, of course, I would love to" she said. Ash smiled brightly.

"Awesome," he exclaimed childishly which caused Serena to giggle. Ash then grabbed her hand and pulled her along to the campsite.

Serena couldn't help but smile all the way knowing that her life was taking a huge turn today. She met Ash, befriended Ash and now she was invited by him to join the group for their camping. She wondered whether she would be able to convince Ash to let her join his life, to be a permanent part of it, to live to along with him as one. However, for know she knew she was enjoying it.

Here you go with another chapter. The story is running slowly in the pace I wanted and keeping up with my schedule. My plan is to finish this story by the end of this year. 'The Series' is running good so far as well. "Journey of the Betrayed Guardian: The Beginning" was having a little tough time but I finally managed to figure out the whole plot and now it would a lot easier for me write and a lot early updates as well. Also, I would like you to vote in the poll on my profile, "Weather or not should I do The Mega Evolution saga. It would run parallel to the current story but would not affect it in any way. The star is going to be Alain instead of Ash."

Note: Special news. I realized that doing a high school fan fiction is not my thing but I don't want to let it open out there. If anyone is interested in a collaboration on "Amourshipping: Is This Love?", please PM me.

Now that I'm done with my words, I would like to hear your words on the story so far. Please, please make sure to leave a review. They mean a lot to me and comparing to how many readers and supporters it have, I wonder why very less people review it. Special thanks to those who are supporting this , and me as well.

Till the next time.