No sooner had he said those words did the door practically fly open and a red, pink and blue blur streaked out and tackle Ash.

"Ashy! My baby! You're finally home! What took you so long, I waited all day for you young man! Are you ok, are you hurt? You're not hurt are you?"

Harry watched slightly bemused as Ash tried to calm the frantic stream of questions coming from the woman out of the house, failing spectacularly while doing so. While he hugged the woman, smiling happily despite the frantic tones, showing that this was a normal thing, Harry got a good look at Ash's mom.

Mrs. Ketchum seemed to be fairly young, thirty something or around there, with soft red hair in a low pony tail, a yellow blouse with a pink shirt over that and a dark blue skirt on, her feet only had white socks on.

Harry snickered though when he heard the frantic mother say something about underwear….

"Mom! I promise I'm fine! I just had to go see Professor Oak with my new friend and he-"

"Oh you brought a friend? Did you meet him on your journey too?" Pulling a complete 180, the woman let go of Ash with a happy tone, who fell anime style at the sudden loss of weight, throwing him off balance.

Now that she wasn't burying her face in Ash's chest, Harry saw that she had the same eye color as Ash, the same warm brown and smiling face that glowed with happiness. He could already tell he would like this woman. Despite her…eccentric welcoming of Ash, the former wizard could tell where his brother got his kindness from already.

"Hello ma'am. My name is Harry." He said, bowing a little and shaking the other's hand.

"Just Delia please dear, or Mrs. Ketchum if you must." She said kindly. "Any friend of Ash's never needs to be formal with me, and are always welcome here." She surprised Harry by pulling him into a hug, being careful around the sleeping Pokemon in the younger man's arms.

Shocked at receiving a hug from Delia when they just met, Harry hugged her back a little slowly, something that the woman did not miss.

"Thank you Mrs. Ketchum, that is very kind of you." Harry said a little softly, clutching Cleffa to him.

By now Ash had gotten up and was watching fondly as his mother took yet another one of his friends under her wings. However he could also see Harry grow a little uncomfortable, not being sure what to do.

"Let's get inside, it's getting late." Ash suggested, waving towards the open door. Delia smiled and nodded and was about to head inside, pausing a little when the hand held in hers wasn't moving.

"Harry? Are you coming in dear? Ash is right it is getting late." She asked concerned at the teen.

Said teen was standing perfectly still, hand held in the outstretched Ketchum Matriarch's hand. He was biting his lip uncertainly, emerald eyes confused and a little scared though he was hiding it well.

"Hey mom, let me talk to Harry for a moment, can you wait inside for me?" Ash asked softly, taking Harry's hand instead of hers.

Confused, concerned and worried, she nodded but not before placing a comforting hand on Harry's shoulder for a second before walking inside.

She went to the living room where she peeked through the curtain. Delia could see Ash holding Harry in a hug, the younger's face buried in his shoulder as he spoke in soft tones she couldn't make out nor read. Harry nodded a little once in a while, seeming to calm down.

Delia saw Ash give Harry a key from his pocket, hug him one last time and then Harry left in a direction she couldn't see. She made her way to the kitchen silently as she heard Ash come inside and close the door. Thoughtfully, she started to set out the dinner she had prepared before, absently noting her son helping her.

It was a quiet dinner, far different than what was had in the past. Both Ketchum's lost in their own thoughts, wondering who would say what first.

Finally an hour later, she decided the wait was over. Delia set her silverware down and looked at her son sitting across from her. Brown eyes mirrored brown eyes, staring each other down.

"Tell me Ash." Was all that she said.

Meanwhile

"Do you think I was a coward Mewtwo? For running away like that?" Harry said softly, sitting on his couch.

After he was out of eyesight, Harry let out his first Pokemon and asked him to teleport them home, not wanting to be caught outside by himself without Ash.

The house was a safe haven for him, peaceful and quiet, though a little cool since no fire had been warming it. That was quickly rectified by the human who started up a merrily cracking fire.

In his arms was the now awake Cleffa who was looking at everything with awe. She had immediately started cooing when she saw Mewtwo for the first time and was contently playing with one of his hands while her Trainer held her.

"First off, you did not run away. It is one thing to have attention on you from a friend, or even someone like Professor Oak. It is another to have someone to have maternal attention on you. And secondly, you were not a coward for the same reason. It was just something you are not used to." Mewtwo said, sitting beside the other.

Harry was leaning up against the Psychic type, taking solace in the protection he brought. "I never reacted that way around Mrs. Weasley, or any of my female Professors though…" Poor Harry was so confused.

"That is because they were not maternal. Well your Professors weren't, they cared as a teacher would their favorite student for some, or even just a regular favored one. Mrs. Weasley meant well, but she was smothering, not really caring. I could see in your memories that her children did love her but she tried to shelter them from everything, causing some resentment. She tried the same with you, however you didn't need someone to smother or control you."

Harry was feeling slightly better, though still confused, "Then why with Mrs. Ketchum?"

Mewtwo was thoughtful for a little bit, "While I have not met her personally, I have heard nothing but good things from those who know her that I trust. I have seen her through Ash's memories as well, he cares a great deal about his mother, as you've seen." He referenced when Ash went to go save his mother after she had been kidnapped by Entei. "She just cares and has a way with knowing what you need without even having to ask, not really. She could tell she was making you uncomfortable but couldn't tell exactly why she was. She felt bad and wishes to help. I'm pretty sure she and Ash are talking as we speak right now."

He was quiet again for awhile, trying to gather his thoughts, "She is eccentric, I will give her that, but that is one of the many reasons Ash loves her, as well as his friend's who have met her. She takes them all under her wing, helps them however she can if she can. She always makes sure she lets them know that she is there, should they need her. I've seen her kindness and her strength, her love and support, through Ash's eyes and through the memories of other's. She is someone you could trust if you wanted, I am positive of that. She will only give what you ask for and will never push if you don't want it."

Harry was silent the whole time, listening to Mewtwo's words and mulling them over. He had never known a mother's love. His own memories are something best left in the past of his own mother. Not that he didn't love her, far from it, but the only memories he had weren't good.

Being raised by his neglectful and abusive family, then taken to a new world without support from family, he had learned to rely mostly on himself. There were moments however where he wished he had someone to turn to, a parent. At first he had thought that perhaps the Weasleys would be that for him, but Mr. Weasley was hardly ever home, and Mrs. Weasley was just as Mewtwo said, smothering and slightly controlling while caring. Not something he needed.

His Professors were the same way, and he had learned to not really trust them after they refused to trust or really listen to him during his school years. He respected and liked them, but only as his teachers.

Sirius and Remus were two others who might fit, but Sirius was gone, and Remus had been lost in his own grief to help with Harry's…

The teen shook his head, shaking out those memories. They were in the past, he really needed to stop dwelling on it like he had been. That was the past and one best left forgotten.

He thought more about what Mewtwo said about Delia. She did seem very kind, and he liked her, plus she was Ash's mom. His goodness had to come from somewhere right?

Mewtwo snickered softly as he picked up the errant thoughts in Harry's mind. They were so close in bond now that even without trying, the Psychic type could pick up on the surface thoughts of his charge's mind. In time, Harry would be able to do the same with him, once he got used to it of course.

"Why don't you sleep on it? It's very late Harry." Mewtwo suggested after awhile. When no sound or movement was heard he looked down to Harry and smiled. The teen was curled up into his side, Cleffa sound asleep as well in his arms.

Chuckling softly, Mewtwo levitated a blanket over and wrapped it around the three of them, curling his tail around Harry and Cleffa for added warmth. He then closed his eyes and followed them into dreamland.

The next morning

Stretching her pajama clad arms above her head, Delia gave out a big yawn. Placing on some fluffy house shoes and a pink house coat around her, she finally got out of bed, rising with the sun.

She took a moment to just take in the new, the sun painting the sky over the mountains and forest that surrounded Pallet Town. She sighed, thoughtfully, mulling over everything that her son told her last night and she prepared for her day.

Washing her face and pulling her hair back, she looked at herself in the mirror, seeing her eyes stare back, the same brown eyes her son had gotten from her, the same brown that was so serious yet caring as he spoke of the young man.

'He's had a hard life, he's only told me what he remembers, and what he doesn't he doesn't want to remember.'

From what Ash could explain, the poor boy had been negeclted, if not outright abused, by his former family. He wasn't sure how far it went he had said, but Delia knew her son well. He knew more than what he was willing to tell, but respected him not telling her. It wasn't his story, or his secrets, to tell. It was Harry's when he was ready.

She finished getting ready for the day and left her room, pausing by Ash's room. She opened his door a crack to check up on him, smiling when she saw him sleeping every which way in the dark of his room. Pikachu was lying contently on top of his pillow and head while his Trainer snored softly in dream land. She knew it would take either until she made breakfast for her son to wake him up.

'I met him on my way here, and we just…clicked mom. I can't really explain it better than that. He needed someone there for him, to listen, to help him, even if he hadn't realized it. He truly didn't realize he was abused until I started helping him. He's never had someone care like that, from what I could tell.'

The red headed woman sighed softly before closing the door. She could tell herself that Harry needed someone, especially after Ash explained in more detail. She knew without a doubt that Ash was whom Harry needed, he was kind, thoughtful, brave yet impulsive, always willing to help another. She was sure that her son was perfect to help the young man he already saw as a little brother.

Something whiffed in the air, nagging at her senses. Curious, she wondered if Mr. Mime, who had been sleeping when Ash had come home, was already up making breakfast.

Delia made her way to the kitchen silently, not wanting to scare her Pokemon in case he was cooking, only to stop in the doorway in surprise.

It looked like the key he had given Harry last night was his house key, for the young teen was in her kitchen, making a traditional breakfast. Eggs, bacon, toast and sausage, along with fruit, juices and milk was already on the table. He was making pancakes and bagels, while looking through a cook book at some sort of breakfast casserole and cleaning up after himself at the same time.

Amazed that he had done all of this, while not making any noise louder than a soft murmur for Cleffa who was chewing on a piece of strawberry or muttering to himself about the dish he was trying to make, Delia smiled softly and walked in, making just enough noise to alert him but not startle him.

Harry turned around and smiled, seeing her. He remembered that Ash had told him his mother rose early like he did, so he had been expecting her. "Good morning Mrs. Ketchum. I hope you don't mind…" He gestured to the breakfast spread out before him.

She smiled and shook her head, "Not at all, it's just different having someone else cook breakfast other than I."

'Harry cooks amazing food mom, but I get the feeling the reason why was because he was forced to from a young age, he's had a lot of practice. However he told me he enjoys it, like a hobby. He kind of reminded me of Brock like that, just liking to cook. You should try his food, I'm sure he'll want to make at least one meal at some point.'

"I wanted to surprise you and Ash, as a thank you for everything so far." Harry said, blushing a little.

Delia crossed over to the other and pulled him in a gentle hug, making sure to keep the pressure light enough that if he felt the need to, he could pull away at any moment. "This was very thoughtful of you Harry, you didn't need to, but thank you and you're welcome, if you needed to hear it."

'He's really insecure about his feelings and his wants. He was raised in an environment where his feelings, what he wanted or needed, always came second, third or even last, while he was expected to always help or do things for others because it was expected, not because he wanted to.'

At first, Harry stiffened up slightly. But feeling how light the hug was, sensing that she wasn't trying to smother or constrict him, but merely provide comfort, calmed him down. Remembering Mewtwo's words from last night, he brought his arms and wrapped them in a hug around her.

They stayed that way for a moment, Delia offering the comfort of a mother to the teen who never had it, Harry soaking up a mother's love for the first time in his life since his own mother and he was a baby.

"Any time, anything Harry, that you need to talk, to vent, to just have someone be there, and for whatever reason Ash can't, I will always be here." Delia said softly, barely whispering to the other in her arms.

'From what little he remembers and could tell me, the adults in his life besides his relatives, used abused or neglected him in some fashion or another. He has a hard time trusting.'

Harry said nothing, but nodded in her shoulder. He had decided that he would give her a chance to prove to him that an adult can be trusted to care and for him to care in return. She was Ash's mom, that was enough for him at the moment. Mewtwo's words had helped a great deal, but he wasn't being forced. That in itself was a big part for him.

"Now," Delia started, pulling back a little and smiling. She nodded towards the cookbook, "Were you wanting to make that too?"

'If he gets uncomfortable, or if you sense he might be closing off, a change of topic works well from what I can see. Never try to force him to tell you what's wrong, he tends to bottle things up and forcing him can be….bad from what I was told.'

Glad at the change of topic, he nodded. "Yes, it sounded good, and it could be something that can be reheated to eat later on."

Delia smiled wider, "Well then, let's get started."

'All in all, we just need to be there for him, when no one else was.'

She vowed silently to herself, that she would always be there for Harry, her now youngest son.

Ash watched, silently and contently, as his mother and little brother worked together to make breakfast. He had woken up at the smell of all the delicious food being cooked and made his way to the kitchen.

He stayed silent when he saw his mom and Harry talking quietly together, letting them start to bond. It made him so happy that Harry was willing to open up a little more, especially to his mom.

He really needed this, needed someone to give him the love of a parent that he hasn't had for nearly all his life. Ash could tell that this was going to be good for them all.

The Pokemon Master knew that things wouldn't get better over night, Harry needed to get used to everything still, and Ash knew that there were things Harry still dwelled on. He could see that in his eyes, they would unfocus and he would get sad when he thought about something too hard or sad.

Years of neglect couldn't be undone in just a few days, it would take a long time and a lot of support, but Ash was more than ready. He had a little brother to care for and love, he would always protect him and take care of, support however he could.

"He has all of us Ash, he will be ok." Mewtwo said softly, sensing the thoughts of everyone.

Something in the Pokemon's mental voice though worried Ash, "Mewtwo, what's wrong? You seemed troubled about something."

"I'm…not sure…something is off, somewhere. I'm not sure how to place it." Ash could almost 'see' Mewtwo frowning. "It's probably nothing, don't worry about it. Your stomach is rumbling, go eat Ash."

The mental connection cut off then. As he went to join his family for their first breakfast together, Ash hid his unease at the Legendary's words.

Mewtwo was usually right about things like this, which meant, that something was going to happen, and it wouldn't be good.