I apologize for the late post! My hubby came home from his training thing with a really bad cold, which he gave to me. I'm still not completely over it, but I felt so guilty! Please forgive me! Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! There aren't any lemons, but there is a lot of talk about sex, so... take care.
WolfsBishop~ I'm sorry, I hadn't planned on having Rotom in the story. I am introducing a few new characters, so maybe I'll give one of them a Rotom, but I don't think I'll give Serena or Calem a Rotom. As for Absol/Sylveon, honestly I was just tired of reading fanfics with Serena's Eeveelution and Calem's Eeveelution liking each other. In my opinion, it's overdone, so I thought I'd try something new.
keehl86-jeevas87~ I can try to update more often, but I can't promise more than once a week. And this week I'll post at least two updates, to make up for missing my weekend deadline, but I'm aiming for three updates. I'm glad you like the story!
Gengar's Grin~ I always thought Absol was a bad-ass Pokemon, so I tried to portray him that way! I did skip the rest of the hospital stay, because hospitals are kind of boring, but there's no magical healing going on. I did try to describe her treatments a little in this chapter. I tried with Grace and Sycamore. I'm not funny, unless I'm with my own family, which doesn't count, since they have the same weird sense of humor I do.
Cottonmouth25~ We'll see! The story is mostly about the trainers, but Pokemon are an important part of the story!
Ten-Faced~ I didn't even think of Cute Charm, but that's a very good reason. Lol. And of course Absol is okay. He's friggin Absol. I tried to make Grace and Sycamore into fun adults. So many adults forget what it's like to be a kid. And I'll have you know that I was cracking up when I came up with that line. I think I scared my cats because I was laughing so hard.
The gaming deity~ Thank you for reading my story, and I'm glad you like it! And I really do appreciate everyone's opinions. They encourage me and point out mistakes I made so I can try to fix them. And don't worry, even if it was a real threat, I wouldn't take it too seriously. I mean, I live on an Army base in Germany, surrounded by a bunch of men with attitudes, guns, and mean dogs. I'm pretty safe. =)
Thank you so much for the reviews! I read each and every one like a hundred times!
As always, I don't own Pokemon, don't sue me. Please and Thank you! And, translations and medical terminology definitions offered at the end of the chapter!
Finally! After nine days in the hospital, Serena was free! Her burns were almost completely healed up, though faint scars remained. She was also given a prescription for lotion that she had to apply to her scars twice a day for a month, since the skin was still tender. She also coughed now and then, from the smoke inhalation when she was in the fire, and she had an inhaler just in case the cough got to be too bad. But, the multiple nebulizer treatments, and debridement and Burn Heal applications had all but cured her completely. She felt fantastic, and she couldn't wait to eat real food again, and not that hospital cardboard.
Sadly, only her mom, Shauna, and Calem could be there when she was released. Professor Sycamore had needed to go back to work, which meant Trevor needed to go back as well. Emma's cases had started piling up on her desk, and though her friends from the streets had tried helping, they could only do so much. And Tierno was stuck watching his nine year old twin sisters, who were stuck at home due to fevers, while his dad was at work.
"So, what do you want to do first?" Grace asked Serena, as Serena checked her bag yet again for all of her Pokemon. They were all there, of course. But she couldn't help herself.
She looked up at her mom. "Take a shower. I know I took one this m-morning, but I'd feel better if I could take one at home."
Grace frowned. "But I though you wanted real food?"
"I do. Would you be able to make my favorite? I c-can shower while you cook. And would it be okay for Shauna and Calem to eat with us?"
Grace smiled. "Of course, mon ange. Home it is. But you guys will have to go ahead of me. I have to stop at the store. You kids eat an awful lot, and I'm sure the other three will stop by at some point."
"But how will you g-get home?"
"I'll ride my bike to Aquacorde, shop there, then take Rhyhorn home. I'll be fine. Go on."
Serena and Shauna gave Grace quick hugs. When Calem went to disengage Grace after his hug, she pulled him back, where she whispered loudly in his ear. "Now, cher, I know Serena wants a shower when she gets home. You wouldn't want me to hunt you down for taking a peeky-peek, would you?"
Calem rolled his eyes. "Of course not, Grace. I'll be a perfect gentleman." Serena laughed.
"Ooh, don't worry, Ms. Grace, I'll be their chaperone! I'll stand outside the bathroom door as a guard!"
Serena cringed. "Please don't. Chaperoning him in the living room is fine." Grace chuckled as she let go of Calem.
"All right, you three, get going. I'll be there in a few hours." With that, Grace turned and started walking toward the gate that led to Route 4. Serena turned to her friends.
"Who's riding with me?"
"Calem is," Shauna answered her.
Calem cocked an eyebrow. "What happened to chaperoning?"
Shauna snorted. "I wasn't being serious. You're too nice to peek at Serena in the shower, and I know neither of you want to ride with me when you could ride with each other. So, I'll ride Altaria." Calem grinned.
"Sounds good to me. Altaria!" He called, throwing the Pokeball up into the air. Singing his beautiful song, the small Humming Pokemon materialized as Calem caught the Pokeball. "Altaria, would it be ok if Shauna rode you today? We have to get home, and she doesn't have a flying Pokemon." Altaria nodded the affirmative as he landed next to Shauna, trilling and nuzzling her waist.
Serena called out Charizard, who nosed her arm. She scratched Charizard's forehead as she spoke to him. "I'm going home t-today, baby. Would you be ok carrying both me and Calem? Shauna is going to ride his Altaria."
Charizard looked at Altaria, then snorted. Wimpy Pokemon. Charizard glanced over at Calem before crouching down low with his wings spread.
"That's still h-hard to believe," Serena said, climbing onto Charizard's back. "That he's willing to carry you."
Calem slid onto Charizard's back behind Serena. "We bonded. We're best buddies now." Charizard snorted again, flames shooting out of his nostrils. Calem laughed. "Maybe not best buddies, but he tolerates me now." He slowly wrapped his arms around Serena's waist. "Let me know if you're not comfortable, fleur." Serena was touched by his thoughtfulness. He had been like that over the week they'd been dating. He always asked before he touched her in any way that could be construed as intimate, to make sure he didn't scare her again. Even after she gave her permission, he always moved slowly and was always on watch in case she became uncomfortable. Blushing, Serena pulled Calem's arms tighter around her.
"You'll fall if you d-don't hold on."
Calem was momentarily startled, before he grinned and edged a little closer. "Yes, ma'am."
"Not to interrupt you guys," Shauna said, "but could you possibly tell me where I'm supposed to sit?" Serena and Calem glanced over at Shauna, who was standing awkwardly next to Altaria. Laughing, Calem slid off of Charizard to show Shauna how to crouch on Altaria's small back, with her feet locked behind Altaria's wing joints.
"And don't pull his feathers out or strangle him. He may be small, but he won't let you fall." Calem left Shauna grumbling under her breath to situate himself behind Serena again, arms wrapped snugly around her waist. At the command from Calem and Serena, both Pokemon rose into the air, then turned toward Vaniville. Serena leaned back against Calem's chest, then felt him press a kiss to the side of her head. She smiled inwardly. She was so very grateful to Trevor. She'd have to think of some way to thank him.
The next thirty minutes passed uneventfully, the three humans making random small talk as the two Pokemon winged their way south. Soon, Charizard and Altaria landed in Vaniville, and were both safely back in their Pokeballs. Serena pulled her house key from her bag and entered the house, followed by Calem and Shauna.
"You guys want something to drink?" she asked, placing her bag on the kitchen counter. Shauna steered Serena out of the kitchen, pushing her toward the stairs that led to her bedroom and bathroom.
"We've been here before, we know where everything is. You go take a shower and get all refreshed."
"Are y-you sure?"
Calem grinned at her. "We're big kids, fleur. We promise we won't destroy the house. Go on."
Serena allowed a small smile before she agreed, climbing the stairs to her room. She'd had an argument with her mom when they had first moved into the house. Grace had insisted Serena take the master bed and bath upstairs, while she took the smaller downstairs bedroom. Grace had told Serena that she was a teenage girl who needed her space, and that Grace herself didn't need a lot of space. Serena suspected that her mom was just paranoid and had given her the upstairs bedroom because it was safer than having windows on the ground floor. Serena really hadn't needed all of the space, until she met her friends, and they started coming over to hang out. Serena's house was the preferred "hang out spot" of her friends. Shauna had a little brother and over-protective dad; Trevor's older sister was strict with her rules on guests; Tierno had his two younger brothers and two younger sisters; and Calem's room wasn't as big as Serena's.
Serena rummaged around in her dresser, pulling out a pair of black yoga pants and a green tank top, before grabbing her towel and making her way to her bathroom. She set the water temperature, before undressing and climbing in, taking her time to rejuvenate herself. There really was nothing better than showering at home, after being gone for a while. Half an hour later, she was finished and feeling much better. She dried off, and just as she was about to dress, she realized she'd forgotten her prescription lotion downstairs in her bag.
Serena wrapped her towel tightly around her, then cracked open her door, calling for Shauna to bring her bag upstairs to her. She left her door cracked, then went back into the bathroom to brush her hair. Serena had just pulled on her bra and panties and was beginning to pull her hair into a ponytail when she heard her bedroom door swing open. She stepped out of her bathroom to thank Shauna and froze. The person in her room definitely wasn't Shauna.
It was Calem.
Calem stopped in his tracks, Serena's bag swinging from his hand, as his jaw dropped. Serena was wearing nothing except some lacy dark purple underwear. Her alabaster skin looked smoother than silk, and there were small beads of water on her shoulders and chest, where they had dripped from her wet hair. He stared at Serena for a few seconds before he realized what he was doing and slammed his eyes shut, blushing furiously.
"Desole! Je suis tellement desole! Shauna a du courir a la maison pour quelque chose! Mon dieu, je suis tellement desole!"
Calem dropped Serena's bag and stumbled blindly toward her door. He didn't open his eyes until the door was closed securely behind him. He leaned back against the door, the heel of his hand pressed against his throbbing groin. Arceus, he was stupid. Serena had obviously called for Shauna for a reason. Shauna's mom had needed her to run home for a minute, so Calem was left watching TV downstairs alone. When Serena called downstairs for her bag, Calem had just figured she was busy, not naked. He'd wrongly assumed that she wouldn't want to be unclothed in front of anyone, male or female, after everything she had been through. Apparently, he was very wrong.
Several agonizing minutes later, Calem managed to get himself under control and make his way back to the couch in the living room, where he sat down heavily. He ran his hands through his hair. He was so dead. If Serena didn't kill him, then her mom would. And if by some miracle Grace didn't kill him, Emma and Shauna definitely would. Unbidden, an image of a sweaty Serena lying on her bed, dressed in the same purple bra and panties he had just seen her in, came to his mind, her hair a cloud of gold around her, and her emerald eyes blazing with passion, and he hardened again.
"Fils de pute," he muttered to himself. This was ridiculous. He'd seen Serena in her bathing suit before, when they had all gone swimming in Azure Bay, and he'd hadn't responded like this. Then again, there was something profoundly more intimate about lingerie in the bedroom than a bathing suit on the beach. Calem adjusted himself so that his member was lying under the waistband of his boxers. If this kept up, he'd have to go home and take care of business before long.
"C-calem…"
Calem whipped his head around. Serena was standing behind him, dressed in yoga pants that did nothing to alleviate his situation, a green tank top, and an oversized black hoodie. She was staring at her red-painted toes, blushing. Calem tried to keep his own blush from rising.
"C-can I sit d-d-down?"
Calem swallowed hard. "It's your house, fleur. You don't have to ask me." Serena rounded the couch and sat down next to him while Calem fought to get his rebellious body under control. They sat in awkward silence for several minutes, both staring hard at the TV, though neither was paying attention to the actual program. Finally, Calem couldn't take the silence anymore.
"I'm sorry, Serena. I really didn't mean to see—I mean, Shauna had to run home, and I figured you'd have… I'm really sorry. I wasn't thinking." He chanced a glance over at Serena, who was watching him with a small smile on her still-red face. "What?"
"You d-don't have to keep apologizing. I don't understand most Kalosian, but I know what d-d-desole means. And I know you; you wouldn't d-do something like that on purpose. It was an accident."
Calem breathed a sigh of relief. "You really are too good to be true. Most girls would be slapping me." Serena laughed.
"Don't c-count that out just yet. I almost threw my hair brush at you." Calem laughed with her, some of the tension leaving his body. He sat back, relaxing a little, until Serena spoke again.
"B-besides, you're my boyfriend. It's only a matter of time before we… you know."
Calem stiffened, suddenly furious. Not at Serena, of course, but at Pedro, for making her think she was expected to do anything, let alone sexual things, just because they were dating. He slowly counted to ten in his head before he spoke, so he wouldn't frighten her.
"Serena, I didn't tell you I loved you just so that you would sleep with me. Don't get me wrong; I'm nineteen. I think about sex a lot, and I can't always control… certain reactions my body has, but I don't expect you to do anything that you're not comfortable with. Ever."
"B-but, Cay, you're a man. I know it gets p-painful… And I know you're not… Well, you're not a v-virgin." Calem could tell how difficult this was for Serena to talk about, just by how she was blushing, and how her stutter had gotten worse. And even though he wasn't a virgin, he knew Serena was. He cursed inwardly. Of course Shauna had told Serena about his two ex-girlfriends. Not that he was trying to hide it, but he didn't want anything to upset Serena or imperil his budding relationship with her.
Calem turned so that he was sitting sideways on the couch, facing Serena. "Listen to me, fleur. You're right; I am a man. And men do not force their girlfriends to do anything they do not want to do. They do not pressure the women they love, or guilt them into doing anything. Men accept the women in their lives just the way they are. Only little boys try to control women." Calem sighed before he continued. "You're also right about me not being a virgin. But whether or not I've had sex before doesn't mean I can't control my actions. Just because we're dating now doesn't mean I'm going to be all over you every chance I get. I know your past, and I know the scars that past has left on you."
Serena had finally met his gaze, chewing on her bottom lip. Calem reached out and pulled one of her tiny hands into his much larger ones, tracing small circles on the back of her hand with his thumb.
"I love you, Serena. More than anything. And I'm okay with waiting to have sex with you, for as long as it takes."
"B-but—" Calem held a finger to Serena's mouth, silencing her.
"No buts. I'm a big boy. Tie my own shoelaces and everything." Serena smiled under his finger. "I'm just fine without sex. Hell, I haven't slept with anyone in over two years, and I'm doing pretty okay." Calem pulled his finger away from Serena, who was frowning.
"Two years? But th-that means you haven't…"
"Dated since before I met you? Yeah. I broke up with my last ex a few months before you moved to town, and after I met you, well, there was no one else I wanted to date except you."
Serena fell silent then, and Calem could almost see the gears spinning in her head, though he didn't know what she was thinking so hard about. They sat quietly for several minutes before Serena spoke again.
"W-would it be weird if I ask about th-them? Your ex-girlfriends?"
Calem was surprised. "You really want to hear about them? Don't most girls get upset when guys talk about their exes?" Serena shrugged, blushing.
"You s-said you broke up with the l-l-last one. I just wanted to know why, s-so I don't do the same thing."
Calem shook his head. "You won't. You're nothing like either of them. But I guess if you want to know… The first one was Amelie. We weren't together for very long before we… She was a year older than me, and more experienced. I was fifteen. She ended up meeting some new friends, and turned into a party girl. She got into drugs, and I found out she was sleeping around, so I left her.
"A few months later I started hanging out with Odette. She was really quiet and shy, so I figured she'd be better than Amelie. But I didn't know her very well. She would get really jealous whenever I talked to other girls, and you know Shauna was my best friend. We were together for a while. When we finally slept together, she tried telling me I wasn't allowed to talk to Shauna anymore. I told her Shauna was my best friend, and I wouldn't stop talking to her, so she threw a fit. I put up with her tantrums for a year before I couldn't take her accusations anymore. So, I told her it was over. She stalked me for a while, convinced herself that we were still together. Her dad was transferred to some other region for work, so the whole family moved. I changed my e-mail and HoloCaster number, but she still occasionally sends letters to my house. My parents just shred them, don't even tell me when I get one anymore."
Calem watched in trepidation as Serena absorbed everything he had said. Now that he had told her about Amelie and Odette, he was regretting it. No one would want to know about his psycho exes. Serena gave him a brilliant smile.
"So don't do d-drugs and cheat on you, and don't tell you who to hang out w-with. I think I can manage that."
"That's it?"
Serena gave him a confused look. "Should there b-be anything else?"
Calem sat in silence, surprised. A lot of girls he knew gave him crap about his exes. Shauna had never liked Amelie, and though she'd made an effort to be friends with Odette, by the end, Shauna had hated her. Even his mom still harped on him about Amelie and Odette occasionally, and they were long gone. He knew his tastes sucked when it came to past girlfriends, but he knew they'd changed for the better. He'd taken the time to get to know Serena, and the only thing that she'd changed was that she became more self-confident.
"Serena," Calem said seriously. Her smile dropped off her face.
"Wh-what?"
"Please don't be alarmed. I'm going to kiss you." Serena opened her mouth in surprise as Calem cupped her face in his hands. Calem dropped his gaze from Serena's gemstone eyes to her full lips, and he drew closer, pausing a hairs breadth from her, to allow her to pull away if she chose. When she didn't, he breathed a sigh of relief.
"Vous etes absolument magnifique," he whispered right before he captured her lips with his own.
Serena's heart thundered in her chest as Calem masterfully took control of her mouth, and she gladly let him, her eyes involuntarily closing. She wrapped her arms around Calem's neck, her hands sliding through his soft black hair. Calem trailed his hands from Serena's neck to her waist, pulling her closer. He traced her lips with his tongue, asking her a question. Serena answered by opening her mouth, allowing him entrance. As she breathed Calem in, Serena couldn't help but noticing the differences between his kisses and Pedro's.
Pedro had always been forceful, demanding complete complacence and acquiescence. Pedro had needed to be in control, and he had never cared about what she wanted. Calem, on the other hand, his kisses were sweet and questioning, only wanting to ensure that she was enjoying herself. Calem's control came only from him being more experienced, and her being too shy; she knew he'd hand over control in a heartbeat, if she wanted it. Pedro's kisses had always left her lips bruised and tender; Calem's kisses left her lips swollen but desperate for more.
After what felt like hours, but was still far too soon, Calem pulled away from her, planting one last soft kiss on her lips before he rested his forehead against hers, breathing heavily.
"Wow," she breathed, trying to catch her own breath. Calem grinned lazily, his eyes still closed.
"I'm pretty sure that's my line." Serena smiled weakly, her body tingling and the taste of Calem still on her lips. A few more minutes later, Calem opened his eyes, which were now a glittering dark blue.
"D-did you know that your eyes change color?"
Calem was playing with a loose strand of her hair, twirling it around his finger. "Yeah."
"What does dark b-blue mean?"
Calem shrugged, eyes still on the strand of Serena's hair around his finger. "Don't know. Ecstatic, in love, horny as hell. Take your pick. I'm feeling all of those at the moment."
Serena sat quietly for a minute before speaking again. "D-do you want me to…?"
Calem pulled back, and his eyes snapped to hers, black now threading through the blue. "Non. Absolutely not. I'll be fine in a few minutes. We just talked about this, ma petite fleur."
"Okay," Serena whispered. Then, she asked, "Do you know what black means?"
Calem was quiet, playing with her hair again. Serena thought he maybe didn't hear her, and was going to ask again, when he answered. "Yes. It's not directed at you, but the black means I'm angry." He stilled his fingers, his gaze meeting Serena's once more. "If I ever get angry when you do or say something, understand that that anger is never directed at you. Not once have I ever been angry with you. I'm angry at what that batard put you through, and that he is the reason that you have some of the reactions you do. No one should ever have to fear the ones who love them. But I swear to you that I will never hurt you, and I will never allow Pedro to hurt you again."
Calem placed another soft kiss on Serena's lips before continuing. "I can also promise you that I will never expect you to do any sexual acts for me. I was absolutely serious when I told you that I'm more than willing to wait, for however long you want me to. And I want you to tell me if I ever go too far, or if you feel that I'm pressuring you to do anything. Do you understand?"
Serena nodded. She hoped with everything that she had that Calem would keep his promises. She loved him so much, and she wasn't sure that she would be able to stand it if he broke any of them.
She also couldn't believe that she had been able to kiss him without panicking. That had been her biggest fear, that she would never be able to do anything physical, such as kissing and cuddling, with Calem, without Pedro haunting her.
Serena was just about to ask Calem if she could kiss him again when they heard a knock on the door. Calem and Serena stood up, but Calem caught Serena's hand as she turned to answer the door.
"May I have one more kiss before we let Shauna in, fleur?" Serena stepped into Calem's open arms, rising on her tiptoes to meet his kiss. In her mind, their second kiss was even more spectacular than their first. Serena clutched Calem's open button-down over shirt in both hands, while he had one arm wrapped around Serena's waist, pulling her closer, the other hand cradling the back of her head.
Serena felt like fire was coursing through her veins as Calem deepened the kiss. She could spend eternity in his arms, and it still wouldn't be long enough. He was invading her senses; all she could see, taste, feel, was Calem, and she wanted more. Calem pushed all thoughts of Pedro from her mind, and she wasn't worried about anything. For the first time, she felt like a normal eighteen year old girl.
She was vaguely aware of knocking somewhere, but ignored it, her tongue entangled with Calem's. Serena only opened her eyes when Calem pulled away. She whimpered softly and tried to pull him back, but he gently pulled her hands from his shirt.
"The door—Shauna," he said, his voice rougher and an octave deeper. Serena nodded numbly, not moving.
"Yeah. Shauna." Saying her friend's name seemed to snap her out of her daze. "Oh no. Shauna!"
Serena dashed to the door, fumbling with the knob. She cast a quick glance over her shoulder to see Calem sitting back on the couch, the ends of his button-down placed strategically across his lap, before she opened the door. She was surprised to see Trevor and Emma with Shauna.
"It's about damn time! What the hell—" Emma cut herself off as she caught site of Serena's swollen lips and flushed cheeks. "Oho! I take it Grace isn't home yet?"
Serena blushed even more as she stepped back to allow her friends to enter. Trevor seemed a little lost at Emma's change of topic, but Shauna understood, smiling apologetically at Serena as she shut the door. Emma crossed the room and cuffed Calem on the back of the head.
"What the hell was that for?!"
"How you doing right now, kid?" Emma asked, a knowing grin on her face as she leaned against the arm of the couch. "We didn't interrupt anything, did we?"
"Shut up, Emma."
"Oooh, grouchy. We did interrupt." Emma kicked off her Essentia boots before sprawling on the floor next to the bookcase. "You're lucky it was just us and not Grace, mister grouchy-pants." Emma ducked the pillow that came sailing toward her face. "Thanks, how did you know I needed a pillow?"
Serena was trying not to die of mortification when Trevor turned to Shauna and asked, "What did we interrupt?" Shauna's face flamed as red as Serena's as she settled down on one of the stools at the breakfast bar. Trevor placed his bag under the stool next to Shauna's.
"Nothing, Trevor." Calem answered. "Drop it."
Emma smirked. "Well, Trevvy, when two people love each other very much—"
"Emma, I swear to Arceus, if you finish that sentence, the next thing I throw will be the remote, and I won't miss."
Emma pouted. "Tierno would be so pissed at you for messing up my pretty face."
Serena figured she needed to help Calem out; Emma would keep teasing him all night. "Emma, p-please stop."
Emma glanced at Serena, and her face softened. "Sorry, cher, it's just too much fun to tease him. I forgot that when I tease him now, you'll probably be dragged along with him." She reached out and kicked the corner of the couch. "Thank your girlfriend, mister grouchy-pants. She's saved your hide this time." Calem ignored her, flipping between channels.
Serena shook her head and turned to Shauna and Trevor, and the notebook the latter had pulled out of his bag.
"Bringing work home with you?"
"Not really. The professor thinks he almost has my parents convinced to let me travel to Sinnoh. This is just a list of things I need to take, versus a list of things I want to take. If they say yes, of course. I wanted to make a copy for Shauna, just in case."
Calem looked over his shoulder. "You guys finally tell Shauna's parents yet?"
Shauna let out a long-suffering sigh. "No. We're going to try talking to them tonight."
"Good luck with that," Emma tossed out. Calem threw the other accent pillow on the couch at Emma without looking, missing her by a few feet. Emma stuck her tongue out at Calem, which he also missed. Trevor reached over and gripped Shauna's hand.
"It'll be fine. Even if my parents said yes tomorrow, we wouldn't be able to leave for a few months. Professor Sycamore has to plan everything out with Professor Rowan first."
"At this rate, I'll be eighteen before we leave," Shauna grumbled.
Serena thought for a moment. "I think maybe that's the professor's plan. He knows how scary your dad can be. Maybe he just needs to work on Trevor's parents, who are easier to convince, and by the time you leave, you'll be eighteen, and your dad can't stop you."
Trevor tapped his pen thoughtfully against his chin. "You may be right, Serena." He turned to look at Shauna. "But I'd still rather tell your parents everything now. I cannot stress enough how much I do not want your dad to hate me. He's a terrifying man."
Emma snorted. "You just have to know how to handle him."
"Yeah, be a girl," Calem retorted. "He hated me at first. It's been what, almost ten years now? He still doesn't like me very much. It's a miracle he likes Trevor."
Serena busied herself hunting through her fridge for drinks for her friends. She didn't have any Miltank shakes for Shauna, but her friend would be okay with soda pop. No lemonade either, but Emma liked berry juice. Serena set two cans of soda pop and two bottles of berry juice on the counter, and asked Emma if Tierno would be stopping by while she filled a glass with water for Trevor.
"Yeah, Nolan is getting off of work early tonight. Timeo is supposed to take over watching Juliette, Romane, and Louis. Tierno should be on his way now." Nolan was Tierno's dad; Timeo was his sixteen year old brother. Juliette and Romane were the nine year old twin girls, and Louis was the six year old baby brother.
Serena nodded and passed out the drinks before joining Calem on the couch. He had settled on some National Geographic show showing the daily lives of a Luxray pride. He was strange that way. Serena supposed it came from being raised by two trainers, but Calem was always watching nature shows about Pokemon, or expo features about new items being developed for trainer use. His favorite shows to watch were the live coverages of regional battle tournaments, but Serena knew there were no tournaments going on at the moment.
About a half hour later, Grace finally got home, arms full of bags. Serena headed outside to get Rhyhorn settled into her pen, while her friends helped her mom unload the groceries. As Serena finished filling Rhyhorn's food trough, Tierno came into the yard. The two friends greeted each other, then Tierno headed inside while Serena turned on the hose to fill Rhyhorn's water trough. She patted Rhyhorn on the head as she waited for the trough to fill, mind empty. There was still a small kernel of fear of Pedro deep inside her. She knew he hadn't been caught yet, and that he could be anywhere, but surrounded by her family and friends, she wasn't worried about him. Calem had told her that he had an idea of where Pedro was holed up at, but he refused to elaborate further. He'd only stated that Pedro wasn't close to Vaniville, so it was safe for Serena to return home. Serena watched a flock of wild Fletchling and Fletchinder pass by in the late afternoon sunlight before turning the water off and heading inside. Her friends were crowded around the breakfast bar, while her mom was preparing to make dinner. Serena was confused about why everyone wasn't in the living room, until Emma moved, and she saw several twenty-four packs of wine coolers and beer on the stools.
"Maman! We're underage!" Serena's friends all looked over at her puzzled, while her mom laughed.
"No, mon ange. You're all underage in Unova. In Kalos, you have to be eighteen to buy alcohol, but there is no age restriction on alcohol consumption in private settings."
"Didn't you know that, fleur?"
Serena shook her head. After she turned fourteen, her mom would allow her to have a wine cooler or glass of wine occasionally, but it was always at home, and Serena just thought that she had a cool mom. In Unova, the drinking age anywhere was twenty-one, public or private. Serena had assumed it was the same in every region.
She'd had drinks with her friends before, at Emma's apartment above the Bureau, but she'd always assumed Emma had gotten one of her older friends to buy it for her. She'd never seen Calem, Emma, or Tierno drink out in public before, either, which had only cemented in her mind that the drinking age in Kalos was similar to Unova.
"Who bought the alcohol when we all hung out at Emma's those times?"
"Me and Tierno," Calem answered.
"And that's why Kalos is better than Unova," Emma said, using her shirt to pop the top off of her beer. "We're taught from a young age to respect alcohol, so we don't go crazy once we can legally buy it."
Calem was using a bottle opener on his keychain to open his beer. "My parents started letting me have a drink with dinner when I was twelve. Once you've been able to do it for years, it's not that cool anymore."
Shauna handed Serena an open Hondew flavored wine cooler. "We're not getting wasted. We're just celebrating your release from the hospital."
Serena accepted her drink, thinking. She wondered what the drinking ages were in the other regions, and asked. Naturally, it was Trevor who answered.
"I believe Kanto and Johto have the next highest drinking ages, after Unova. Their minimum is twenty, I believe. Hoenn and Kalos are both eighteen, though like your mom said, there is no age limit on drinking in private homes in Kalos. And I think Sinnoh's minimum age is sixteen."
Grace shook her head. "Not many eighteen year olds anywhere would complain if their mom bought beer for them and their friends. Now shoo. Go relax while I cook." She pointed the tongs in her hand at Calem. "Hands to yourself, buster. Remember, I can see everything that happens in the living room from here."
Calem threw the hand not holding his beer up in the air. Exasperatedly, he asked, "What about Trevor and Shauna, or Emma and Tierno? Why just me?"
Grace put her hands on her hips. "Trevor and Shauna are smart enough to behave, and even if Emma isn't—"
"Hey!" Emma exclaimed.
"—Tierno is. Besides," Grace said, hugging Serena to her, "Serena is my precious little angel, and you are the demon sent to corrupt her."
Calem rolled his eyes. "Damn, you caught me. I'll have to tell the great Giratina that I've failed in stealing Serena's soul," he deadpanned. Grace snickered.
"I like him, Serena. He's funny."
Calem took a sip of his beer, his face expressionless. "The chicken is burning."
Cursing, Grace turned around and quickly flipped the chicken in the pan on the stove. Over her shoulder, she called, "Go on, go watch a movie or something. Dinner will take a while."
Serena gave her mom a quick hug, giving a whispered thanks, before she joined her friends in the living room. Her mom had gotten rid of her small red couch a while ago, and bought a large sectional, which offered enough room for all of Serena's friends. Calem was sitting on the end of the couch closest to the bookshelf, with an empty space next to him, for Serena to sit. Next to the empty spot was Shauna, cuddling with Trevor. Tierno was sitting on the other couch, toward the curved piece, with Emma laid out along the length of the couch, her head in his lap, and her legs dangling over the arm. Serena set her wine cooler on the coffee table and went to the bookcase.
"What do you guys want to watch?" she asked perusing her and her mom's DVD collection.
"Horror!"
"Sci-fi!"
"Nothing scary! Romance!"
"Nah, action."
Serena turned as her friends started arguing amongst themselves. Calem gifted her with his lazy grin. "You had to know what would happen before you asked that." Serena sighed.
"We have the last movie in the Everlasting Memories series. D-do you guys want to watch that?"
Her friends all consented, except Emma, who was stubbornly insisting on a horror movie. Tierno clamped his hand over his girlfriend's mouth. "Ignore her. 'Everlasting Memories Four' is fine." Serena pulled the movie from the bookcase and placed the disc in the DVD player. Within moments, she was settled next to Calem, his arm around her shoulders. As the previews for other movies started playing, Trevor inhaled deeply.
"What's your mom making, Serena? That smells amazing."
"Breaded and fried chicken cutlets," Calem answered.
"With baked homemade macaroni and cheese," Emma added.
"And boiled Brussels sprouts with butter," Shauna finished.
Tierno looked horrified. "Brussels sprouts? Why are you so excited over Brussels sprouts?" Emma leaned her head back and looked up at him.
"Don't knock it, baby. I hated Brussels sprouts, until I had Grace's. One bite, you'll fall in love." Tierno harrumphed grumpily, taking a swig of his beer.
"If you say so."
Everyone laughed and settled in to watch the movie, slowly drinking their beverages, and making jokes about parts of the movie. Serena was wrapped in fuzzy warmth, not just from the alcohol, but from Calem's arm around her, her friends' laughter in her ears, and the smell of her favorite comfort food in the air. She didn't think she could get any happier than she was now, when the doorbell buzzed.
"Serena, can you answer that?" her mom called. Sighing, Serena pulled away from Calem and walked to the door, wondering who else could possibly be stopping by. The professor, maybe, but Trevor had told them he had headed home after he closed the Lab. Serena opened the door, and her jaw dropped.
"You gonna let us in, little cousin? Or you plan on making us stand out here all night?" Hugh was standing on her doorstep, flanked by Nate and Rosa, and with Hannah standing in front of him.
Enter the cousins Hugh and Hannah, with Nate and Rosa! That was a spur of the moment decision, so I hope you like it! First, medical terminology.
Debridement-The cleaning of an open wound, using warm water and Hibiclens, a gentle antibacterial soap. The solution is gently sprayed over the wound to wash debris out of the wound, and gauze is used to gently wipe away more stubborn debris, and to pat the wound dry before medication and bandages is applied.
Nebulizer-A small portable machine that is plugged into the wall and vaporizes medicine to be inhaled, used to help open up the lungs when a patient has difficulty breathing. A long slender tube is attached to a nozzle on the machine, and connects to a small chamber that holds albuterol sulfate and ipratropium bromide, two liquid medications used in opening the airways. I don't know exactly how the machine does it, but it vaporizes the medications, and the patient breaths in the vapor through a mouth piece. It takes about ten to fifteen minutes to breath in the entire medication dosage, depending on if the patient is given just albuterol, or the combination of albuterol and ipratropium. Also, most rescue inhalers contain albuterol. Just an FYI.
As for the drinking ages, I Googled drinking ages in Japan, Scandinavia, South America, and France. If you remember my headcanon for the regions, then the age for each region matches the corresponding ages in real life.
Translations!
French/Kalosian
mon ange- my angel
cher- dear
fleur- flower
Desole! Je suis tellement desole! Shauna a du courir a la maison pour quelque chose! Mon dieu, je suis tellement desole!- Sorry! I'm so sorry! Shauna had to run home for something! Oh god, I'm so sorry!
fils de pute- son of a bitch
desole- sorry
Vous etes absolument magnifique.- You are absolutely beautiful.
ma petite fleur- my little flower
batard- bastard
maman- mom, mommy
