When it Rains
By--abbylicious
Summary--Misty gets pregnant after a night of drunken mistakes, but Ash doesn't know he's the father. After almost five years apart, Ash is a returning Pokémon Master and Misty is still a strong-minded woman, plagued by the past. They meet again at Ash's homecoming party, where things begin to fall apart.
Disclaimer--If I owned any part of Pokémon, not only would the characters develop major psychological problems, but it probably would have been canceled years ago.
Chapter Seven--Extra Miles
*~*~*~*~*
Once, Misty vaguely remembered, Chiharu had gotten separated from her in a department store. She remembered the frivolity of having her child with her one minute and losing her completely in the next. It seemed so easy to take her eyes away just long enough for something to happen... Too easy...
She threw open the door with great haste and ran into the wet blackness beyond. She couldn't see two feet in front of her, and her screams were only carried as far. The sudden rain had caused an extreme temperature change, and the icy water mixed cruelly with the tears on Misty's hot cheeks. Ash, sensing instantly what she planned on doing, had sprinted outside after her and grabbed her around her shoulders just before she stepped out of sight. She struggled, naturally, but her words were drowned out by the crashing thunder and wind. With some difficulty, he finally managed to shove her back into the house and shut the door behind them. He stood in front of it and prevented Misty from reaching the doorknob.
"God, let me go! My baby! My little girl is out there! Chiharu! Please, please... Let me go..." Her obvious hysteria made Ash wonder if she also needed to be slapped back into reality. Instead, he took her in his hands and made her look straight into his eyes.
"Misty... Misty, look at me. You can't help her like this. Just settle down and listen."
"My daughter," she mumbled forlornly.
Our daughter, Ash thought, but instead said, "Look, we will find her; we just need to stay calm, okay?"
Misty started to protest but Ash hushed her. "Do you trust me?"
She looked at him, more determined now, and nodded solemnly. Ash cleared his throat and slowly slid his hands off her face. "All right," he said as he headed for a closet, "she can't have gotten very far." He removed two sturdy raincoats and handed one to Misty without question. While he liked the idea of her staying here, safe, he knew without a doubt that it was out of the question.
He reached deeper into the small closet and produced two heavy-duty flashlights. After checking the batteries, he handed one to Misty.
"Thanks," she said, showing gratitude for much more than what he had just given her. He looked into her eyes and a silent decision was made to put on hold all of the important things that needed desperately to be discussed. All that mattered to both of them in that moment was finding their child, and neither would give up without safely bringing Chiharu home.
*~*~*~*~*
Chiharu's trail left Pikachu feeling dizzy. Her prints were faint and quickly being washed away by the rain. Ash wondered if bringing his electric friend was really a good idea, but they could use all the help they could get. As it turned out, Chiharu had proven exactly how far she could go, since the search party now found themselves at the edge of a small wood almost a quarter mile from Ash's house. Misty shined her flashlight into the trees and threw the hood of her coat off in frustration. The rain rapidly began to soak her hair as she shouted, "Chiharu!" in anguish. The forest answered her with weak echoes.
"Oh, God, did she really go in there?" Misty said aloud. Ash began to notice the panic rising in her voice and her inability to stand still.
"Okay," Ash said after a moment, "I think you should stay here. It'll be easier to find my way back when I get to Chiharu and..."
"Are you insane? There's no way you're getting me to stay behind! And do you think I'd let you go in alone? Ha! That's almost funny..." Misty felt her hysteria returning, but even that could not penetrate her stubbornness.
Ash looked at her in defeat and knew he shouldn't have tried. He couldn't even muster enough anger to argue the subject, especially when he noticed Misty's fatigued appearance. In the light of the glowing flashlight beam, he couldn't help but be reminded of Misty and the way she resembled her younger self on the night of what he now knew to be Chiharu's conception. It occurred to him in that moment how much more meaning that event held for him now. If only he could reach out and tell her all the things he was thinking... Everything he wanted to say...
Misty could tell in the way he looked at her what he was thinking about. She felt a pain in her heart that she had grown accustomed to, the pain of not being able to communicate to him what she wanted to say due to outside forces. She was frustrated and terrified and all she wanted was to have her little girl and Ash... Well, she didn't really know what she wanted from Ash; she certainly expected nothing of him. How could she after her betrayal? But in her deepest, most selfish thoughts, she wanted nothing more than to express her unrequited love for the father of her child and to finally put an end to the pain they both suffered. She needed to be reassured; she needed proof that everything would turn out all right...
It took both of them a few oblivious moments to realize they had drifted rather close. Misty found herself crying relentlessly once again as the elements attacked the pair from all angles. Ash instinctively held open his arms and Misty fell almost helplessly into them. He held her with all his strength and wished her troubles away. She was weak; it didn't matter how convincing a façade she put up, Misty was feeling the repercussions of her confession and the apparent loss of Chiharu. Ash was experiencing his own set of unexpected emotions, but it felt impossible for him to control his physical actions. It was almost as if a secret, second nature had taken over. He slowly wiped her tears until he eventually could not help himself from holding her shaking chin in his hands and gently kissing the droplets away. Misty knew she had no strength left in her body to pull back, and she knew she didn't want to. Ash paused and looked at her with an emotion even she couldn't name.
Carefully, almost afraid that he might move too quickly and make the moment disappear, Ash let his lips touch a teary raindrop on Misty's mouth. The water melted away as their skin touched, the warmth of it making Misty lightheaded. It was the most delicate kiss she had ever experienced, almost too perfect to break. She knew in that moment with absolute certainty that no other man would ever have the ability to kiss her like this. Her knees felt momentary weakness and she was glad to have Ash to lean into. It was a melancholy kiss, one of pure desperation. Ash and Misty became no better than two small children themselves, clinging to each other yet still greatly alone, lost in the storm, as they had been for so terribly long. Confusion and circumstance ruled their relationship, if only they could finally rid themselves of the trivial things that kept them despairingly apart...
A deafening crack of thunder and another instantaneous flash of white lightning scared Misty so horribly that she nearly fell over in her haste to rid herself of Ash's embrace. Her mind was brought back to the essential task at hand, Chiharu. There was no time for guilt, or awkward silence, or discussion of any sort. She composed herself as best she could.
"I-I'm sorry, I," Ash stammered.
"This...is wrong," Misty replied with a shaky voice, although she believed nothing of the sort. "We need to go...now," she said as she collected her neglected flashlight and followed the eager Pikachu into the trees. Ash said nothing, but kept a careful distance from Misty as he demanded his mind to focus on finding Chiharu. He had not felt more disgusted guilt or dreadful wrongdoing in a very long time. How could he have let himself do that when helpless, innocent Chiharu was lost and they were losing precious seconds? How could he have put himself before the girl he now knew as his daughter? One sideways look at Misty told him she was thinking exactly the same thing. Ash cursed himself in advance in case anything had happened to Chiharu...
A sound from ahead caught Ash's attention instantly. His stomach gave way to a horrible dropping motion as he realized that Pikachu was heading towards the ominous noise...
He heard Misty's small yelp of terror as she came to where Pikachu had stopped, for she was still some feet in front of Ash. He sprinted the last few steps and looked over the edge of land where all three had stopped.
The river, no real threat under normal circumstances, had swelled to dangerous proportions due to the excessive amounts of rain pouring into it. It occurred to Ash that Pikachu was indeed indicating that Chiharu's trail led somewhere into the water. In the pitch black of night, the river was only illuminated by the lonely flashlight beams and the occasional flash of lightning, making the search incredibly hard.
"CHIHARU!" Misty cried, but her voice was failing her. Her heart filled with the dreadful possibilities as no answer came.
Ash looked frantically along the banks and prayed with all his might for her to be okay... It was his fault if she were hurt, or...
"THERE!" he screamed as he spotted a patch of what looked like Chiharu's shirt. Misty stumbled quickly over to his position and let out a small cry when she saw what he did. Chiharu lay curled up tight, hidden almost completely behind a protruding tree root on the other side of the riverbank. She didn't appear to be moving at all.
Ash dismissed all other thoughts as he threw off his coat and let it drop to the ground. Misty grabbed his arm as he started to descend the steep embankment. Her tired eyes were filled with weary tears. She looked as though she were about to insist that she come along, but instead said, "You had better come back, with our daughter, Ash Ketchum, or I swear I'll... I'll...," but she could not think of an appropriate threat. Ash felt a little thrill at the first time she had referred to Chiharu as "our daughter", but trudged on, promising Misty his and Chiharu's safe return.
In all of his years as a Pallet native, Ash regretfully noted, the river he now planned to cross had never been so high or so treacherous. It was as though the previous, gentle waterway had never existed at all. But Ash could not trouble himself with thoughts of this nature now, not when such precious, new-found treasure lay in peril at the other side. No, he had never been one to shy away in the face of danger; he had never given his somewhat rash actions a second thought. For, if he stood around thinking for too long, too much could happen that would be too far out of his control. He would always rather do something than to let the opportune moments pass him by. The river would only get worse, and Chiharu would only grow weaker if they waited, safely, for "professional" help to arrive. Ash had absolutely made up his mind, and there was no time for justification.
Misty watched quite helplessly as Ash disappeared under the steep river edge. Her eyes began to dart nervously from Chiharu to Ash's shadowy figure. She realized suddenly that possibly the two most important people in her life were down there in that damn, cursed river and there was literally nothing she could do to help the situation. Every step of Ash's progress to the rapid-like water made Misty's heart beat a little faster and her intake of breath a little more hurried. Eventually, the dark night engulfed Ash and she could see him no longer. This, beyond all others, was the most nerve-wracking of all Ash's endeavors.
"Ash!" she shouted with obvious panic, "Talk to me! What's happening?" She got as close to the edge as she dared and grasped the muddy grass firmly.
"I can still see her," he replied, thinking also that keeping verbal contact was important. "I think I can still touch the river bottom over here." He didn't add that he figured he'd have to swim most of his way to reach Chiharu.
"We should keep talking, so we'll know if something...happens." Her voice nearly cracked as she said the final word.
Ash was now about waist-deep in the bubbling, white-rimmed water, trying to feel his way across the bottom as fast as he could. The current was strong here, but he knew it would feel a thousand times stronger when he would attempt to swim. Over the sounds of the pouring rain and the deafening, crashing waves, Ash almost couldn't hear Misty, whom he knew was shouting at the top of her lungs.
"What do you want me to talk about?" He tested a rock with his foot and sank a little deeper.
Misty pondered herself a moment. "Name all the Gym Leaders of Kanto, in the order that you beat them," she shouted into the wind.
"Oh, Christ, are you serious?"
"It's really not that hard. Come on, the first one's easy..."
Ash took a deep breath and continued his tedious trek. The water was only to his shoulders, but huge, muddy waves kept bringing it higher. "Well," he started as he spit some of the dirty liquid, "Brock was first, in Pewter City."
"Yes..."
"And then there was you, of course. In Cerulean. If you really...counted, I guess."
"I'll ignore that, considering the circumstances." Misty looked in vain to the dark river, only briefly illuminated by random lightning. She could only guess as to where Ash might be treading. She felt helpless, but knew there was nothing she could do to save her tiny daughter and her very dearest friend.
From his position, Ash could no longer see Chiharu, Misty, or anything beyond the roaring waters. It was eerie and cold and unimaginably wet and the only thing that kept him going was the thought of holding Misty and his daughter safely in his arms. After that, he had no idea what would happen and couldn't bother with thinking about it.
Ash stepped a bit too confidently on a spot he thought would be rock, only to find himself ankle-deep and sinking in the muddy river bottom. His head went completely under and he gasped loudly in shock. Misty, who had been worriedly waiting for him to continue naming Gym Leaders and who now heard this, began shouting again.
"Ash? Ash, are you all right?!? Please, please, Ash, answer me!" But her futile shouting was carried away in the conjoined roaring of the wind and water. She cursed herself for ever letting him go... She knew she'd jump right in after him if she didn't see or hear him soon...
Ash resurfaced and found himself in the middle of the river, about 10 yards from where he was supposed to be. There was no hope of communicating with Misty now; he only hoped she'd be patient enough to stay put. The current was like nothing he had ever felt before; it was like trying to swim up a waterfall. The spot where Chiharu lay seemed to almost grow farther away, but he pushed those desperate thoughts into oblivion and convinced himself progress was being made. As he accomplished his every stroke, his body and mind were relentlessly reminded of their utter exhaustion. He could imagine Misty screaming, poised to jump, although he could not hear her any longer. The freezing water was turning his hands to ice; his body was numb. He kicked off his heavy shoes in disgust, as they were weighing him down. He hoped and prayed with all his might that Chiharu had never been this cold...
Ash suddenly felt his stocking-ed foot brush against hard stone. He grabbed for the rocks with his hands before the waves could carry him away in surprise. He brought his weary, coughing, sputtering head out of the water and swung it around to find Chiharu. To his joy, Ash saw the small bundle, never having moved from her curled-up position. The protruding tree root that protected her was close, close enough for Ash to drag his frozen body towards without exerting the last of his efforts. He would need those to carry her, in the likely case that she could not walk.
Ash shrugged off the exhaustion and replaced it with hope. Just a few more painful steps...
Chiharu looked smaller and more vulnerable than he had ever seen, and she was unconscious. He bent anxiously over her body, and felt her tiny wrist for a blessed pulse. When he heard her labored breath and weak heartbeat, his rejoice was quickly followed by urgency. Her appendages were very cold and had a slightly bluish tint; Ash hurriedly gathered her in his arms and held her close to the middle of his body to keep her as warm as possible. All of their clothes were soaked. Ash held Chiharu's chilly face close to his own...
From somewhere far across the endless river, Ash caught a fragment of a shouted calling. Instantly, his mind went to Misty, and he called immediately to her, "Misty! Misty, can you hear me?"
Misty's heart leaped from her stomach to her throat as she saw the source of the voice vaguely in the mist. She could tell he had Chiharu.
"ASH! I was so worried! Why didn't you answer me?!? Is she all right?!?" Her own voice was hysteric and filled with panic as she paced clumsily on the bank. Her face never dried.
"She's not conscious, but she's still breathing, good pulse. How are you doing?"
"I'm fine! I'm fine; we need to get her to a hospital!"
The problem of having Ash on one side of the raging river and Misty on the other presented itself. Ash was the only one in a condition to think of a solution, although not by much.
"The town is closer from this side; that's one good thing. I can get her there in ten minutes. Probably sooner. It's best if I just go now, before we waste any more time," Ash shouted at Misty's frantic figure.
Misty felt even more powerless than before, but she knew that if she wanted to help Chiharu, Ash's plan was the best way. She looked forlornly at Ash and ached to cuddle her daughter...
"Good," she choked, "that's...the best thing to do."
Ash hesitated a bit and his heart went out to her. "Go back to the house; Pikachu will help you if you get lost, then come to the hospital, I-,"
"GO ALREADY! Hurry!" she shouted angrily, although she instantly regretted it. Ash gave her a look she couldn't even hope to see and began running as fast and as gently as he could.
*~*~*~*~*
Chiharu did not stir, even when Ash nearly tumbled coming out of the woods. He held her with all his might, adrenaline pumping in his veins and forcing his fatigued muscles to move forward. He checked often to see about Chiharu's condition, and prayed he would not have to perform CPR. She was obviously not one to give up easily, however, and her strength amazed and gladdened Ash. On and on he ran, running, running, running... Seeking out the small community hospital...
*~*~*~*~*
Misty running also, leaving a tired Pikachu trailing behind. It was indeed a longer trip out of the forest from this side of the over-flown river, but Misty was even more determined than Ash, if it were possible. When finally the trees thinned, she had no intention of heading back to the house, and instead trudged straight for the heart of Pallet Town. She cursed the falling rain, oh, how she hated it... It and all water, forever and ever...
Eventually, Misty took pity on the dutiful Pikachu and gathered it in her arms, just as Ash had done with Chiharu. She had no doubt that it also needed an emergency Pokémon Center visit, and, with fond thoughts of Ash's love for Pikachu, Misty made a slight detour.
*~*~*~*~*
"Help! I need a doctor right away! I have an emergency!"
A small, stubby nurse blinked in alarm at the man's drippy, distressed appearance. Surprisingly, the ER was almost completely empty; people were either staying safe or were unable to get to the hospital in the unbearable weather. All of the two ambulances were in commute.
At the man's insistent yelling, the nurse's medical instincts took over and she quickly called the only doctor not out in the storm, helping others.
As the nurse and doctor finally rushed over with a gurney, Ash laid Chiharu gently out on it and followed the pair.
"Let's take her to an examination area," the middle-aged, male doctor said as he listened to Chiharu's heart. The small hospital was the biggest for miles, but it had no real "trauma" room, only curtained areas and rooms that had dual purposes.
"Good breath sounds," the doctor continued. "Are you the father?" he asked Ash. Ash nodded absently.
"What happened?"
Ash took a moment to process the question. "She...she ran out into the storm... We, I found her near the river."
"How long has she been unconscious?"
"I, I don't know..." Ash felt his stomach doing flips.
"What's her name?" asked the nurse.
"Chiharu."
"And yours?"
"Ash... Ash Ketchum..."
"Right through here..."
The room where Chiharu ended up was full of all sorts of medical equipment and tubes and plastics and bags that Ash couldn't even begin to recognize. They were checking her blood pressure, her pulse, her pupils...
"Chiharu, can you hear me?" the doctor said as he prodded the girl.
"BP's one-ninety over seventy," said the nurse.
They were sticking needles in her arms and starting an IV... The dim lights made the white room seem gray, dark, and foreboding.
The nurse, pushing him out now, telling him he would have to wait in chairs. She was no match for Ash, but she was much more adamant. In the end, she managed to get Ash out of the room and continue to help Chiharu. Ash watched through the tiny glass window, but could read nothing on the face of the doctor. When the nurse shooed him away one final time, Ash was left with only his terrible thoughts. Was he too late? Had she stopped breathing? Would they have to intubate her? Would she fall into a coma?
Ash held his face in his hands and sat heavily in the uncomfortable plastic chair. Somewhere in the back of his mind, thoughts of Misty loomed, and he worried.
*~*~*~*~*
Misty ran through the doors of the Pokémon Center much the same way as Ash had run into the ER with Chiharu. The surroundings and circumstances were oddly familiar as a Nurse Joy popped out from behind the counter like magic. She clucked over Pikachu and looked at Misty in distaste as she escorted them into the back room.
"How could you let it go out in such weather?" the Nurse asked as she smoothed Pikachu's fur.
Misty looked at her with such hatred and utter annoyance that Nurse Joy shut her mouth and retained a meek disposition. Misty did not bother to apologize or explain.
"How bad is it?" Misty asked with both concern and distain.
"I think it's just over-exhausted. A good rest and some Potions will do wonders. It will need to stay overnight, of course." Nurse Joy busied herself with making Pikachu comfortable.
Misty sighed with relief. "Wonderful," she whispered as she patted Pikachu's head affectionately. The little mouse cuddled her palm in gratitude.
Nurse Joy looked at Misty's tattered, waterlogged appearance out of the corner of her eye. A musty smell invaded her nose. "Do you need...a place to stay tonight?" she asked with noticeable dislike.
Misty contained her annoyance and made herself understand why the Nurse would think her a homeless bum. Instead of blurting out her snide response, Misty simply walked out, saying in her wake, "I'll be back later; I have somewhere I need to be."
Nurse Joy stood gaping at her back, wondering greatly about the woman's sanity.
*~*~*~*~*
By--abbylicious
Summary--Misty gets pregnant after a night of drunken mistakes, but Ash doesn't know he's the father. After almost five years apart, Ash is a returning Pokémon Master and Misty is still a strong-minded woman, plagued by the past. They meet again at Ash's homecoming party, where things begin to fall apart.
Disclaimer--If I owned any part of Pokémon, not only would the characters develop major psychological problems, but it probably would have been canceled years ago.
Chapter Seven--Extra Miles
*~*~*~*~*
Once, Misty vaguely remembered, Chiharu had gotten separated from her in a department store. She remembered the frivolity of having her child with her one minute and losing her completely in the next. It seemed so easy to take her eyes away just long enough for something to happen... Too easy...
She threw open the door with great haste and ran into the wet blackness beyond. She couldn't see two feet in front of her, and her screams were only carried as far. The sudden rain had caused an extreme temperature change, and the icy water mixed cruelly with the tears on Misty's hot cheeks. Ash, sensing instantly what she planned on doing, had sprinted outside after her and grabbed her around her shoulders just before she stepped out of sight. She struggled, naturally, but her words were drowned out by the crashing thunder and wind. With some difficulty, he finally managed to shove her back into the house and shut the door behind them. He stood in front of it and prevented Misty from reaching the doorknob.
"God, let me go! My baby! My little girl is out there! Chiharu! Please, please... Let me go..." Her obvious hysteria made Ash wonder if she also needed to be slapped back into reality. Instead, he took her in his hands and made her look straight into his eyes.
"Misty... Misty, look at me. You can't help her like this. Just settle down and listen."
"My daughter," she mumbled forlornly.
Our daughter, Ash thought, but instead said, "Look, we will find her; we just need to stay calm, okay?"
Misty started to protest but Ash hushed her. "Do you trust me?"
She looked at him, more determined now, and nodded solemnly. Ash cleared his throat and slowly slid his hands off her face. "All right," he said as he headed for a closet, "she can't have gotten very far." He removed two sturdy raincoats and handed one to Misty without question. While he liked the idea of her staying here, safe, he knew without a doubt that it was out of the question.
He reached deeper into the small closet and produced two heavy-duty flashlights. After checking the batteries, he handed one to Misty.
"Thanks," she said, showing gratitude for much more than what he had just given her. He looked into her eyes and a silent decision was made to put on hold all of the important things that needed desperately to be discussed. All that mattered to both of them in that moment was finding their child, and neither would give up without safely bringing Chiharu home.
*~*~*~*~*
Chiharu's trail left Pikachu feeling dizzy. Her prints were faint and quickly being washed away by the rain. Ash wondered if bringing his electric friend was really a good idea, but they could use all the help they could get. As it turned out, Chiharu had proven exactly how far she could go, since the search party now found themselves at the edge of a small wood almost a quarter mile from Ash's house. Misty shined her flashlight into the trees and threw the hood of her coat off in frustration. The rain rapidly began to soak her hair as she shouted, "Chiharu!" in anguish. The forest answered her with weak echoes.
"Oh, God, did she really go in there?" Misty said aloud. Ash began to notice the panic rising in her voice and her inability to stand still.
"Okay," Ash said after a moment, "I think you should stay here. It'll be easier to find my way back when I get to Chiharu and..."
"Are you insane? There's no way you're getting me to stay behind! And do you think I'd let you go in alone? Ha! That's almost funny..." Misty felt her hysteria returning, but even that could not penetrate her stubbornness.
Ash looked at her in defeat and knew he shouldn't have tried. He couldn't even muster enough anger to argue the subject, especially when he noticed Misty's fatigued appearance. In the light of the glowing flashlight beam, he couldn't help but be reminded of Misty and the way she resembled her younger self on the night of what he now knew to be Chiharu's conception. It occurred to him in that moment how much more meaning that event held for him now. If only he could reach out and tell her all the things he was thinking... Everything he wanted to say...
Misty could tell in the way he looked at her what he was thinking about. She felt a pain in her heart that she had grown accustomed to, the pain of not being able to communicate to him what she wanted to say due to outside forces. She was frustrated and terrified and all she wanted was to have her little girl and Ash... Well, she didn't really know what she wanted from Ash; she certainly expected nothing of him. How could she after her betrayal? But in her deepest, most selfish thoughts, she wanted nothing more than to express her unrequited love for the father of her child and to finally put an end to the pain they both suffered. She needed to be reassured; she needed proof that everything would turn out all right...
It took both of them a few oblivious moments to realize they had drifted rather close. Misty found herself crying relentlessly once again as the elements attacked the pair from all angles. Ash instinctively held open his arms and Misty fell almost helplessly into them. He held her with all his strength and wished her troubles away. She was weak; it didn't matter how convincing a façade she put up, Misty was feeling the repercussions of her confession and the apparent loss of Chiharu. Ash was experiencing his own set of unexpected emotions, but it felt impossible for him to control his physical actions. It was almost as if a secret, second nature had taken over. He slowly wiped her tears until he eventually could not help himself from holding her shaking chin in his hands and gently kissing the droplets away. Misty knew she had no strength left in her body to pull back, and she knew she didn't want to. Ash paused and looked at her with an emotion even she couldn't name.
Carefully, almost afraid that he might move too quickly and make the moment disappear, Ash let his lips touch a teary raindrop on Misty's mouth. The water melted away as their skin touched, the warmth of it making Misty lightheaded. It was the most delicate kiss she had ever experienced, almost too perfect to break. She knew in that moment with absolute certainty that no other man would ever have the ability to kiss her like this. Her knees felt momentary weakness and she was glad to have Ash to lean into. It was a melancholy kiss, one of pure desperation. Ash and Misty became no better than two small children themselves, clinging to each other yet still greatly alone, lost in the storm, as they had been for so terribly long. Confusion and circumstance ruled their relationship, if only they could finally rid themselves of the trivial things that kept them despairingly apart...
A deafening crack of thunder and another instantaneous flash of white lightning scared Misty so horribly that she nearly fell over in her haste to rid herself of Ash's embrace. Her mind was brought back to the essential task at hand, Chiharu. There was no time for guilt, or awkward silence, or discussion of any sort. She composed herself as best she could.
"I-I'm sorry, I," Ash stammered.
"This...is wrong," Misty replied with a shaky voice, although she believed nothing of the sort. "We need to go...now," she said as she collected her neglected flashlight and followed the eager Pikachu into the trees. Ash said nothing, but kept a careful distance from Misty as he demanded his mind to focus on finding Chiharu. He had not felt more disgusted guilt or dreadful wrongdoing in a very long time. How could he have let himself do that when helpless, innocent Chiharu was lost and they were losing precious seconds? How could he have put himself before the girl he now knew as his daughter? One sideways look at Misty told him she was thinking exactly the same thing. Ash cursed himself in advance in case anything had happened to Chiharu...
A sound from ahead caught Ash's attention instantly. His stomach gave way to a horrible dropping motion as he realized that Pikachu was heading towards the ominous noise...
He heard Misty's small yelp of terror as she came to where Pikachu had stopped, for she was still some feet in front of Ash. He sprinted the last few steps and looked over the edge of land where all three had stopped.
The river, no real threat under normal circumstances, had swelled to dangerous proportions due to the excessive amounts of rain pouring into it. It occurred to Ash that Pikachu was indeed indicating that Chiharu's trail led somewhere into the water. In the pitch black of night, the river was only illuminated by the lonely flashlight beams and the occasional flash of lightning, making the search incredibly hard.
"CHIHARU!" Misty cried, but her voice was failing her. Her heart filled with the dreadful possibilities as no answer came.
Ash looked frantically along the banks and prayed with all his might for her to be okay... It was his fault if she were hurt, or...
"THERE!" he screamed as he spotted a patch of what looked like Chiharu's shirt. Misty stumbled quickly over to his position and let out a small cry when she saw what he did. Chiharu lay curled up tight, hidden almost completely behind a protruding tree root on the other side of the riverbank. She didn't appear to be moving at all.
Ash dismissed all other thoughts as he threw off his coat and let it drop to the ground. Misty grabbed his arm as he started to descend the steep embankment. Her tired eyes were filled with weary tears. She looked as though she were about to insist that she come along, but instead said, "You had better come back, with our daughter, Ash Ketchum, or I swear I'll... I'll...," but she could not think of an appropriate threat. Ash felt a little thrill at the first time she had referred to Chiharu as "our daughter", but trudged on, promising Misty his and Chiharu's safe return.
In all of his years as a Pallet native, Ash regretfully noted, the river he now planned to cross had never been so high or so treacherous. It was as though the previous, gentle waterway had never existed at all. But Ash could not trouble himself with thoughts of this nature now, not when such precious, new-found treasure lay in peril at the other side. No, he had never been one to shy away in the face of danger; he had never given his somewhat rash actions a second thought. For, if he stood around thinking for too long, too much could happen that would be too far out of his control. He would always rather do something than to let the opportune moments pass him by. The river would only get worse, and Chiharu would only grow weaker if they waited, safely, for "professional" help to arrive. Ash had absolutely made up his mind, and there was no time for justification.
Misty watched quite helplessly as Ash disappeared under the steep river edge. Her eyes began to dart nervously from Chiharu to Ash's shadowy figure. She realized suddenly that possibly the two most important people in her life were down there in that damn, cursed river and there was literally nothing she could do to help the situation. Every step of Ash's progress to the rapid-like water made Misty's heart beat a little faster and her intake of breath a little more hurried. Eventually, the dark night engulfed Ash and she could see him no longer. This, beyond all others, was the most nerve-wracking of all Ash's endeavors.
"Ash!" she shouted with obvious panic, "Talk to me! What's happening?" She got as close to the edge as she dared and grasped the muddy grass firmly.
"I can still see her," he replied, thinking also that keeping verbal contact was important. "I think I can still touch the river bottom over here." He didn't add that he figured he'd have to swim most of his way to reach Chiharu.
"We should keep talking, so we'll know if something...happens." Her voice nearly cracked as she said the final word.
Ash was now about waist-deep in the bubbling, white-rimmed water, trying to feel his way across the bottom as fast as he could. The current was strong here, but he knew it would feel a thousand times stronger when he would attempt to swim. Over the sounds of the pouring rain and the deafening, crashing waves, Ash almost couldn't hear Misty, whom he knew was shouting at the top of her lungs.
"What do you want me to talk about?" He tested a rock with his foot and sank a little deeper.
Misty pondered herself a moment. "Name all the Gym Leaders of Kanto, in the order that you beat them," she shouted into the wind.
"Oh, Christ, are you serious?"
"It's really not that hard. Come on, the first one's easy..."
Ash took a deep breath and continued his tedious trek. The water was only to his shoulders, but huge, muddy waves kept bringing it higher. "Well," he started as he spit some of the dirty liquid, "Brock was first, in Pewter City."
"Yes..."
"And then there was you, of course. In Cerulean. If you really...counted, I guess."
"I'll ignore that, considering the circumstances." Misty looked in vain to the dark river, only briefly illuminated by random lightning. She could only guess as to where Ash might be treading. She felt helpless, but knew there was nothing she could do to save her tiny daughter and her very dearest friend.
From his position, Ash could no longer see Chiharu, Misty, or anything beyond the roaring waters. It was eerie and cold and unimaginably wet and the only thing that kept him going was the thought of holding Misty and his daughter safely in his arms. After that, he had no idea what would happen and couldn't bother with thinking about it.
Ash stepped a bit too confidently on a spot he thought would be rock, only to find himself ankle-deep and sinking in the muddy river bottom. His head went completely under and he gasped loudly in shock. Misty, who had been worriedly waiting for him to continue naming Gym Leaders and who now heard this, began shouting again.
"Ash? Ash, are you all right?!? Please, please, Ash, answer me!" But her futile shouting was carried away in the conjoined roaring of the wind and water. She cursed herself for ever letting him go... She knew she'd jump right in after him if she didn't see or hear him soon...
Ash resurfaced and found himself in the middle of the river, about 10 yards from where he was supposed to be. There was no hope of communicating with Misty now; he only hoped she'd be patient enough to stay put. The current was like nothing he had ever felt before; it was like trying to swim up a waterfall. The spot where Chiharu lay seemed to almost grow farther away, but he pushed those desperate thoughts into oblivion and convinced himself progress was being made. As he accomplished his every stroke, his body and mind were relentlessly reminded of their utter exhaustion. He could imagine Misty screaming, poised to jump, although he could not hear her any longer. The freezing water was turning his hands to ice; his body was numb. He kicked off his heavy shoes in disgust, as they were weighing him down. He hoped and prayed with all his might that Chiharu had never been this cold...
Ash suddenly felt his stocking-ed foot brush against hard stone. He grabbed for the rocks with his hands before the waves could carry him away in surprise. He brought his weary, coughing, sputtering head out of the water and swung it around to find Chiharu. To his joy, Ash saw the small bundle, never having moved from her curled-up position. The protruding tree root that protected her was close, close enough for Ash to drag his frozen body towards without exerting the last of his efforts. He would need those to carry her, in the likely case that she could not walk.
Ash shrugged off the exhaustion and replaced it with hope. Just a few more painful steps...
Chiharu looked smaller and more vulnerable than he had ever seen, and she was unconscious. He bent anxiously over her body, and felt her tiny wrist for a blessed pulse. When he heard her labored breath and weak heartbeat, his rejoice was quickly followed by urgency. Her appendages were very cold and had a slightly bluish tint; Ash hurriedly gathered her in his arms and held her close to the middle of his body to keep her as warm as possible. All of their clothes were soaked. Ash held Chiharu's chilly face close to his own...
From somewhere far across the endless river, Ash caught a fragment of a shouted calling. Instantly, his mind went to Misty, and he called immediately to her, "Misty! Misty, can you hear me?"
Misty's heart leaped from her stomach to her throat as she saw the source of the voice vaguely in the mist. She could tell he had Chiharu.
"ASH! I was so worried! Why didn't you answer me?!? Is she all right?!?" Her own voice was hysteric and filled with panic as she paced clumsily on the bank. Her face never dried.
"She's not conscious, but she's still breathing, good pulse. How are you doing?"
"I'm fine! I'm fine; we need to get her to a hospital!"
The problem of having Ash on one side of the raging river and Misty on the other presented itself. Ash was the only one in a condition to think of a solution, although not by much.
"The town is closer from this side; that's one good thing. I can get her there in ten minutes. Probably sooner. It's best if I just go now, before we waste any more time," Ash shouted at Misty's frantic figure.
Misty felt even more powerless than before, but she knew that if she wanted to help Chiharu, Ash's plan was the best way. She looked forlornly at Ash and ached to cuddle her daughter...
"Good," she choked, "that's...the best thing to do."
Ash hesitated a bit and his heart went out to her. "Go back to the house; Pikachu will help you if you get lost, then come to the hospital, I-,"
"GO ALREADY! Hurry!" she shouted angrily, although she instantly regretted it. Ash gave her a look she couldn't even hope to see and began running as fast and as gently as he could.
*~*~*~*~*
Chiharu did not stir, even when Ash nearly tumbled coming out of the woods. He held her with all his might, adrenaline pumping in his veins and forcing his fatigued muscles to move forward. He checked often to see about Chiharu's condition, and prayed he would not have to perform CPR. She was obviously not one to give up easily, however, and her strength amazed and gladdened Ash. On and on he ran, running, running, running... Seeking out the small community hospital...
*~*~*~*~*
Misty running also, leaving a tired Pikachu trailing behind. It was indeed a longer trip out of the forest from this side of the over-flown river, but Misty was even more determined than Ash, if it were possible. When finally the trees thinned, she had no intention of heading back to the house, and instead trudged straight for the heart of Pallet Town. She cursed the falling rain, oh, how she hated it... It and all water, forever and ever...
Eventually, Misty took pity on the dutiful Pikachu and gathered it in her arms, just as Ash had done with Chiharu. She had no doubt that it also needed an emergency Pokémon Center visit, and, with fond thoughts of Ash's love for Pikachu, Misty made a slight detour.
*~*~*~*~*
"Help! I need a doctor right away! I have an emergency!"
A small, stubby nurse blinked in alarm at the man's drippy, distressed appearance. Surprisingly, the ER was almost completely empty; people were either staying safe or were unable to get to the hospital in the unbearable weather. All of the two ambulances were in commute.
At the man's insistent yelling, the nurse's medical instincts took over and she quickly called the only doctor not out in the storm, helping others.
As the nurse and doctor finally rushed over with a gurney, Ash laid Chiharu gently out on it and followed the pair.
"Let's take her to an examination area," the middle-aged, male doctor said as he listened to Chiharu's heart. The small hospital was the biggest for miles, but it had no real "trauma" room, only curtained areas and rooms that had dual purposes.
"Good breath sounds," the doctor continued. "Are you the father?" he asked Ash. Ash nodded absently.
"What happened?"
Ash took a moment to process the question. "She...she ran out into the storm... We, I found her near the river."
"How long has she been unconscious?"
"I, I don't know..." Ash felt his stomach doing flips.
"What's her name?" asked the nurse.
"Chiharu."
"And yours?"
"Ash... Ash Ketchum..."
"Right through here..."
The room where Chiharu ended up was full of all sorts of medical equipment and tubes and plastics and bags that Ash couldn't even begin to recognize. They were checking her blood pressure, her pulse, her pupils...
"Chiharu, can you hear me?" the doctor said as he prodded the girl.
"BP's one-ninety over seventy," said the nurse.
They were sticking needles in her arms and starting an IV... The dim lights made the white room seem gray, dark, and foreboding.
The nurse, pushing him out now, telling him he would have to wait in chairs. She was no match for Ash, but she was much more adamant. In the end, she managed to get Ash out of the room and continue to help Chiharu. Ash watched through the tiny glass window, but could read nothing on the face of the doctor. When the nurse shooed him away one final time, Ash was left with only his terrible thoughts. Was he too late? Had she stopped breathing? Would they have to intubate her? Would she fall into a coma?
Ash held his face in his hands and sat heavily in the uncomfortable plastic chair. Somewhere in the back of his mind, thoughts of Misty loomed, and he worried.
*~*~*~*~*
Misty ran through the doors of the Pokémon Center much the same way as Ash had run into the ER with Chiharu. The surroundings and circumstances were oddly familiar as a Nurse Joy popped out from behind the counter like magic. She clucked over Pikachu and looked at Misty in distaste as she escorted them into the back room.
"How could you let it go out in such weather?" the Nurse asked as she smoothed Pikachu's fur.
Misty looked at her with such hatred and utter annoyance that Nurse Joy shut her mouth and retained a meek disposition. Misty did not bother to apologize or explain.
"How bad is it?" Misty asked with both concern and distain.
"I think it's just over-exhausted. A good rest and some Potions will do wonders. It will need to stay overnight, of course." Nurse Joy busied herself with making Pikachu comfortable.
Misty sighed with relief. "Wonderful," she whispered as she patted Pikachu's head affectionately. The little mouse cuddled her palm in gratitude.
Nurse Joy looked at Misty's tattered, waterlogged appearance out of the corner of her eye. A musty smell invaded her nose. "Do you need...a place to stay tonight?" she asked with noticeable dislike.
Misty contained her annoyance and made herself understand why the Nurse would think her a homeless bum. Instead of blurting out her snide response, Misty simply walked out, saying in her wake, "I'll be back later; I have somewhere I need to be."
Nurse Joy stood gaping at her back, wondering greatly about the woman's sanity.
*~*~*~*~*