A/N: Heeey! I have to give some of the credit for this chapter to my good friend 'Contestshipper16' for helping me come up with the idea for the flashback, thank you! Wow this chapter took a long time! I've kind of lost my 'posting every other day thing'. I think I'll just post when I get the idea and story right. That okay with everyone? Good! I hope you all enjoy this chapter as it was so hard to think of a good idea for any of it! I know not everyone may like the shippings I do, but I still hope you all enjoy it. Thanks so much for 33 reviews, 705 views, 7 followers and 5 favourites, that means so much to me! On with this chapter… Handymanshipping! The ship of Tracey Sketchit and Daisy Waterflower! (Or Daisy Sketchit as they are married in this story!)
Italics = Flashback
Me: Disclaimer!
Tracey: Hold that pose *starts madly drawing*
Me: Do you need to draw me?
Tracey: Stop moving! You're giving me the perfect inspiration for a new Pokemon pose!
Me: I'm giving you inspiration for a POKEMON?!
Tracey: Yes! Now stay!
Me: Which Pokemon? Answer carefully…
Tracey: Oh nothing bad… Just a Garbodor…
Me: The walking pile of rubbish? I told you to answer carefully, not offend me you STUPID POKEMON WATCHER THAT WAS ONLY MADE TO REPLACE BROCK!
Tracey: *looks up with a hurt expression* Ouch! That hurt!
Me: I don't care, you hurt me! Now DAISY GET YOUR BUTT DOWN HERE AND DO THE DISCLAIMER!
Daisy: Hang on! Hair like mine doesn't, like, just come naturally ya know!
Me: I'll pull you down here by your hair if you're not careful!
Daisy: I'm here!
Me: Your hair looks the exact same as normal. You needed to take all that extra time?
Tracey: I think your hair looks… amazing!
Me: Stop that! Just do the disclaimer!
Tracey and Daisy: YellowDragonMuffin does not own the characters or anything else she could be sued for! Only the storyline!
Pikachu: Pika pi chu! (On with the story!)
Daisy: Like, awh! How adorable!
Tracey: Stay like that! I must sketch you!
Me: That's what she said!
Tracey: 37
Daisy: 40
All that could be heard in the waiting room in the hospital was a faint sobbing. Apart from that, everything was silent.
"It'll be okay, I promise!" said a green haired Pokemon watcher and assistant to Professor Gary Oak (Samuel retired a while back), trying to reassure his wife.
"It won't be, Trace!" the girl shouted back between sobs, "T-the b-baby m-might be-"
"It's alive! I just know it, Daisy." Tracey cupped Daisy's chin in his hand, forcing her red blotchy eyes to look into his black ones.
"Daisy, it was only a tiny tumble, that can't kill it!" Misty said from Daisy's other side, putting a hand on Daisy's hunched shoulder in an attempt to comfort her sister.
"Oh you would know! You've already had two children with your precious Ashy!" Daisy snapped back, her emotions mixed due to the stress and pregnancy. Misty went slightly red at this remark, and turned back to her own husband, Ash.
"Daisy, we've had a child who's happy! If we do lose this one, which we won't, it'll be okay anyway!" Tracey said, taking his wife's hands into his own. Her eyes immediately softened at the voice and touch of her husband.
"B-but, this could be our last chance to have another! And I really want two little baby Sketchit's! And…" Daisy trailed off, averting her gaze to the ground.
"And what? What are you worried about, Daisy? I'll do anything to make you feel better." Tracey said, worry prominent in his voice.
"And… And I'm scared you'll leave me if this baby… doesn't make it…" Daisy whispered, so quietly Tracey nearly didn't hear it.
"Daisy!" Tracey suddenly felt slightly angry that his wife would think he would leave her, "Look at me!" Tracey said, his voice sterner than usual. This tone caused Daisy to immediately meet his eyes, "I would never leave you Daisy. Even if we were forced to other sides of the world, I'd walk to you if I had to!" Tracey's little speech caused Daisy to tear up a little, as she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. Misty buried her own head in Ash's shoulder, they loved the relationship between their old travelling companion and Misty's own sister.
"I love you Tracey!"
"I love you Daisy!" the two made sure to stop here before they got too carried away. It was a hospital after all.
"Mrs Sketchit? We're ready to see you now." said a friendly looking nurse who was ready to give Daisy's bump a scan to check the baby was still alive and breathing.
Daisy took a deep breath, before receiving the reassuring smiles she was getting off everyone who was there for her in the waiting room. She took Tracey's hand, and they both stepped inside.
As they sat Daisy down and got her comfortable, they were both pulled back into the memory of when they became a couple.
"Daisy! I have three opponents scheduled to come into the gym today, and there will undoubtedly be at least another one who couldn't be bothered to schedule in advance! You really couldn't just do the shopping this one time?" the red headed Cerulean city gym leader pleaded to her oldest sister. Misty knew today was going to be busy, it was also the day Tracey was scheduled to come down, so she'd have to do something with him as well, as they were friends and Misty did like to spend some time with him, but at this rate she knew she'd never get anything done all because of the stupid shopping!
"Misty, I, like, can't go out in public! I'll be swarmed with adoring fans from the previous water ballet and my hair is not going right, I need to get to hair salon, stat!" the blonde sensational sister whined back, determined not to have to do any manual labour for anyone, even just shopping.
"Fine, you stay here a battle the challengers, feed all the Pokemon and make Tracey feel welcome today while I go shopping! Is that better?" Misty snapped, getting tired of her sister's reluctance to do anything responsible.
"Misty! That's, like, so not fair! You know how bad I am at battling! And cleaning!" Daisy argued back.
"Yes, I do, and that is why I'm telling you to do the shopping, I'm pretty sure even you can't screw that up!" Misty replied, walking away to signify that she was ending the conversation.
Daisy was extremely annoyed that her youngest sister thought she could boss her around just because she was a gym leader. She was about to follow her sister to wherever she had walked off to, but decided against it when she remembered Misty's short temper and how tired and irritable she was recently. Come to think of it, her and Ash had been together, what? 5 years now? And Daisy couldn't help think that Misty was acting like there was either trouble going on between them or she was… pregnant? Daisy shook the thought out of her blonde head and turned on her heel, walking into the kitchen where Misty had left the shopping.
She picked up the list from the counter and quickly took into account how long it was. Did they really need that much? How much Pokemon food? Questions like this kept running through Daisy's head before she eventually let out a breath, moving some strands of hair in the process. She grabbed her keys, purse, including: spare makeup, a hairbrush, compact mirror and many other things that no one but Daisy carries around. She took the Cerulean gym credit card and headed for the door, her fluffy hair bouncing along behind her.
"I'd better not chip a nail!" Daisy muttered before closing the gym doors behind her.
"Why does it have to be a specific type of Pokechow? It all looks the same!" Daisy said to herself, currently standing in the Pokemon food aisle and getting tired of trying to figure out which food was for which specific Pokemon. She eventually grabbed a random bag clearly labelled 'Special mix for fire types!'
"I wouldn't get that one, Daisy." came a voice from behind her. Daisy, shocked, dropped the bag of Pokechow and turning to the owner of the voice.
"Tracey?" she asked, giving him a look of disbelief as he was in the Cerulean City supermarket, "Shouldn't you shop at the Pallet shop or whatever? Anyway, Misty said you were visiting the gym today!"
"Uhhh… Yeah and yeah. I was just... picking something up for someone." Tracey said, a little unsurely.
"What? And for who? Can't be Misty, she's with Ash and I can't understand why anyone else would like her!" Daisy rambled.
"It's not Misty." Tracey said, a little more surely this time.
"Hmm… Is it perhaps a special someone in Pallet?" Daisy asked, giving Tracey an inquisitive look.
"It's a special someone, just, not in Pallet." Tracey replied, chuckling a little unsurely, like he was trying to cover something up.
"Who? Where are they from then? Come on, Trace, like, spill!" Daisy pushed forward, eager to know who he was talking about.
"Uhh… Let's get you that Pokechow shall we!" Tracey said, brightly, changing the conversation and leaving a very confused Daisy whilst he went to the shelf and immediately found the right Pokechow.
"How many bags do you need?" Tracey asked, determined to help.
"Uhhhh… 9 bags?!" Daisy cried, shocked at the amount of food their Pokemon ate.
"Okay!" Tracey said, moving bags into the nearly full trolley.
Daisy turned back away from Tracey and scanned the aisle out of pure boredom. She took in how bland and boring the shop looked, and thought about how much prettier she could make it look. Yes, she could see it, pink walls with purple and gold bunting and bows hanging on the walls. Chandeliers instead of the bland ceiling lights they had.
Daisy was caught up in her own little world, envisioning what colour she could make the shelves when she was suddenly snapped back into reality when she laid eyes on something, or rather, someone.
"Jackson!" Daisy said, breathlessly, laying eyes on her boyfriend, or should I say, ex-boyfriend.
Jackson continued walking forward, towards Daisy. Daisy began to get flustered, 'What was he doing here? He lived in Saffron City! Unless… Was he here to see me?' Daisy questioned in her head. She turned back around to Tracey in some hope that Jackson wouldn't have seen her. But, alas, Daisy's wishes were not answered as she felt a light tap on her shoulder.
"Hey Daisy, long time no see, right?" Jackson said, simply. Daisy felt herself melting at the sight of him, blonde hair, bright blue, beautiful eyes and a slightly squared face jaw. And Daisy knew all too well about the six pack under the grey t-shirt he was wearing!
The sound of another voice made Tracey jump in surprise, making him drop the bag of Pokechow he was lifting at that moment. He cursed under his breath as it fell, and reached to pick it up again, placing it into the trolley.
"I got 9, Daisy. Who's this?" Tracey asked, shooting a look at the blonde haired boy, standing tall in front of Daisy, a little too close for Tracey's liking.
"Sorry, didn't introduce myself, I'm Jackson, Daisy's ex-boyfriend." he said, reaching out his hand. Tracey took it and felt himself being jolted at the firm and hard handshake. "What's your name, mate?"
"Uhhh… Tracey." Tracey replied, his voice a bit unsure at this huge, dominating figure now standing in front of him.
It was silent for a few seconds as Jackson just looked at Tracey, before bursting out in a fit of laughter, this made Tracey quite angry, what was so funny?
"What's so funny, if you don't mind me asking?" Tracey asked, his voice tough to show he wasn't a pushover. Jackson had to wait a minute before the laughing had calmed down enough for him to answer.
"Is-Isn't Tracey a-a girls name?!" Jackson broke down in laughter again, hurting Tracey's male ego. He frowned as Jackson began to double over.
"Jackson, there's nothing to laugh about!" Tracey jumped slightly at the sound of Daisy's voice, he hadn't expected her to stand up to this giant.
"Sorry Daisy, sweetheart, didn't mean to offend ya." Jackson said, his voice calm and gentle for the blonde haired girl. He casually slung his arm around her shoulder, but moments later Daisy pulled away, determined to get away from his grasp. Her face looked disgusted at his actions.
"What's wrong, sweet cheeks? Don't you still love me?" Daisy looked clearly offended at Jackson's words, and stood tall, hate clear on her face.
"Don't call me 'sweetheart' or 'sweet cheeks' or anything! No! I don't still love you, and I can't imagine why I thought I did in the first place! You know what, Jackson, I was hoping you might have changed from that horrible douchebag you were before, but obviously not!" Daisy shouted, causing some shoppers to turn and watch the scene unfolding. Tracey looked shocked at Daisy's actions, he thought Misty was the only one who could get as mad as that! But Tracey's shocked face couldn't hold a candle to Jackson's, he looked ready to kill. He blew fiercely out of his nostrils.
"You were desperate for a boyfriend before, flinging yourself onto me! What's wrong with you now? Stop being so wet, Daisy!" Jackson snarled.
"I said don't call me anything!" Daisy shouted again, "Besides, I found someone better!"
"Who would want you? I took pity on you." Jackson replied, not faltering.
Daisy looked around for inspiration, before her eyes landed on Tracey, and she smiled, marching over to his side and linking her arm through his.
"Tracey!" she said, firmly, while Tracey stood as still as a statue next to her, a look of pure shock across his face, even more so that before. Daisy still stood strong even when Jackson burst out laughing - once again.
"Tracey? The guy who has a girl face as well as name!" Jackson broke down into laughter again.
"Hey! I'll have you know that Daisy and I are very happy together!" Tracey said, determined not to let this guy get the better of them.
"Yeah! And we're getting married!" Daisy smiled, pleased with what she just thought of, however, Tracey looked horrified, unsure of how to play along with that. He just stood there instead, trying to hide his shock and horror.
"Well, I hope you two are very happy together! But remember, I'll be available whenever you want me, Daisy." Jackson winked, before walking off, you wouldn't know it from the outside, but his blood was boiling hot in the inside.
Daisy opened her mouth to retort again, but stopped when she saw he had gone. Instead, she encased Tracey in a hug.
"Thank you, Trace, he never would have gone if you hadn't of, like, been here!" she mumbled into the pokemon watcher's shoulder.
"Uhhh… That's okay Daisy." Tracey stammered out, hugging her back lightly, savouring her refreshing smell and her beauty. Daisy pulled away after a few more seconds, not quite making eye contact with Tracey.
"I, uh, think I have everything, do you?" Daisy asked, looking at the Pokechow that was suddenly very interesting behind Tracey, rather than at him.
"Oh, yeah!" Tracey said, remembering what was in his back pocket. He was glad Daisy was looking behind him, as he knew a blush was visible on his face.
"Okay, let's, like, go pay!" Daisy said, enthusiastically pushing the trolley, making sure to stay a few steps ahead of Tracey.
"I'm gonna go pay at the ten items or less check out!" Tracey said, turning left while Daisy vaguely waved and went right. Tracey was glad Daisy had a lot so he had an excuse not to pay with her, she couldn't see what he was buying, not yet.
"This for a special someone?" the old-ish lady behind the counter asked as she scanned the small box Tracey had put down. He smiled and slightly nodded in return. "I'm sure they'll love it." she smiled, returning the box to Tracey in a little carrier. He paid then went of to find where Daisy was paying, smiling the whole way.
"Thanks Tracey, I have, like, no idea how I would have got all this home without you!" Daisy said, referring to the multiple bags he was carrying. She was skipping along, carrying to light ones whilst he was carrying at least eight, plus his own.
"Nor do I." Tracey replied, under his breath. Daisy was too sucked up in her own little world to notice he had said anything.
"What did you, like, buy Tracey?" Daisy asked, still curious. Tracey blushed at the question, not wanting to tell Daisy, at least, not yet.
"Umm… Nothing, just a souvenir from Cerulean." Tracey said, thinking up a quick excuse on the spot. Daisy was not satisfied with this answer, but knew not to press on, even though she knew he was lying.
"Can we stop for a minute, Daisy? These bags are getting kind of heavy." Tracey asked, feeling like his arms were about to fall off.
"Yeah, sure! I need to fix my hair anyway." Daisy said, stopping at a close by bench and flopping down on it. Tracey placed all the bags down carefully, before carelessly flinging himself down onto the wooden bench.
Daisy quickly pulled a compact mirror and hairbrush out of her purse and proceeded to restyle her hair. Tracey watched with much interest, but couldn't help thinking how beautiful she looked.
"You're so beautiful, Daisy," Tracey said, quietly. Unfortunately, Daisy heard this time, and looked up at Tracey in shock. 'Did I really just say that aloud?' Tracey asked in his head, mentally slapping himself.
"Wha…?" Daisy asked, confused as to why Tracey just said that.
"I'm sorry Daisy! I just got a bit carried away…" Tracey trailed away, turning away from her in some sort of attempt to hide the blush threatening its way onto his cheeks.
"No-one's called me beautiful before." Daisy said, still looking at Tracey.
"I don't believe that." Tracey said, disbelief clear in his voice.
"Well, they have, of course they have, but usually it's 'hot' or 'sexy' or 'pretty', sometimes beautiful, but no-one ever meant it, not like you did." Daisy said, her voice meaningful to match her eyes.
"Well, it's true," Tracey said, earning enough courage to look into her sparkling eyes.
"That means so much Tracey! Like, thank you!" she said, grabbing him into another hug.
"Oh, that's okay." Tracey said, lightly hugging her back once again.
The two pulled apart, sitting it peaceful quiet for a few minutes.
"Hey, Daisy?" Tracey started.
"Yeah?" Daisy replied, confused.
"I wanna show you what I got in the shop, and tell you who it's for." Tracey said, finally ready to tell her.
"Okay, go on then, I'm, like, ready!" Daisy said, sitting up in excitement.
Tracey reached into the bag and pulled out the black, delicate box. He took in a deep breath, before opening the box. Inside sat an amazing necklace, it was in the shape of a raindrop, like the cascade badge, but this one was a bold, shimmering gold with a silver lining. It sparkled in the light as did Daisy's eyes when she saw it. She let out a little gasp, clearly shocked with the amazing piece of jewelry.
"So, who's it for?" Daisy asked, after staring at it longingly for a while.
"It's…" Tracey had an inward battle, should he tell her? Eventually he decided he may as well, "It's for you Daisy, because, I… I really like you." Tracey wanted to hit himself after saying that, he prayed Daisy would still like him as a friend, and not want to kill him and never speak to him again.
"T-Tracey… Th-That's really sweet! I love it!" Daisy stopped, almost whispering the last part. She took the necklace carefully out of the box, before holding it out to Tracey to put it on her. He linked the chain together behind her neck as she held up her hair, his fingers trembling slightly at how normal she was acting, even after what he had just said.
"So, you like it? Really really like it?" Tracey asked, wanting to make sure she wasn't kidding.
"I, like, just said Tracey, I love it! Almost as much as I love you…" Daisy trailed off, fiddling with the necklace hanging round her neck nervously as she realised what she'd just said. She knew he'd said he liked her, but she also knew there was a difference between 'like' and 'love', a big one.
"Why?" Tracey said, breathlessly, baffled at what she'd just said.
"Why what?" she swallowed, ready to hide her hurt if he didn't feel the same.
"Why do you love me? I'm the professor's assistant, I'd never be good enough to do my own thing, I'm plain and boring with hardly any friends, people avoid talking to me because of the way I look and act, assuming I must be either crazy or creepy, and here you are saying you love me. If that is what you meant… Why?" Tracey said in almost a whisper, he'd never told anyone any of this, even though it was almost all he thought about all day, how much of an outcast he thought he was, how people acted towards him, Daisy was the first person he'd ever uttered a word of this to.
"I think you're good enough. You're not creepy, you're sweet and helpful and friendly and fun. You look anything but weird, apart from the clothes of course," Tracey was glad to hear some of old Daisy come back into her voice, "and, you are truthfully the nicest guy I've ever met, because of all the things I said before, and that's why I, I love…" Daisy paused, remembering how saying those three words before had got her into much trouble with guys who didn't really love her and just wanted to use her pretty face and good looks, but she felt different around Tracey, like if she said it, it wouldn't hurt her, he wouldn't hurt her, "I love you," she finished. She closed her eyes and held her breath, never had she felt this nervous before, never had she felt like this inside, what was it? Why did she feel weak but strong all at the same time as she had softly said those three words to the shocked boy in front of her.
"I-I-I… I love you too," Tracey whispered, a new found confidence inside of him. Never before had he said those three words, not even to his long deceased family. He had always been to scared, to worried that something would go wrong. He knew how saying that could backfire on him, so saying that make his heart skip a beat. Looking a Daisy now, her eyes closed and her mouth in a straight line, Tracey had never seen anything so beautiful in his life. Where was his sketchbook when he needed it?
Daisy felt her heart stop for a second as she heard those words pass Tracey's lips. Had he really just said that? She didn't want to open her eyes, too scared that if she were to open them then she'd wake up from this amazing dream she was having. He couldn't have just said that, could he? There's no way, Daisy felt no one would ever love her for more than her looks and what they could get her to do.
"Daisy? A-are you okay?" after not seeing any reaction apart from her body tensing for the past minute or so, Tracey had began to worry.
"You-you won't hurt me, will you?" Daisy said, still not moving or opening her eyes. She didn't want to be hurt again, but she felt comfortable around Tracey, she could trust him.
"Why would I hurt you?" Tracey said, more confident this time. Tracey couldn't bare the thought of anyone hurting her, even at the point they were at now. Tracey kept staring at Daisy's closed eyes, he watched her take in a deep breath before beginning to open her bright eyes.
Before Daisy could open her eyes all the way, Tracey felt an urge overcome him that he couldn't push away. He leaned forward, closing the gap between the two adults, he paused in front of her lips, took a deep breath, then locked his lips with hers. He heard her let out a small gasp before he pulled away. Tracey didn't have time to move or apologise or say anything he wanted to say before he was pulled back into a much more passionate kiss by the blonde. They both let their eyes flutter closed as they melted into the kiss, forgetting everything around them, including the shopping sitting at their feet that was currently being raided by a small herd of Rattata, and only focusing on each other.
"And there it is!" the nurse said, smiling enthusiastically at the couple before them. Daisy's hand found Tracey's, and they intertwined their fingers together, looking at the rounded blob on the screen that was their baby, alive and perfect.
"It's okay," Daisy whispered, holding back tears.
"I told you it would be," Tracey said, also trying to hold back tears threatening to escape his eyelids, though he wasn't doing as well as Daisy.
"Would you like to keep a picture of the scan?" the nurse asked, even though she already knew the answer. She smiled and began to print it as the couple nodded.
"It's perfect." Tracey said, taking the picture cautiously with his free hand.
"Yes it is, I love it," Daisy smiled. Tracey helped her up as the two left the room with huge grins plastered on their faces like ten year olds who got the last piece of cake, they thanked the nurse on the way out, waving with their hands that weren't linked to each others.
"It's okay?" Misty shot up straight away, noticing the huge smiles on their faces.
"Yes, it's amazingly okay!" Daisy said, embracing her little sister as she hugged her.
"That's great!" Ash said enthusiastically, wrapping his arm around Misty as she pulled away from her sister.
"I love you guys!" Tracey exclaimed, pulling the three unsuspecting parents into a tight hug. They all stood, squished together for a moment, before joining in the hug, thinking about how this moment couldn't get any more perfect.
A/N: Yay, it's done! Was the ending okay? I really wasn't sure how to end it, so I hope that was okay! I hope you enjoyed the flashback, it was so fluffy! I've had such bad writers block with this chapter, I had no ideas for what to do for the flashback, but I'm glad it's done and written now. Thanks again to Contestshipper16 for the idea about the ex-boyfriend! Once again, please review to tell me how to improve or just to say you enjoyed it, it really brightens my day! Tell me what shippings you would like to see done (I'll only do ones I like) but I think I might do Hypershipping (Barry x Bianca BW) next, or Festivalshipping (Harley x Solidad). Thanks for reading! You're all amazing!
~YellowDragonMuffin :D
