Chapter 7

Reply for Oni warrior: Thanks for your review! I'm really happy that you like the chapter. Indeed, it was pretty suspenseful and emotional. So, enjoy this one and don't forget to review!

Reply for Minios0903: Serena's certainly not dying, I couldn't dream of killing her. As your question about Ash, when Bonnie asks him if Serena professed her love, he says 'not yet', I intended for it to mean that Ash still doesn't know if Serena likes him or not and is, somewhat, disappointed that she still hasn't given him any concrete confirmation. Anyways, I'm no God. LOL! I just have a lot of time on my hand as the summer vacations are on and I use that time to bring out new chapters for you guys. So, thanks for the review and keep reading!

Reply for Ejennings167: I know that feeling, trust me I do. I can't remember the times I've sent messages to authors who did not update within 24 hours after a cliff-hanger chapter. Sometimes they would take me as an irritating prick or sometimes, rare sometimes, as a fan. Anyways, I won't keep you waiting. Here's the chapter and thanks for the review! Keep reading and reviewing!

Reply for ultimateCCC: Thank you for your reviews and appreciation of the story. As for your question, I'm taking all kinds of AmourShipping requests, although, I'd prefer one-shots. Enjoy the chapter and don't forget to review!

Reply for Guest: Serena will make it through, don't worry. I'm glad you've enjoyed the previous chapters and thanks for the support. Anyways, I highly recommend creating a FFN account and using it for reviewing, etc. as it makes it easier for me to reply. Thanks once again, keep reading and reviewing!

Disclaimer: Pokémon or the characters of this story do not, in any way, belong to me.

Reviews will be highly appreciated. I'm also taking requests for AmourShipping stories, so if you want me to write one for you, please let me know through the reviews or message me. Readers are requested to add me or the story to either their 'Following' or 'Favourites' list for continuous updates on the progress of this story.

She could feel it.

Her life...slipping from her...like falling backwards out of her body maybe...she was just gone. She had to be. She now couldn't feel Ash's warm body against her, couldn't feel the hand holding hers.

She was just floating...unfeeling.

"Please...Serena!"

"I'm sorry."

"In there!"

"What?"

But then it all slipped away from her, and all Serena knew was darkness.

-(break)-(break)-(break)-

Clemont was like a statue, the only 'helpful' thing he did was tear Ash away from Serena so the medics could work on her. And that just felt like plain betrayal. Ash almost clung to him now, crying. Clemont didn't care he was the great genius of Lumiose City, the logical one, the smart one. Ash cried and, for a minute, Clemont had to wonder if he'd collapse.

The medics loaded Serena onto a stretcher, one medic sitting on top of her performing CPR as the other two carried her to an ambulance outside.

The area was lined with a small number of bystanders, watching in shock as Serena was carried into an ambulance. Ash followed them close behind, jumping into the ambulance and taking Serena's hand into his trembling one, holding tight. Tears flowed freely as they drove.

"Sir, please let go." One of the medics said and Ash let go as Serena was carried from the ambulance. She was loaded onto a wheeled-stretcher and the medics started running, Ash right alongside as they burst through the pristine glass doors.

"Sir!"

It couldn't be happening.

"Sir, please come with me."

They were pulling Ash away from Serena.

"Serena!"

"Master Ketchum, we need you to come this way!

"No, I won't leave her!"

But Serena was already gone, disappearing through a large set of white double doors with small square windows, where Ash couldn't see, couldn't help, couldn't be with her.

-(break)-(break)-(break)-

The car couldn't possibly go fast enough as Clemont and Bonnie were driven to the hospital. Bonnie was much of a wreck to do anything really. She clutched Serena's suicide note in her hands, crying and gasping for breath, at times bending in half to try and regain her breath when the tears became too much.

Clemont seemed much more stable then Bonnie, but in truth he was just as bad. Despair and pain driving deep into him. The only thing keeping him from joining Bonnie in sobbing was his sense of responsibility to be strong for his sister and his logical side of the brain still functioning. Hell was raging in his mind and he honestly didn't know how he was holding back tears.

They found Ash in the ER room, Bonnie sitting down next to him promptly as Clemont walked to the receptionist's desk.

"Miss Serena?" He asked, his voice broken and strained. The nurse looked at him, at his ash, strained face, and then looked at her computer.

"In the process of having her stomach pumped. Please wait here and the doctor will be right with you."

Clemont could only nod before going to sit down. It was like he was detached from his body, there was that one part of his mind that refused to accept that this was happening. Why did Serena have to pick up the bottle? Why not the guy next door? Someone he didn't actually know.

Bonnie was wiping the last of the tears from the latest wave of sobs from her face. In her other hand, was the suicide note. She'd actually forgotten she was carrying it, and now she couldn't let go. It disgusted her, horrified her, but it was a link to her sister. Something she had touched, and somehow it seemed to fool Bonnie into thinking she was alive still, that she was fine. That Bonnie was just being foolish in sitting here and crying beside Ash, who was leaning on her shoulder because the trainer had lost the ability to support himself in his grief. Bonnie and Ash had left Pikachu and Dedenne in Meyer's care. This would be too much for the Pokémon to handle.

Bonnie looked over at Clemont, who was pale and was just staring at the tiles floor. Like he expected Serena to somehow pop out of it, completely fine and jolly.

Like none of this had happened. Like it had all been some sick, twisted nightmare.

"Miss Serena?" And older man called.

-(break)-(break)-(break)-

She was still asleep, an IV speared into her hand that pumped liquids into her thin body.

"Serena!" Ash cried, running to her bedside. "Serena, can you hear me?"

"She'll be in and out of it for a while." The Doctor, Dr. Harrison, said as he walked in behind Ash. Bonnie and Clemont followed closely after, hanging on the doc's every word. "She may wake up today or not. But when she does, don't expect her to be awake for long, or even completely know what's going on. We barely got to her in time, a minute more and it would have been too late."

Ash attempted to stifle a whimper, but only managed to strangle the sound slightly as he bit his fist and tears returned to his eyes. Serena's hand was held tightly in his, and Ash was shaking horribly. He'd almost lost her...

"Another thing..." Dr. Harrison looked uncomfortable now. "She may not remember attempting suicide."

"What?" Bonnie asked, going a shade paler. "So we'd have to...tell her?"

The Doctor nodded. "This is your choice, of course, but she'll have to know eventually. She will also need counselling too; it's the only way for her to get better. Her mother will also need to be informed."

Clemont nodded. "Thanks, doctor."

"I'll be back later to check on her," Dr. Harrison said before disappearing through the door.

Ash turned back to the sleeping Serena, who seemed so peaceful.

It wasn't fair really.

How could she lay there, sleeping, when she had just thrown everyone she loved into their own personal hells?! Ash was blinded by a flash of anger as he stared down at Serena; he wanted to throw this kid through the next wall! How could she?! Didn't she think even once about what she was doing to everyone?! What she was giving up?! What she was leaving behind?!

Who she was leaving behind?!

"You stupid girl!" Ash sobbed angrily. "You bloody stupid girl!" He pounded the mattress by Serena's side.

"Ash!" Clemont called out.

"Ash, come sit down," Bonnie patted the seat next to her. "Please, before you do something rash."

"What? Like Serena?" Ash raged. "She's allowed to do something rash but I am not?"

Bonnie's eyes were filling with tears again. "No," she hissed. "No, she isn't."

Clemont frowned. "Ash, sit down, please, for our sake."

Ash sat. Bonnie moved her chair closer to Ash's and leaned back, closing her eyes and rubbing a hand across her face.

"We forgot to tell Alexa," she realised, the absurdity of the sentence making her break into a small heartbroken smile. They were supposed to meet her for an interview.

"I'll do it later," Clemont mumbled, propping his feet on Bonnie's knees and sitting back.

"No, you'll do it now." Bonnie said, letting her legs drop so Clemont's feet slid painfully down them. Clemont gave her a dark look before standing and walking out the door.

"Sometimes, he's such a kid." Bonnie mumbled tiredly.

-(break)-(break)-(break)-

"Alexa speaking."

"Hello? Alexa?"

"Clemont?"

"Yeah, um, Alexa, we can't some in for...the interview for a few days." Clemont said, a desperate hollow feeling clawing its way into his stomach.

"Why?" Alexa sounded worried, and Clemont didn't really want to continue. "Clemont, is everything alright? What happened?"

"Serena is in hospital, Alexa," Clemont said quickly, squeezing his eyes shut and his fingers twisting tight around the phone cord.

It was silent for a long while before Alexa managed to say, rather whisper. "What...what happened?"

Clemont's breathing constricted and it took several minutes and a lot of swallowing before he choked out. "She...stole Ash's sleeping pills...and...and," something in his voice broke and he couldn't go on.

"Clemont? Clemont, it's alright. I'm coming down there right now," Alexa said and before Clemont could say another thing, the line went dead.

Clemont stared at the phone, biting his lips.

-(break)-(break)-(break)-

Bonnie was still wearing her pyjamas, and as she leaned back in the chair with her eyes closed, it looked like she was just as much a patient in the hospital as Serena was.

The suicide letter had not left her first the entire time, but as she began to drift into sleep, her grip began to loosen and suddenly the scrap of paper was flying across the floor, resting against Clemont's shoe as he stepped in. Clemont picked it up between two fingers, like he was holding something horrible. He looked it over before putting the paper down on the small table beside Serena's bed. Bonnie didn't notice and neither did Ash, who was still sitting next to Serena.

"What's wrong?" Clemont asked.

"That's a funny question," Ash seethed.

"Look, don't...don't yell at her, alright? It's the last thing she needs. Besides, she's gonna get an earful from Bonnie alone. She's going to need you."

"She did have me! She had us! And still she decided to go and jump the ship?" Ash growled softly.

Clemont sighed sadly. "Look, just don't be rough on her, okay? That's the worst thing you could do at the moment."

"The worst thing I could do? The worst thing I ever did was leave her alone with those pills!" Ash cried and his voice cracked roughly. "I don't think there's anything more worse I could do."

Serena shifted and Clemont tensed, putting a hand on Ash's arm to get his attention.

"What?" Ash asked. Clemont nodded his head towards Serena and Ash whipped his head around to look at her, anger melting into concern.

"Serena?" He said, sounding almost desperate. "Serena, c'mon! Wake up!"

Serena groaned and wearily opened her eyes, looking right at Ash dazedly and frowning before pulling her hand out of Ash's.

"Where's Ash?" She croaked, her throat raw from the stomach pumping.

Ash blinked in confusion for a few seconds before replying. "I'm Ash."

Serena blinked wearily a few times before opening her eyes a little more. "Ash?"

"Yes!" Ash said, his voice weak.

"Ash," Serena's eyes filled with tears and she leaned forward to wrap her arms around the trainer. "Ash, I'm scared...w-what happened?"

Ash held tight, not wanting to let go ever again. "You swallowed a whole bottle of sleeping pills."

There you have it. I had to work my brain a lot for this chapter, you know. As always, reviews will be highly appreciated and I'm also taking requests for AmourShipping stories, so feel free to tell me in the reviews or message me. I've already begun work on the next chapter and it should be out soon. Moving on, I'd like to say a big THANK YOU to all my readers! Don't Let Me Down has crossed2400+ views and more than 850 visitors! Thanks, guys, you all are simply awesome! Till we see each other again, au revoir.