Delia shut the door behind her and hung her keys on the hook on the wall.

"Ash, come help with the groceries and I'll start dinner!" she called up the stairs. From the kitchen she could hear scuffling and then the distinct sounds of her son running downstairs. She walked back out toward the front door catching sight of the attic ladder pulled down, Delia frowned at the stairs when the door opened again.

"Got it all," Ash announced. She turned to look at him and laughed. Ash had his arms full with three paper bags and a fourth balanced on his head.

Delia grabbed the bag off his head and kissed his forehead, "I'm going to miss you."

"Aw Mom, I'm not dying. I'll be back home, I'll call every night." he groaned setting the bags in his arms onto the counter.

"You say that now, but give it a few months and the calls will be fewer and far between. You'll meet new people and see amazing things, and you'll forget all about your old mom back home." she laughed unpacking the groceries.

"Mom?" Ash pushed himself up onto the counter next to her and grabbed a box of crackers out of the nearest bag.

"No," she replied absentmindedly, "it'll ruin your appetite."

He set the box back down with a shrug, "Okay but Mom, can I ask you a question? And you have to promise not to be mad?"

Delia paused turning her attention to her son, "Why would I be mad?"

Ash didn't answer right away, instead tracing his fingers on his thigh nervously.

"Ash? Why would I be mad?" she sighed and pulled a chair from the dining room in to sit in front of him, "Why were you in the attic?"

"Why did you tell me you didn't have a picture of him?" he accused, narrowing his eyes at her.

"Why were you in the attic?" she repeated.

"Why did you lie to me?" he raised his voice slightly.

"Asher Thomas I am not having this conversation with you right now," Delia struggled to keep her tone in check.

"It's not fair! You told me he was a trainer and I'm leaving tomorrow to be a trainer and I want to know who my dad is. You can't keep him from me forever!" he yelled as his cheeks turned red with anger.

"I'm not keeping him from you, he didn't want you!" she spit back at him. But the second she realized what she had said, when she saw his expression change from anger to shock and tears forming in his eyes, she regretted it.

"I just wanted to know his name," Ash sobbed putting his face in his hands. "What if I see him?"

"I don't think you will, and if you did he wouldn't know who you were." Delia tried to console him but putting her hands on his knees. He pushed her hands away and wiped his eyes.

"I want to know his name," he repeated more forcefully.

"His name is Gabriel." Delia replied coolly standing up and picking up the chair to bring back into the dining room. She walked back into the kitchen and began chopping onions silently.

"Where did he go? When he left?" Ash asked from behind her still in his spot on the counter.

"Ash," she warned him not to push it.

"Where did he go?"

"I don't know," she sighed.

"That's a lie. In your diary it says Sinnoh."

Delia set the knife down on the counter and hung her head, "If you know the whole story why are you asking me?"

"Why are you lying to me? Why did you tell me you didn't have a picture of him?"

She went back to her task of chopping vegetables without responding. Ash watched her finish and pick up the cutting board to scrape the contents into the pot on the stove.

"You want a picture of him so badly take it, it's yours. You're ten years old and in my opinion that's too young to know the whole story about your father. We can talk about it in a few years." she turned around to face him and he swallowed guiltily when he saw the tears in her eyes. "Now please leave the kitchen because I need to finish dinner and I don't want to talk to you for a little bit."

Ash didn't say anything but obeyed her request, jumping off the counter and walking out of the kitchen and up the stairs, shutting his bedroom door loudly behind him.

"Children are fun aren't they?" a voice from the back door startled Delia into almost dropping the jar in her hand.

"Sorry," Professor Oak walked up to the screen door as she rushed forward to let him in, "I didn't mean to eavesdrop, I was coming over to see if Ash needed anything before the big day tomorrow and realized that it probably wasn't a good time. But then it looked like you might need someone to talk to"

"I knew it was coming, eventually," she sighed. "When I made the decision to tell him almost nothing about his father, one day he'd be old enough to start asking questions, I just thought I had more time before that happened."

"It's natural to want to know about the part of your family that's a mystery to you. May and Gary always surprise me with the questions they come up with about their parents," he cleared his throat awkwardly, "different circumstances obviously."

"I know, and I know I shouldn't be mad at him for being curious but," she trailed off briefly tears starting to roll down her cheeks, "it feels like I'm not enough for him. Like he's trying to find Gabe to fulfill something I can't give him."

"You know that boy adores you right?" Sam laughed, "I don't think any mythical god of a father could replace you in his eyes."

Delia laughed despite herself and wiped the tears out of her eyes, "You're right, thank you."

"Now," Sam clapped his hands together, "what can I do to help?"

"I think we're okay. Ash has unpacked and repacked his bag a million times this weekend, I can't think of a single thing he'll need that isn't already in there. I'm just having a hard time letting my baby go."

Sam nodded using the wooden spoon to stir the sauce bubbling on the stove, Delia was glad he came as a distraction from Ash. If he wasn't here she'd probably be angrily making dinner and dwelling on their fight earlier.

"How is Gary? Is he excited to leave?" She asked filling another pot with water and setting it on the stove.

"Oh yeah, but you know Gary, he has to stay cool. He's been teasing Ash for days about it and driving May crazy." Sam snorted.

Delia sighed, "It's going to be really quiet around here without those two." she felt a lump forming in her throat and put her head in her hands.

"This is ridiculous, I can't stop crying." she shook her head.

"It's hard. You should have seen Rachel when Isaac wanted to leave. She cried at least once a day. Anything could set her off." he smiled at the memory.

Delia stood on her toes trying to reach the jar of spaghetti noodles above the stove. Simultaneously, Sam reached forward to turn off the sauce burner and bumped her hip causing Delia to lose her balance and fall against him.

"Sorry," she laughed looking up at him and her breath caught in her throat. The expression on his face was so far away it caused her smile to fade.

In real time, it was only a second or two but it felt like hours before he leaned forward and kissed her softly.

Delia was caught off guard. There had been no indication before this moment that this was something brewing, something on the horizon. But as it was happening it felt right, and that was unsettling.

Sam pulled away suddenly, "Sorry, that shouldn't...I'm sorry." he rushed back toward the door shutting it roughly behind him while Delia stood frozen to the spot, her fingers touching her lips softly.

Ash brought his arm up and placed it over his eyes trying to block out the light, groaning quietly.

Misty mumbled something quietly from the other side of the bed.

"What?" he asked.

"Alarm," she groaned again. "You're running with my sisters. You set the alarm."

"Oh," Ash moved his arm away and looked over to his side. Sure enough, his phone was lit up and ringing shrilly. He reached over and swiped his finger across the screen turning the noise off. Misty rolled over onto her side away from him as he sat up and rubbed his eyes.

Running. Last night it had seemed like a good idea but now at this ungodly hour it didn't so much. He pushed the blanket off of him and swung his legs to the side standing up to get dressed. Luckily for him, it was easy to find his pair of running shorts in his bag and change into them without turning on the light and disturbing Misty, who seemed to have fallen back to sleep.

The rest of the house was quiet as he stepped out of Misty's bedroom and down the stairs to the front door where he could see Daisy stretching on the sidewalk.

"I wasn't sure if you were getting up," she remarked once the door was shut behind him.

"I said I would, didn't I?" he yawned looking around, "where's Lily?"

Daisy rolled her eyes and let her voice raise a few octaves in a perfect imitation of her younger sister, "Oh Dais, you're not going to make me run are you? It's so early. Ash said he was going with you right? I'll go later with Gavin." Ash laughed.

"She likes to run with Gavin because she still hasn't gotten him to ask her out and she thinks activities where her boobs are on display are best." Daisy started at a swift jog without a word and Ash hurriedly caught up to her.

"It's not a bad plan. Boobs are generally the way to any man's heart," he retorted with a smile.

"Usually, but I wouldn't have pegged you as a boob man, considering how lacking Misty is."

"I love boobs, I just like your sister more."

Daisy laughed loudly, "That's very romantic, I'll remember to work that line into my toast on your wedding day." They jogged in silence for a few minutes before Daisy spoke again "How are things going with Misty?"

"Fine. Good, why? Has she said something?"

"Not necessarily," she paused again.

"I'm just curious. I mean, you're clearly serious about the relationship. But it doesn't seem to be going anywhere."

"Where is it supposed to go?" he asked.

"Like I know Misty wants to get married someday, and have kids and a house and do all the grown up stuff."

"We're eighteen, are you saying I should have proposed by now?" Ash laughed.

"No, not at all. But there doesn't seem to be any effort to move in that direction. She's still stubbornly here, you're still stubbornly everywhere but here. I would think one of you would budge once you started settling into the relationship."

"Settling?"

"I always think of the turn as being the moment you say 'I love you' you can't really come back from that, it can't go back to being casual."

"If that's the bar, we haven't hit it yet." he sped up a little, almost trying to escape the conversation.

"Wait!" Daisy exclaimed increasing her speed to catch up with him. Ash began to run faster, smiling as he heard her breathing heavily a couple feet behind him.

"Ash Ketchum stop and talk to me!" she caught up to him enough that she could grab his arm and slow him down.

"Yes, Daisy?" he laughed spinning on his heel and facing her.

"What the fuck are you talking about? You haven't told my sister that you love her?"

"No, but to be fair she also hasn't told me that she loves me," he shrugged.

"And you don't see anything wrong with that? Knowing Misty as well as you do?"

Ash hesitated, Daisy wasn't the first person to seem surprised that they hadn't said I love you yet. Gary had a similar reaction when Ash had mentioned it in passing few days before. He didn't think it was such a big deal, Misty knew he cared about her just like he knew she cared for him in return. The words didn't mean anything, he would say them when it felt right. Daisy was right though, Ash wasn't great at vocalizing his feelings but Misty was and it was a little strange that she hadn't said it already.

"Don't you think maybe you should have told her that you loved her before you started sleeping with her?" she tried to say it nonchalantly but Ash caught the protective edge in her voice.

"I don't know, maybe," he was started to feel uncomfortable with this conversation and wondered what he could say to end it quickly without committing to anything. "Having sex was her idea, I didn't know she had planned it."

"The night before you left last time, think that might have had something to do with it?"

"Are you saying that you think she did it to make me stay?"

"I'm saying the thought may have crossed her mind, even if it wasn't her intention." Daisy sighed. "I'm saying that maybe you should spend a little more time thinking about Misty and the stuff she doesn't say. She gives up a lot of things she wants to make way for your life, and she won't complain but it doesn't make for a very even relationship."

Ash nodded but didn't respond and started running, faster than before.

"Ash, where are you going? We've already gone three miles!" She called after him but she got no answer as he was soon out of sight. Daisy let her head drop for a second before starting to jog back toward home, this conversation was going to get her into a lot of trouble with her temperamental sister.

Misty woke up when her alarm went off again, she sat up and stretched thinking about taking a shower and also thinking about breakfast. She had just stood and walked over to her closet when the door opened and Ash walked in, covered in sweat and slightly out of breath.

"Did you just get back?" she asked surprised.

"I did, I went a little longer than Daisy, just had a too much energy." he started to walk passed her but she grabbed his arm and pulled him close for a kiss.

"Seriously though, when did you start running?" Misty tilted her head to the side curiously when they parted.

"I don't know. I didn't really keep track. I was bored a few months ago and just started a little everyday."

"It's kind of hot, to be honest. I'm really digging the no shirt sweaty look," she smiled putting her hands on the side of his face and kissing him again, this time slower.

Ash laughed moving her hands away and walking toward his suitcase, "That's information I'll have to remember in the future." he remarked pulling out clean clothes and starting back toward the door.

"Where are you going?" She raised her eyebrow at him, "we have a couple hours before we have to leave to catch the train."

"I feel gross, I was planning on showering because I assume you didn't want me to smell all day?"

"Good idea, I'll join you."

"No, if you join me neither of us will get clean."

"That's the idea," she whispered.

"But not the idea behind taking a shower," he leaned forward and kissed her forehead softly before walking out of her bedroom, shutting the door behind him.

Misty groaned and pouted while she got dressed herself and went down to the kitchen to find something to eat.

Daisy was alone in the kitchen leaning against the counter and eating a bowl of cereal, hair still damp from her own shower, "Was that Ash?" she asked through a mouthful.

"Yeah, I guess he just got back," Misty shrugged and grabbed a banana from the bowl on the table.

"Shit," Daisy mumbled under her breath. She met her younger sister's curious expression and forced a smile, "I'm just really impressed with his dedication to fitness. I went six miles and have been back for over an hour."

Misty narrowed her eyes at Daisy but didn't question her answer, she'd have more success if she asked Ash when they were alone.

"Are you excited to go to Fuchsia City?" Daisy asked finishing the last of her breakfast and walking over to the sink to rinse her dishes off.

Misty chewed thoughtfully before answering, "Yes and no. I mean, I'd prefer to just be spending time with Ash but if he has to go do this little job thing at least it's happening at a place where we can stay at a nice hotel and I can relax and find stuff to do while he's busy."

"This is the first time you guys have gone anywhere completely alone right, like no Brock."

"Yeah, I guess it is. I didn't really think about that. I mean, our first time alone since we started dating. We were alone a couple times when we were kids."

The two sisters looked up at the door as Ash walked in slowly, a towel still draped around his neck.

"How was your run, Ash?" Daisy asked, "I could have gone longer if you had just given me a heads up."

"Sorry I ditched you, just had a lot of my mind and thought some time alone would clear it." the two exchanged a quick look that Misty caught but didn't comment on.

"What time do we need to leave?" she cleared her throat turning her full attention to her boyfriend.

"The train leaves at 11:15 so I'd say if we leave here by 10:30 we should be fine." Ash walked over to stand by her and slid his arm around her waist.

"So we have a little time, Dais will you drive us to the station?" Misty asked sweetly smiling at her eldest sister.

Daisy sighed and pushed herself away from the counter, "Of course, anything for you little sister. I have some paperwork to get through today so just come get me when you're ready to go." she waved over her shoulder as she walked out of the kitchen leaving Ash and Misty alone in the silence.

Misty turned slightly and rested her head against Ash's chest wrapping both arms around his waist loosely.

"It's not a long train ride is it?" she asked.

Ash shook his head before realizing that she couldn't see him. "No, only a few hours. We'll be at the hotel by late afternoon. Why?"

"Just curious when you were planning on taking me on that date you promised last night," Misty smiled.

He laughed, "I was thinking low key dinner tonight while we get settled in and then something fancier tomorrow when we're there the whole day." he moved away from her slightly but compromising by putting his hand in hers.

"Come on, let's watch trashy daytime tv while we wait." Ash smiled pulling her out of the kitchen with him.