Well aren't you all lucky! I've got up when I need so much sleep after my France trip. Here's some more! This chapter is heavily focussed on Dawn's thoughts because I think you need an insight on her a lot more. And don't worry; Paul will soon be back in character when he meets the latest character. And they say thirteen is an unlucky number… (Hint hint. *Evil grins.*)

Chapter Thirteen

"You're shaking."

"No I'm not. I'm shivering." She corrected him, nodding her head in a matter of fact way; "There's a difference." Although she was lying, she was actually extremely hot under the moon's reflected rays. She couldn't let him know the doubts that were screaming around her mind.

He nodded and took off his blazer to wrap around her, she gave a false smile as genuinely as possible; which seemed to have worked. Trust him to be gentlemanly now… She groaned in thought. She couldn't really explain why she was feeling the way she was, but her stomach was giving her butterflies so she overlooked the qualms.

As the music started again, this time far more slowly and an even lighter beat to it, he shrugged and pushed her towards the inside.

"Paul?"

He grunted as a yes.

"What are you going to do about your badges?" She wondered, now that they were starting a fresh start for her safety, she couldn't help but think about all her ribbons she was giving up. He must have been thinking something similarly.

"I have eight Hoenn badges."

"But that means you have nothing to do…?" She wondered; the thought of boring him whilst she fought her contest battles was not something that she wished to do.

"I'll restart them." He said plainly, causing her to frown.

"You're doing too much for me…" She drifted off to question herself; should she have just left on her own? No, don't be stupid, it's not like I decided to leave in the first place! Paul chose to come here; we could have gone somewhere else…

"Let's go to bed." He suggested in an ordering tone, giving a yawn as he let go of her. She stopped him and grinned playfully; "Aww, but we were having so much fun." She drummed her fingers lightly on his chest, but he remained rigid and still.

"You should get some sleep." He insisted, pulling the card key out of his pocket and pushed his way past her towards the door.

She sighed; "Fine, I'll just get out of this beautiful dress you brought me." She grumbled in slight disappointment. He simply smirked, and walked over to his bed to collapse onto it.

Once changed, she walked over to her own bed, to find he had already gotten into his bed; breathing lightly as an indication of his unconsciousness. She sighed and buckled onto her own bed, slamming the side of her face into the pillow and curling into a ball as she wrapped the quilt around her. She stared at his mass of dark lavender hair drooping plainly onto his own pillow. She could just about see his mouth pouted stiffly open as his breath clicked at the back of his throat. She smirked at his gentle snore and lithely fisted hands rested beside his face.

I should tell Mom… She worried, realising she hadn't even told her mother of her whereabouts, or even her company. What will she think? What if she doesn't think I'm old enough!? The sick feeling in her stomach cramped enough to make her want to cry, whether it was the boat rocking or the thought of Paul being rejected again, she wasn't sure. What she did know was that if it were both of the motives; she would be running for the bathroom at that moment.

He rolled onto his back quickly and quietly, leaving one of his hands to hide his face and the other rested across his stomach. The scars he was showing across his thin wrist gave her a reminder of how alone he once felt, and how she ached to want to keep him company. For all she knew, it was her motherly nature and deep sympathy, but deep inside her mind in a place she was unaware of yet, she was telling herself she was in love, there was no doubt about it. This was one she wouldn't get over.

She sighed softly in contempt, rolling onto her back as well. She draped one arm above her head, her fingers rested on the side of her forehead, and the other was dangling off the bed. It took a couple of hours for her to even feel drowsy, but even then her eyes weren't sagging into slumber. She stole a glance at Paul, who had now thrown his quilt onto the floor and his face was in a state of grimace. She frowned, and listened to the growl in the back of his throat as his closed eyes flickered around in their sockets. He was restless, and he eventually flung himself up to sit. She sat up too, her hair wild from movement, yet his stayed perfectly neat.

"Did you have a bad dream?" She whispered, to which he nodded; "It wasn't pleasant." He muttered, watching her as she stood. She had her arms open for a hug, to which he welcomed with only one of his own. He snaked it around her curvaceous body, whilst she clung onto his one muscular shoulder. He always knew she was curvy, but feeling her slender waist only made him realise it more.

He lay back and let her pull the quilt back over him, waiting patiently until she settled too. He closed his eyes unwillingly, not wanting to look away from her, but his tired body battled with his besotted mind.

"Tell me about it." She mumbled, as she shuffled slightly to rest her head beside his ear. She watched his magnificent eyes patiently as he looked around the room carefully. She was tactful in how she brushed her hand across his wrist innocently, and then slid her fingers through his cupped palm. She watched him wince as he watched her, but her expression did not falter from its calm, relaxed position. He glanced at her to notice this, but couldn't bear to look at her icy yet warm eyes smother him into opening up.

He felt her kiss his shoulder, right between the gap of his collar bone and shoulder blade. When she rested her head back onto the pillow, to which he felt his own head rise, his lips upturned to the mild gust of her breathe brushing over him. She seemed so delicate yet her presence was strong, and it comforted him like no one else was able to. She replaced the empty feeling of anger and hatred he felt all his life with an overwhelming need to protect her and keep her by his side.

"Paul?" She urged him, and he looked to her. She sighed; "You're not telling me then."

He watched her look away, blinking a few times before looking back with a fresher, happier glint in her eyes. "Sorry." He mumbled.

"That's fine Paul, I'm not going to push you into talking to me; I know you struggle to."

He raised an eyebrow at her; "How much do you already know?"

She giggled quietly; "About the dream? Not much." She mocked, but he rolled his eyes. "What has Reggie told you?"

"He never says much, I know more from what you've suggested." She lied, she knew a lot from Nurse Joy, whether it was correct or not was the only problem.

"What have I suggested?" His voice sounded awkward, and had a hint of nervousness.

She contemplated how to respond, she knew she had to be careful not to drop Nurse Joy in trouble. "Well…" She begun, clearing her throat; "You said you were lonely, and you shouted at Reggie about your father leaving… If I'm correct in putting two and two together…" She drifted off, watching his eyes drift away from her words and into his own thoughts.

"Am I right?"

He blinked out of his thoughts and looked at her out of the corner of his eyes, then sighed; "Father was never supportive of me."

Her glistening eyes turned to a drizzly rain-blue as her frown furrowed deep between then; "but Reggie did?"

Paul almost laughed, but ended up snorting and looking away from her; "Who else than my perfect brother. No one gave me a chance, I made my own life. I was given Turtwig from my Brother because he didn't need one. I was under his shadow, with my dad," he said with a growl in his voice; "pushing him along the way."

She didn't realise that it was Paul who was talking. Paul; of all people was opening up to her. Instead she concentrated on what he was saying, reading into every line, giving him the support which he longed for all his life.

Maybe I can change him. She wondered, but reminded herself to keep focus when he finally started to continue.

"I envied Reggie for how good he got, with the help that any trainer needs. So when he gave it up I was livid. I guess he didn't see it the way I did."

"Paul… Reggie is good at what he does now. He enjoys it-" She was cut off as he spat; "Well I should have got that support then."

"You don't need it anymore." She hushed him, placing two fingers on his lips. "You're a great trainer, and if you weren't you wouldn't have been rivals with Ash. And then we wouldn't have met, right?"

His eyes lit up at the opening; "I guess if you put it that way…" He rolled onto his side to hover over her face dominantly, though she wasn't going to be submissive. She tilted her head away from him, and shoved him to the side onto his back. "Go to sleep." She scolded as she turned her back from him.

"No kiss goodnight?" He said cheekily, but she shrugged her shoulders; "You had one when you went to bed."

He sighed the final sound of that day, and the lights went out.

A knock on the door made her stir from the slumber which she wanted to cling onto so badly. She smoothed down her hair and hurried over to the door. It was a sailor, who looked nervously at her; "We've arrived at the port, m-miss."

She nodded; "Thanks, we'll be out in a minute." The Sailor waggled his head awkwardly and shuffled off quickly. She frowned and closed the door. "What was that about?" She muttered to herself, but Paul clearly overheard her.

"What do you expect, you aren't exactly dressed, for one, and two you look like that in them."

She frowned and looked down at herself; her pyjamas consisted of short shorts, and a vest, both pink with blue hems around.

"I'll take that as a compliment." She yawned, making her way into the bathroom. She looked in the mirror at herself, and spotted a summer dress hanging casually on the door's peg. She eyed it hungrily, rushing over once clean and pulling it on with excitement. It was quite short, but mid thigh was her usual length of clothes, and the bottom was rimmed with floral patterns. It was strapless and navy, so her silver necklace looked elegant against her bare skin. She pulled on her plain ballet pumps to finish and nodded in acceptance of her newest outfit.

"He did it again." She wandered out of the bathroom, spinning slowly and flicking her hair so she could look over her shoulder at him. She raised her head to watch his face as he got closer, the height difference getting bigger as the distance between them decreased. He kissed her lightly on the forehead, and then led her out of the room by her hand.

They reached the Pokémon Center in no time; it wasn't too long a walk as it was a small town. Small as it was, it still looked extremely modern, with a medium sized gym centred in the town, and the center beside it.

"I think I should call Mom." She looked at him, letting go of his hand and wandering over to the phone booths.

"Oh my! Is that you Dawn!?"

She spun on her heels to find her far too elegant friend. Her mousy brown hair looped under her now blue bandana, and her matching blue shorts were covered with a white shirt dress.

Dawn's eyes widened as she realised; "May! It's so good to see you!" She ran over, embracing her and forgetting her mother completely.

"Is Ash with you?" She smiled hopefully, scanning the room for her close friends to no avail. Dawn shook her head; "Actually I'm travelling with someone else."

"Oh?" May raised an eyebrow, as Paul walked over in his iconic way; his eyes down and hands in his pockets.

"I don't think you met Paul. This is May, she-"

"Came second in the Wallace cup." He held out his hand, his palm up so she took his from above and shook it in an old fashioned way. Dawn half expected him to ask; How do you do? Her joke caught herself off guard and she snorted in the poor attempt to not look quite so silly. They looked at her oddly anyway.

"What brings you to New Mauville?" May asked, turning back to Dawn, she looked to Paul for help, but ended up telling the truth; "We've had a little Team Galactic trouble." May nodded, they'd been on the news a lot and knew of Dawn's sighting of Mesprit.

"Well, you should come to the contest here! Me and my friend thought it would be a good return if we tried for a new ribbon. The contest hall is new to this town you see!" He high pitched squeak was full of excitement, and made Paul wince slightly, but he didn't make it too noticeable.

"Sounds fun, you don't mind do you?" She looked to Paul, who shrugged. May clapped her hands in excitement, then grabbed onto Dawn's wrist; "Come on, you should come and meet Drew!"

"Drew? As in, the Drew?" She stopped herself using her heels, and May merely nodded, clearly used to being overshadowed from time to time. Paul watched her check herself in anything reflective as they continued walking and began feeling sick, he walked in time to keep by her side, but eventually stopped just before the girls did.

"Drew, you remember Dawn on the telly?"

Dawn froze on the spot as he glanced at her then smiled; "I do, that's quite the Ambipom you have."

Had. Ouch. Her stomach curdled at the thought.

She shook herself awake and bowed her head; "I can't believe you know me."

"Well May got quite a bit of inspiration when she returned from Sinnoh." She looked over to May, who was now blushing.

The next part disturbed her slightly, as she caught him looking at her dress innocently, but the glint in his eye was full of life, the cocky behaviour he always portrayed when she saw him on the television.

Paul clearly noticed this too and wasn't impressed; "we have to get a room for the night if you're going to the contest, Dawn." He spat her name as an order; "It was nice meeting you." He glared at Drew, clearly warning him in that masculine way any male would. Drew didn't flicker, barely even noticing it, and carried his signature smirk across his face with ease. This was one rival that threatened Paul, and she couldn't understand why.

Haha, thirteen is indeed unlucky for Paul.

A very long chapter I must say, and I probably confused you with the amount of detail but I wanted you to know everything that was going on in my imagination for that moment, as it was indeed, very important. ^^