Where are You?
Inside Oak's living room, all of Ash's friends were waiting to hear the condition of their friend. Ash's long time rival, Gary, was sitting in the arm chair at the end of the coffee table. His pokémon coordinating buddy, May, was sitting on the couch to the left of the coffee table with her younger brother Max. And his good friends, Misty and Tracey, were sitting on the couch to the right. Tracey had his arms wrapped around Misty while she rested her head on his shoulder. Max decided to get up and look out the window that had a great view of Professor Oak's ranch. As he looked out, he noticed that all of Ash's pokémon were in a little group together. It seemed that they knew what Ash was going through and they were very concerned.
"Look at that." said Max. "Seems they're all worried about Ash just like we are."
"Yeah." Tracey agreed. "Pokémon have an ability to know what their trainers are going through even without seeing it. They realize Ash is in a lot of pain right now, physically and mentally, and that's why they're upset."
"Well… I know how they feel." May said. "Poor Ash…"
Just then, Professor Oak entered the room.
"Well you all look a little worried." he said.
"Uh- Professor Oak!" they all said except Gary.
"How's Ash?" May asked.
"Is he okay?" Misty asked.
"He's doing quite well actually. He was given a pain relieving drug and is more comfortable than before."
"Thank goodness…" said Misty. "It's nice to know that he's not in so much pain anymore.
"Well hopefully it will hold him off until it's time for the delivery. I take it there hasn't been any sign of Richie."
"Nope…" said Tracey. "Not that we know of."
"Well don't give up hope on him just yet. I'm sure he'll be back in time."
"We sure hope so." said May.
"You holding up okay Ash?" Brock asked.
"Oh yeah… I feel wonderful…" he said happily as the drugs took effect on him.
"Is the pain all gone?" asked his mother.
"Yep…"
"I think Ash should take this time to get some rest." Dr. Carter suggested. "It's still going to be a while before you're fully dilated."
"What do you think Ash?" Brock said. "You wanna take a nap?"
"A nap sounds… OOOOhhhwwwaaa… good right about now." he said during a yawn.
No sooner than it was suggested, Ash fell asleep. A few minutes later Professor Oak came to check up on them and also brought Delia and Brock some tea.
"Oh, I see he's fallen asleep." Oak said quietly.
"Yeah…" Delia said as she brushed her son's hair out of his face. "It's really taking a lot out of him already. I hope he's going to be able to do it."
"No need to worry Delia. Ash has a powerful will. If anyone can do it, it's him."
"Any sign of Richie yet?"
"I'm afraid not…"
"We even left a message on his cell phone, but it was turned off." Brock said.
"I can't believe he would do this… Things would be a lot better if he was here."
Meanwhile, Richie had set up camp near some trees. He then pulled out a snack for him and Sparky to munch on.
"You hungry Sparky?"
"Pikaa…"
"What's the matter?"
"Pikaa…pi. Pikaachuu…"
"I get it… You're saying I should go back and be with Ash."
"Chu."
"I know… but. We'll stay out here just for tonight and then we'll go back in the morning."
"Pika…" he said with disappointment.
"Hey, I know. I'll just call them right now and tell them what I'm doing."
He then reached for the cell phone in his backpack. But then he realized something.
"Oh no… I forgot to charge the battery…"
"Pikaa…"
"And I can't use you to charge it because I left the AC charger at Ash's house. Shoot…"
7 hours later…
Back at Professor Oak's lab, all of Ash's friends were on the look out to see if Richie was coming. That is, all except Gary. Irritated that he was left alone in the living room, he went out to the front to join Ash's other friends.
"I'm telling you, he's not coming back." Gary said sounding superior. "He's probably long gone by now."
"I just can't believe that." Tracey said. "Richie doesn't seem like the person who would do that."
"But he does have a habit of keeping secrets from us." said Misty.
"I guess he couldn't deal with what I told him that night at the baby shower." said Gary.
Then all of Ash's friends turned towards him.
"What exactly did you tell him, Gary?" Misty asked.
"What he should know. Taking care of a baby is serious work. I mean, he basically has to throw his life away."
"You told him in that manner? Gary, having a baby doesn't mean throwing your life away. It's to add a very important part to your life that's supposed to make you into a stronger person." Tracey explained.
"So it's your fault Richie ran away!?" Misty screamed. "You idiot! Did it ever occur to you that Ash needs him!?"
"Don't blame me! If he really was ready to be a dad than he wouldn't of runaway just because of something I said now would he?"
"Gary does have a point there." May said. "I think another factor might be that Richie doesn't have his parents' support in him becoming a father."
"His parents?"
"Bet you didn't know that, did you Gary." Misty said.
"Richie wouldn't want to do to his own child what his father did to him." Tracey said. "Which is why I'm positive he's coming back."
"You know, I've been thinking." Max said. "What if Richie didn't answer his cell phone because the battery went dead? I mean maybe one of us should go back to the house and see if he went back there."
"You're right Max." said May. "One of us should go back there."
"I suggest Gary go back." Misty said.
"Why me?"
"Because this is partially your fault. Come on, just think how happy Ash will be with you when he knows that you went back to look for Richie."
"Hm… Alright fine… But I'm only waiting an hour and that's it."
With that, Gary walk down the trail away from the Oak mansion and made his way towards Ash's home.
Inside the lab, the epidural began to wear off on Ash and he started to feel the pain of his contractions again.
"Ahh…"
"Pika-pi…?" said his concerned Pikachu.
He then started his breathing exercises.
"Ash, are you okay?" his mother asked.
"Aaaaaaahhh! Ha…"
"Please, just hang in there a little longer. You're going to be fine." she assured.
"I want Richie here…" he pouted.
"I know you do. But unfortunately we don't know where he is."
"Owww!"
"Is there anything else I can get you? Please tell me."
"Ighrsss…" he said very lowly.
"Excuse me?"
"ICE! I want ice!" he said with aggravation.
"Okay, you've got it."
Brock was standing in the doorway as he was coming back from the rest room when Delia was about to leave.
"I'm going to get some ice for him. Could you just stay with him for a sec?
"Sure. No problem."
He then sat next to Ash.
"You holding up okay?" he asked.
"No… This hurts like hell!"
"I'm sure it does. But you really shouldn't yell at your mother."
"I know…"
Ash then gripped the sheets that covered him after another contraction hit him. Brock held his hand for support.
"Ha…ha…ha…" Ash panted.
"Just hang in there Ash. You're doing great."
"Pika-pi!" encouraged Pikachu.
"AHH! Oh when Richie gets here I'm going to kill him!"
"Just relax… Try not to think of him right now."
"It's hard not to… UH!!"
"I know but you need to focus. Concentrate on having this baby."
Ash stared at Brock knowing he was right. He then continued with his breathing exercises. Just then, Ash's mother returned with the ice he wanted. She kept it in a plastic bag.
"Here you go sweetie." she said.
His mother placed it on his pillow and Ash rested his head on the ice bag. A few seconds later, Dr. Carter entered the room to check on Ash.
"Ash, are you alright?" he asked.
But Ash just shook his head.
"He's in a lot of pain again." his mother said.
"I see. Unfortunately I can't give you another epidural. It wouldn't be safe. I'm afraid you're on your own now."
"Oh…" Ash groaned.
"But the good news is I think you should be ready to deliver soon. Ash, may I have a look?"
"Okay…"
He turned on his back and then spread his legs open. Dr. Carter flipped up the covers leaving Ash's legs exposed.
"Hm, you seem to be eight centimeters dilated. You're almost there."
"Oh, that's wonderful." his mother said.
"Ow…"
"You know Ash, sitting up might help the pain ease a little." Dr. Carter suggested.
"Really?"
"I know it helped me."
Both Brock and Delia helped Ash sit up from his position. Dr. Carter then said that he should rest his body on this mother's. Ash leaned forward as his mother embraced him. His head was resting on her right shoulder. Brock then held the ice bag on Ash's neck. He had his arms tightly around his mother. In reaction to hearing his whimpers of pain, she hushed comfortingly just as she did when he was a child. Brock rubbed Ash's back in support. Pikachu put one of his paws on Ash's thigh.
"Pika-pi…"
"Mom…?" Ash murmured as his face was buried in her blouse.
"Yes…?"
"I'm sorry for yelling earlier… I didn't mean it…"
"I know you didn't." she said as she smiled. "I understand what you're going through… I can't say I didn't scream at people when I was having you."
"I love you Mom…"
"I love you too."
She then kissed him on his cheek.
Richie had gone down to a local river in order to fill up a couple of water bottles. When he went to return to his campsite, he needed to cross back over a road. As he was about to make it to the other side, he was blinded by head lights by a slowly approaching car. Richie moved to where it was safe to let the car pass. However the car stopped next to him. He then realized that it was a limousine. It didn't take him long to recognize the limousine and went into a state of shock. The back door then opened and his mother stepped out.
"Richard…?" his mother said.
"M-Mom…? Wh-what are you doing here?"
"I just had to see you again. We need to talk…"
"Is Dad here…?" he said in a frightened tone.
"No… He doesn't even know I came here. He thinks I'm on set."
"You mean… you came without telling him?"
She then nodded. She and Richie sat down on a nearby rock.
"Richard… The day you were born was the happiest day of my life. You were the most beautiful thing I've ever seen and the love of my life. Over the years I felt I wasn't spending enough time with you so I thought I could make it up to you by buying lavish things for you. But, I learned that's you needed more than material things to make you happy. That's why when you brought up the subject of going on a Pokémon journey; I thought it would be a wonderful idea. I admit I was a bit scared up you leaving home and traveling by yourself but Grandpa explained to me that everything would be fine. Though, he did understand my worry because he felt the same way when I went on a Pokémon journey.
"You went on a Pokémon journey? You never told me that."
"Well, your father didn't like me mentioning Pokémon around him so I just kept it a secret. I was once a Pokémon coordinator. But then I got into an acting school and the rest is history.
"Why did Dad hate Pokémon so much?"
"I know he doesn't want you to know that but I feel you have a right to. When he was a boy, he watched his best friend be mauled by Houndoom. He felt so helpless not being able to do anything. Sadly, his friend died a few days later."
"That's… terrible."
"He didn't want you to get into Pokémon because he was afraid for your safety. Being the mighty person that he is, he didn't want you to see him as soft."
"I wouldn't have had a problem with that."
"But he would have."
"Is there a reason for him hating gay people too?"
"That's just how he was raised."
She then put her hand on her son's lap.
"Richard… I just wanted to say… how sorry I am for what happened that day. There hasn't been a day that's gone by that I felt I did the right thing. Which is why I had to come back here. I want to be there for you like I should be."
"You will?"
"If you want me to…"
"Mom…" he said as his eyes welled up with tears.
Mother and son then embraced each other in a hug.
"You don't know how badly I needed to here that… I'll I ever wanted was your support… But what about Dad? What if he finds out?"
"We'll worry about him later. Right now you have a baby on the way that you need to be there for."
"You're right…"
"What in the world are you doing out here anyway?"
"You see… I got nervous about becoming a father and decided to spend sometime by myself. Sparky is still in the woods waiting for me. I was planning on camping out."
"Richard, you need to be there for your boyfriend. You should go back to him immediately. It's been a while since I last saw him and I can imagine that he should be due any day now."
"Yeah, he is. I know I should go back but I was just so scared…"
"Would having me there make you feel better?"
"Yes, of course."
"Then I'll come with you."
"Thanks Mom…" he said while wiping the tears off his face. "Thank you so much."
Richie quickly went back to the forest in order to retrieve Sparky and his things. He then jumped in the limo with his mother and they headed toward Ash's house.
Back at the lab, Dr. Carter checked on Ash's dilation again to see if he was ready.
"Alright Ash, you are fully dilated now. We can now begin the birth."
"Just think." Brock said to Ash. "Soon, Brooke will be here."
Ash did smile a little but he wasn't all that happy. Dr. Carter left in order to inform Professor Oak and all of Ash's friends. Oak would be assisting Carter during the delivery. Delia took this time to talk to her son.
"What's wrong honey? Are you nervous?"
"Yeah. Very. Also…"
Ash covered his face with his hand as he began to cry.
"You want Richie here."
He nodded in response.
"I'm so sorry that we couldn't find him for you. But we can't wait for him any longer."
"How could he do this to me…?" Ash asked himself. "Was it because of that night with Gary…? He said he understood."
"What are you talking about?"
When Richie and his mother reached Ash's home, they found the place dark and seemingly abandoned. Richie knocked on the door none the less but no one would answer.
"That's so weird…" he said. "Where is everybody…?"
"Hasn't it dawned on you?" said a voice.
Richie and his mother turned in the direction of the voice and saw Gary appeared from the side of the house.
"Gary…?"
"Pikaachu." said Sparky.
"Where did everyone go?"
"Oh my God, you really are clueless…" Gary said as he slapped his forhead. "A few hours after you decided to take a vacation, Ash went into labor."
"W-w-what!? Oh my God! How can I be so stupid!?" he said as he held his head.
"Richard, please calm down." his mother said.
As Richie continued to freak out, Gary approached him and slapped him in the face hard to get him to come to his senses. Richie held a hand to his face as he looked at Gary.
"You're not too late." Gary said. "My grandfather just called and told me that Ash is ready to give birth. You still have time. You should go to him. He needs you more than anyone."
"… You're absolutely right… This isn't about me… Ash is the one who needs the support."
His mother then smiled. She was so proud of her son right now.
"Thank you, Gary. For making me see that."
Afterwards, they all jumped in the limousine and headed off to Professor Oak's lab at full speed.
Well ShadowYinYang, you were right about Richie's mom. XD
Ha Richie got bitch slapped. I feel bad for him but you know he had it coming.
Review please.