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Surprise! Bonus chapter!
Well I was planning to jump right into the epilogue, but I started writing this and it just flowed out of me. So you get an extra 4,400 words, and the epilogue is almost finished too.
Part 16
When Zekrom dropped Ash and Austin off at the hospital doors after the incident with Silhougon, they carried Phoenix into the lobby where an emergency team was prepared to receive him thanks to Quinn. Once he had been taken to the operating room where his family and friends could not follow, the rest of the team finally had a moment to sit down and breathe.
"I'll head to the Pokemon Center," Austin says while standing up, "I will have Nurse Joy check over Charvo."
Ash and Quinn nod silently in response and watch him leave.
"Quinn!" she hears her name and looks up to find her father walking towards her, "I heard that the monster is gone. All of the news reports are saying that things are back to normal!"
Quinn looks between Ash and her father, and says, "well, not everything."
"Phoenix is in surgery," Ash mumbles, wiping a stray tear from his eye.
Gary Oak recognizes the man immediately. How could he not? His childhood friend and rival who he had known his whole life - who had perished eight years ago - sits in front of him.
"Ash Ketchum," Gary shakes his head in disbelief, wiping his own face with his hands, "I must be seeing things."
Ash can't help smirking at him as he stands to face him, "you know, Gary, you can't get rid of me that easily."
"By Mew, it is you," Gary wraps his arms around Ash in a brotherly hug, "that's what Phoenix was talking about."
"Arceus, Gary," Ash shakes his head, his teasing facade long gone, "I don't know what the hell is going on. One minute I was trying to get my family out the door to escape Team Rocket, the next I'm trying to save the world. Now my seventeen-year-old son who was nine a few hours ago is in surgery with life threatening injuries!"
Gary is confused by his story, but decides not to ask questions while Ash is in this state.
Ash collapses back into the chair and pulls his hat down over his eyes to cover up his distress.
"Where's Misty?" Gary asks, "is she here too? River?"
"Yeah," Ash informs him, "I sent them to Cerulean Gym where I knew they'd be safe."
"You should call them," Gary insists, "tell them to come here."
"I know," Ash nods in agreement, "but what do I tell her? Sorry honey, I wasn't strong enough to protect our son?"
"No," Gary shakes his head, "tell her that he saved the world, but now he needs his family."
"You're right," Ash sighs, and he gets up to walk over to the video phones.
"How is Ferra?" Quinn asks anxiously, wondering about her friend.
"She has a concussion and stitches in a few places, but she should be alright," Gary tells her, sitting next to her, "Brock and Suzy should be here any minute."
"Dad, Phoenix," she sobs quietly, "he's hurt real bad."
"What happened, Quinny?" he asks, wrapping an arm around his daughter.
"The monster dug his claws into his side," she tells him, burying her head in his chest, "there was so much blood."
"Listen," Gary says firmly, "Phoenix is a Ketchum. He won't give up without a fight."
At the public video phones, Ash struggles to remember the gym's phone number. He had been married to Misty for so long and he rarely was the one to initiate phone calls to his in-laws. Finally he punches in the right combination and it rings.
"Like, hello?" Ash's blonde sister-in-law, Daisy, answers the phone.
"Hey, Daisy," Ash greets her, though she looks like she has seen a ghost -maybe even three!
"She's right here," Daisy says. As happy as she is to see her sister return from the dead, she is struggling to believe that her current situation is real.
"Ash? Is it over?" Misty asks as she comes onto the screen.
"Almost, Mist," he wipes sweat off his forehead.
"Where's Phoenix?" she asks, looking closely at the screen, trying to figure out where Ash is.
"We're at the Fuschia City Hospital," Ash tells her, afraid of her reaction, "Phoenix is in surgery. He was hurt pretty badly."
"What happened, Ash?" she asks urgently.
"The monster dug his claws into his side, and he lost a lot of blood," he informs her with a deep, sad sigh.
Misty covers her mouth with her hands, trying to suppress the inevitable crying that would come soon.
"What about you?" she asks, "are you alright."
"Well, I died… again," he shares, scratching his head, "but Phoenix and Charvo defeated the beast and, long story short, a lot of people and Pokemon came back to life."
"I'll be there as soon as I can with Charizard," Misty tells him, "I just need to put River to bed. Daisy and Tracey will watch her."
"Okay," Ash nods, feeling the weight of his situation on his shoulders, "I love you, Mist."
She gives him a sad smile and replies, "I love you too, Ash."
Then the monitor clicks off leaving Ash alone with his thoughts.
Behind him, the automatic doors of the hospital slide open and a very tan man with brown hair and squinty eyes enters frantically with a much more put-together blue haired woman following behind. Ash recognizes the pair immediately, but stays back knowing that his return would spark confusion.
"Ferra Harrison," Brock demands at the front desk. Ash, who hasn't been filled in on what happened before he arrived, is confused why Ferra is also in the hospital.
"Just one moment, sir," the secretary searches for Ferra in the database, "can I ask your relationship?"
"We're her parents," Suzy informs the woman.
"Why yes," the secretary states while reading Ferra' information, "alright, Ms. Harrison is currently in the ICU where we don't allow visitors. The doctors expect her to be moved to the recovery units by morning, and I will have a doctor come speak with you shortly. Please have a seat."
Ash watches as Brock and Suzy turn toward the waiting area and spot Quinn and Gary. Quinn hugs the pair while Gary engages in a conversation with them. Ash assumes he is telling them about how Ferra was hurt, and that she should be alright. Gary sneaks a quick peek at Ash and makes eye contact with him as he leads Brock and Suzy over to the chairs.
Then Ash knows that Gary is preparing them for his presence as he watches their faces twist into disbelief. Brock shakes his head in confusion. Gary looks back in Ash's direction and points directly at him. Brock follows his gaze and locks eyes with Ash who stands slowly from his seat by the video phone. Suzy's hand flies to her mouth as she gasps at the sight of their friend once thought to be dead.
"As I live and breathe," Brock laughs in disbelief, a smile forming on his face.
Ash slowly makes his way to his friends, lifting his arms out to his best friend, "Brock, my brother."
They embrace tightly. They allow their tears to fall freely. While Brock cries in happiness over the return of his friend, Ash also weeps for their pain and his loss of the past eight years in this reality.
"I don't believe this," Brock shakes his head, "you look so young."
"That's because I time travelled, Brock," Ash explains, "Phoenix, he travelled back in time and plucked us right out of our home before the bombing. It's really overwhelming. In my reality, I saw you a week ago at family dinner."
"Of course," Gary inserts, "that's how it happened. The security cameras on your property didn't show anyone leaving, so we thought it was impossible that you survived. You disappeared from the inside."
"Where are Misty and River?" Suzy asks, joining the conversation.
"River is staying at the Cerulean Gym tonight, and Misty is on her way here," Ash informs them.
"Arceus though Ash, this is way worse than when you were gone for three years," Brock sniffles and wipes away some of his tears, "there was no doubt that you were dead, man. This is incredible."
"Tell me about it," Ash agrees, "and to me my suddenly seventeen-year-old son is in emergency surgery."
"He'll be alright," a voice draws everyone attention to Austin who had just reentered.
"Austin," Quinn smiles at the sight of her friend.
"I know that he will be alright," Austin says, smiling sympathetically.
"How do you know that?" Ash asks, thinking that the boy is sure an odd pick as a friend for his son.
"I've spent a lot of time with Phoenix," Austin shrugs his shoulders, "I just know."
Before anyone can question him more, Misty enters the hospital doors looking panicked.
"Misty!" Ash calls over to her to gain her attention quickly.
Misty walks over to the group and asks, "how is he? Oh hi Brock, Suzy, Gary."
"I haven't heard anything new," Ash tells her, rubbing her arms gently.
"This is crazy," Misty shakes her head and leans into her husband's chest in despair.
"Tell us about it," Brock says, shaking his head again at the sight of Misty Ketchum, alive and well.
"Oh my Mew," Misty realizes the situation that her friends are in, "I was so focused on Phoenix."
"It's okay," Suzy assures her, "It's a little strange, but we'll muddle through this."
"Thank you," Misty smiles weakly at them.
"I'm looking for the family of Mr. Phoenix Ketchum," a doctor asks as he walks up to the group.
Everyone present raises their hands. Phoenix is their family -even if not all by blood.
"Well," the doctor scratches his head, "what about next of kin?"
"That's us," Ash points at himself and Misty. The doctor leads him away to a quiet room that is away from everything else.
"What is your relation?" the doctor asks them suspiciously. He knew of the famous Ketchum family and their untimely demise -everyone knew about it- but these people look strangely like the deceased Ash and Misty Ketchum.
"This is going to sound crazy," Ash sighs, "but we're his parents. It's a long story that involves time travel."
"We're not even quite sure how this is possible either," Misty tells him.
"Alright," the doctor writes in his notes, "never thought I'd have to explain this in my notes."
"Please tell us about our son," Misty pleads with him.
"I brought you in here because his situation isn't great," the doctor starts while looking down at his notes still, "but we're hopeful that he's a fighter."
"He is," Ash assures the doctor.
"The stab wounds are deep," the doctor continues in detail, "amazingly, the top wound didn't pierce anything vital. It came within two inches of his heart. However, the lowest wounds punctured his spleen and left kidney. If his spleen and kidney don't function properly, they may both need to be removed. On the bright side, people live long and happy lives without their spleen or one kidney. We've been transfusing blood as needed and we've repaired the damage to the best of our abilities. Right now we leave it up to Phoenix."
"Oh Mew," Misty gasps, holding onto Ash tightly.
"When can we see him?" Ash asks anxiously.
"He'll be in the ICU for a while longer," the doctor tells them, "the next hour or so is critical to see if his vitals stay normal. We're hoping to move him to the recovery unit if he is strong enough."
When Ash and Misty finally make their way to the lobby once more, they share their update with the group right before another doctor approaches them to talk with Brock and Suzy.
"Mr. and Mrs. Harrison," her addresses them, "Ferra is resting in the recovery unit right now. She has a concussion from hitting her head against falling debris and some stitches here and there, but she should be just fine now. Because it is so late, we will allow visitors for 10 minutes and parents can stay overnight in her room."
"Thank you sir," Brock tells the doctor, "please show us the way."
"Can I come with you?" Quinn asks eagerly.
"Me too?" Austin joins her.
"Yes, of course," Suzy waves them to follow.
"We'll be here waiting for news on Phoenix," Ash tells them.
Brock nods as they walk towards the doors that lead to the recovery unit.
"She is in room 283," the doctor says as he leads them to the elevators which brings them to the second floor.
They walk down two hallways before the doctor stops and slowly opens the door to room 283. He leads them into the room where they see Ferra in one of the two beds in the unit. The other is empty.
"Baby," Suzy gasps, looking at the bandages on her head and stitches on her arms.
"Mom?" Ferra's eyes open and search for her mother.
"Hey, Ferra," she says as she pulls herself gently onto the side of Ferra's bed.
"Hi sweetie," Brock greets softly.
"I'm sorry," she apologizes almost inaudibly, "I should have been more careful."
"No, no," Suzy says while stroking her shoulder, "you helped save the world."
"I did?" she asks excitedly, "so Phoenix did it?"
"Yeah," Austin speaks up, "and so much more."
"What?" Ferra asks, sitting up slightly, "what do you mean?"
"Don't worry about it until morning," Quinn urges.
"Where is he?" she asks, looking from person to person, wondering why her boyfriend is not in the room.
"He's alive," Austin assures her, "but he's hurt. Badly."
"Oh Mew," she says quietly, trying to hold back tears that form in her eyes.
"But he is strong, Ferra," Quinn assures her, "he'll fight for his life. He'll fight for you."
Brock and Suzy look questioningly at Quinn and then at Ferra.
"Ferra," Suzy inquires, "is there something you want to tell us about you and Phoenix?"
Ferra blushes deeply and glares at Quinn. Suzy gasps at the indirect confirmation.
"You two are together?" Suzy asks, excited about the news.
Ferra nods sheepishly, her blush darkening.
"Damn, I owe Ash $50," Brock mutters. Suzy hits him in the chest.
"What?" Ferra asks, very confused as she has not heard of the return of the Ketchums yet.
"Just a silly bet I made with Ash," Brock plays it off, "doesn't really matter right now."
"He'll pull through, Ferra," Suzy says softly, brushing her fingers across her daughter's face.
"I love him," Ferra says, letting tears loose on her cheeks.
Suzy and Brock's hearts ache at the sight of their daughter so distraught.
"I know, sweetie," Suzy nods, "you always have."
"Just rest and we'll update you about Phoenix when we can," Brock assures her.
"Okay," she agrees quietly, for when one gets a concussion, sleep is always just a moment away.
"We should go," Austin says to Quinn, "come on."
"Feel better, Ferra," Quinn tells her as she follows Austin out of the room.
"This way," Austin grabs her hand and drags her down the hall.
"Where are we going?" Quinn asks in a whisper.
"To see Phoenix," he tells her quietly.
"How will we find him? We're not even supposed to be in that unit!"
"I peeked around the doctor's shoulder when he was talking to the Ketchums," he waves it off, "just a quick stop."
They take the elevator to the fourth floor. Then they nonchalantly walk down the hallway past busy doctors and nurses who don't seem to notice or care about the two teens.
"Here," Austin pulls Quinn into room 423.
Inside they find Phoenix connected to multiple machines with an I.V. in his left arm. His eyes are closed tightly, but his mouth is parted slightly.
"Hey Phoen," Quinn whispers, still afraid to be caught.
"He hasn't woken yet," a soft female voice speaks behind them.
The two teens turn to find a doctor standing in the doorway. She must have noticed them and followed them into the room.
"You really can't be in here," she says, "it's against policy."
"I'm sorry, doctor," Austin apologizes, "it's just that I needed to deliver something to him urgently."
The doctor's gaze softens even more and she says, "I will be back to check on him in five minutes. I better not find anyone in here when I return."
"Thank you!" Quinn says gratefully as the doctor leaves the room.
Austin rummages through his pocket and pulls out a Pokeball. Quinn watches questioningly as Austin places the ball underneath Phoenix's right hand. However, she can guess whose Pokeball it is.
"There you go, Phoenix," Austin tells him softly, squeezing his hand lightly.
"Get better, Phoen," Quinn tells him, kissing him gently on the cheek.
"Come on," Austin grabs her hand again and pulls her out of the room.
When they reach the lobby, Gary stands to meet them.
"There is nothing that we can do until Phoenix is transferred to the recovery unit," Gary tells them, "Come with me. We'll lodge at the Pokemon Center tonight, and we'll return in the morning."
As much as Austin and Quinn would like to deny the idea, they had been through a lot in the last two days and they would not be able to deny themselves the sleep that beckons. Thus they go with Gary without an argument.
Ash and Misty stay in the waiting area. They sit together on a padded bench, leaning on each other for physical and emotional support.
"What are we going to do?" Misty asks quietly.
"What do you mean?" Ash pulls away to look at her.
"The entire world thinks we've been dead for eight years," Misty says sadly, "my own sister was in complete shock when I showed up at the gym. She broke like five glasses trying to get some water for me. She was shaking so terribly. Tracey wasn't any better."
"I know it will be a shock for some people," Ash agrees, "but they will get used to it and there will be so many friends and family that will be so happy to see us again."
Ash and Misty sit in silence for a while, just taking in their situation. They sit and rest for nearly an hour.
"What if," Misty finally dares to ask aloud, "what if Phoenix…"
"Don't think that way," Ash silences her, "this is our son we're talking about. A Ketchum. He is strong."
"I know, honey," Misty nods and digs her face deeper into his shoulder, "this is all so strange and feels like a terrible dream."
"I know what you mean," Ash relates completely with her, "but think about Phoenix. We've come back to life from his perspective."
"Eight years," Misty whispers, "what happened in the last eight years?"
"Besides how our son became a man?" Ash asks, rubbing his head.
"So much has changed and with so much change coming for us too," Misty sighs deeply.
"Everything will work out," Ash promises, "just one thing at a time."
"Hey, you two," Brock approaches them with a cup of coffee in each hand, "I got these for you. I figured you would want to stay up waiting."
"Thanks Brock," Misty says appreciatively as she takes one cup from him. Ash takes the other.
"How's Ferra?" Ash asks.
"Awake," he smiles, relieved.
"That's good, Brock," Misty says, smiling sadly. While she loves and cares for Ferra, she cannot help be even more concerned with her own son.
"Aw man, I hate when you're right," Brock chuckles and pulls out his wallet. He holds out a bill to Ash and says, "I owe you this."
Ash stares at the $50 bill trying to figure out what he is implying.
"Go on, take it," Brock assures him, "you won the bet."
"You mean," Ash blinks rapidly trying to recall exactly what they had bet about, "Phoenix and Ferra are…"
"Are what, Ash?" Misty cuts in, not knowing anything about it.
"Together," Brock says slyly, nodding knowingly.
Ash blushes dark red at the idea and finally takes the bill from Brock.
Misty's eyes widen at the information, "they are together?"
"Together," Brock repeats, grinning, "in love."
"I guess I thought this might happen -that's why I made the bet. They were so close," Ash chuckles, "but I really didn't think much more of it because they were nine."
"My baby boy is in love," Misty pauses to consider it, "with Ferra."
"He's been in love with her since they were kids, Mist," Ash laughs lightly.
"Yeah, I know," Misty says snarkily, "but suddenly he's seventeen and it isn't just a crush."
"Well, when I was hurt, being in love always gave me incentive to survive," Ash assures her, "he'll want to get better for her."
Misty kisses Ash on the cheek and leans against him again.
"Did I tell you how great it is to see you again?" Brock grins happily at his two best friends
"Excuse me," the doctor from earlier interrupts, "Ketchums?"
"Yes?" Misty asks, sitting up straight.
"Phoenix seems to be fighting fit. His vitals have been amazing. We're in the process of moving him to the recovery unit," the doctor informs them, "he should be stable enough for transport."
"Thank you so much, doctor," Ash says gratefully, reaching out to shake his hand.
"I have a request, if it is alright with Ash and Misty," Brock asserts, "the bed next to my daughter, Ferra Harrison, is unoccupied. Would you be able to bring him there? We're kind of like one big family."
The doctor looks to Ash and Misty expectantly. They nod in agreement.
"Well, I will see what I can do," the doctor agrees, "I'll be back to bring you to him when he's been settled."
As it is late in the night, Brock leaves to rejoin Suzy in Ferra's room. Ash and Misty settle into a comfortable silence waiting for more information. They are nearly asleep when the doctor returns.
"Phoenix has settled in nicely," he tells them happily, "I was able to pull some strings and set him up in the same room. You can all follow me now."
They both stand up and stretch quickly before following the doctor down the hallway and up to the second floor.
"During nighttime hours, we ask you to refrain from wandering," he informs them, "and there is a bathroom in the room if you need one. There will be nurses in and out to check on Ferra and Phoenix. Just a heads up, if anything goes awry, they may need to pull Phoenix back out and up to the ICU."
"Okay," Ash nods in agreement as he enters the room with Misty following close behind.
First, they see Ferra lying peacefully in her bed. There is gauze wrapped around her head and stitches sewn to keep the lacerations on her arms together. Suzy is asleep leaning on the side of Ferra's bed.
"She is beautiful," Misty whispers with a soft smile, "she has grown up so well."
"Thanks," Brock says lovingly looking at his daughter. He sits on the other chair across from her bed.
On the other side of the curtain, Ash and Misty find their son. His entire midsection is wrapped in gauze, and he is attached to many machines. Ash draws the curtain back so that there is no barrier between the two young lovers.
"Phoenix," Misty whispers, approaching the side of his bed.
She runs her fingers through his soft auburn hair, "he's so grown up, Ash."
"He is pretty amazing, isn't he? He's already looking better," Ash assures her.
"I hope so," she sighs while stroking his arm softly.
"What's this?" Ash asks, finding the Pokeball tucked into the palm of his right hand.
He pulls it free to look at it closer.
"That Austin kid is strange, but he's been a good friend," Ash thinks aloud, knowing which Pokemon is inside the ball. He places it back in Phoenix's hand.
"I suppose we should rest a bit," Misty yawns.
"Come here," Ash says, sitting down on the couch next to Phoenix's bed.
Misty nods and sits next to him. Listening to the consistent beeping of the machines, Ash and Misty drift into sleep. For a few hours the room is quiet and everyone is able to rest.
"Uggh," Phoenix gasps as he wakes up in darkness. He realizes that he is in a bed and attached by tubes and wires to the machine blinking and beeping beside him. He cannot see much in the dark.
The pain in his side is unbearable, and he pulls his left hand up to feel the gauze wrapped around his entire midsection. He groans in pain and confusion. In his other hand, he finds a Pokeball. He holds it tighter, knowing instinctively that his precious Charvo rests inside. He figures someone placed the ball there for them to be close together.
"Phoenix?" a soft voice whispers.
At the sound of Ferra's voice, relief washes over his entire body. He tries to move a little to look in the direction that her voice came from, but his body refuses.
"Ferra?" he whispers back, straining to speak. He didn't realize that speaking would be painful as well. He hears her breathe a sigh of relief when he responds.
"Mew, I was so worried about you," she speaks quietly, "when Austin and Quinn came to see me, but you weren't there I wanted to panic."
"It hurts," he coughs, moaning in agony.
"Don't speak," she tells him, "there should be a button near one of your hands that will give you more painkiller if you are in that much pain."
"Thanks," he squeaks out, finding the button next to his left hand and clicking it twice.
"I'll get up and come to you in the morning, but it's dark and I don't want to wake my parents," she says softly.
"My mom and dad, River," Phoenix splutters, feeling less pain as he speaks because of the drugs, "they're alive, Ferra."
"What?" she asks in shocks.
"Celebii, brought them here," he struggles to push all of the words out.
"That's amazing," she smiles widely to herself at the news, "I am so happy for you, Phoen."
They sit in silence for a few minutes as Phoenix rests.
"Ferra," he whispers.
"Yeah, Phoen?" she asks.
"I love you," he breathes.
"I love you too," she tells him softly.
ONE more chapter to come. For real this time!
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