Ash and Dawn were walking home together. After their little adventure with Brock and Kenny they talked about the aftermath a bit in a way that didn't make other people on the street overhear the real events. Ash having done most of the heavy lifting got a few bruises but otherwise felt fine. Dawn was worried about his injuries but the block of granite next to her told her there was no need to worry. Ash had some praise for her.

"You're getting good at this. Hard to believe you're making that much progress." The way she handled Brock, Kenny and all the lesser Scraggy's he felt a little proud of her. Dawn puffed her chest out.

"I'm an umpteenth generation Berlitz. It's in my blood." Dawn boasted as many before her took up the Umbreon mantle.

"And don't you forget it!" The spirit interrupting them with family pride too. As much as Dawn bonded with her the human host had some recollections over their couple of days together. The two giggled a bit over the ancient spirit acting like a child. As if they bonded the human host was happy to have these powers and to finally do some good with them on a consistent basis.

"I had my doubts at first. Sneaking is more of a bad guy power. It makes it easy to steal something." Having looked around so nobody could hear her Ash tilted his head as he grinned at her.

"You're too soft to be a bad guy." Ash telling Dawn she'd make a terrible villain she punched him in his upper arm with a bit of force.

"Ow…"

"And you're just a big softie." Sticking her tongue out to tease him as she didn't hit him that hard.

"A softie who's soft for you." He said as Dawn raised her head and looked to the orange sky of the setting sun. The power to break walls yet he was such a dork. Despite all his bragging rights he stayed humble. It's what she liked about him that he's so grounded. Dawn was glad to be given the opportunity to live in the same world as him against evil. She wondered if he thought the same.

They went home on foot since they didn't had much to fear. Anyone dumb to try and rob them would be knocked out by the pair of them. Shops were starting close up and from the corner of her eye Dawn took a peek in the displays as they made small talk.

"Ah!" She uttered out a surprised yelp. Ash who stood a bit ahead of her turned round asking what got her attention.

"Give me a minute." Dawn rushed into the store hoping she wasn't late. A minute or three later she came out of it with a small bag. She reached into the bag and pulled out a small black box.

"Hold these for just a sec." Dawn undid her traditional yellow hairclips and put them in Ash's hand. Her hair now hung on the sides of her head undone she curled it up by touch and attached her new hairclips while taking back her old ones.

"What do you think?" She asked his opinion on her new yellow circled clips. She's been looking for a set of them forever to complete her own personal Umbreon look. Ash got the hint of them as the were a copy of the circles on her costume. Ash chuckled a bit. He wasn't customizing his costume at all but it was so like Dawn to do that and give the style her own flavor.

"They look great on you. You should buy a few spares."

"I don't plan on getting hit as much as you do."

"The guy I dealt with counts for about thirty. Get on my level." Ash bragged on his own as Scrafty was the main threat. Dawn realizing he kept score shot back.

"Let's go to Heaven then and we'll settle this." The new name of their hideout, even when teammates they had a little competition. Dawn was eager to have a new fight with Ash when things calmed down cause the last time they had a sparring match he held back. Something he can't do anymore and she needed to tie the score at one all.

"So…why are you walking me home?" Dawn wondered though. She wasn't in much danger yet he insisted on guiding her home safely.

"Can't I keep you company? You're fun to be around." Ash said.

"Fun huh? You're fun too." She said as they moved towards her house again. She enjoyed this calm as it made her think about her current companion.

"Thank you Ash."

"For what?"

"I learned to appreciate the moments I have when not being my other half. The same moments you have when you aren't it either. The normal life isn't so bad when you throw yourself into danger each day."

Ash always distracted her with other topics while her first thoughts always went to heroism. He kind of was a second mentor like Umbreon and even with always made time for her even with someone out to kill him and the others. She stopped her walk and grinned as something dawned on her. Perhaps she has a chance after all at nailing him.

"I figured it out."

"What?" Ash stopped too.

"The only one who knew who you were besides your mom and Riley was me. Your visits in the middle of the night, telling stories about your 'job' trying to impress me and you asking me to prom months in advance personally. Also all the time you spend willingly outside of your job with me."

She edged closer to him making him lean back. Dawn tiptoed leaning into his ear she whispered.

"You…like…me…" She pulled back with a grin having teased him. Studying his reaction Ash's facial expression didn't change that scared she blew her shot or that he was just so good keeping cover he used this ability on her. Ash rubbed the back of his head looking sideways.

"You're a pretty girl but you take away a lot from your mom so that's a given. And how long do you think I like you if I did?" Ash calling her pretty Dawn grew more confident ready to call his bluff. As one of the few people she could see through all his lying.

"You always did. You just never told me. Ever since you told me your big secret. So do you?" Ash shrugged his shoulders.

"What point is there in telling you? You'd just worry if I'm safe or alive every night."

"What person wouldn't worry about the boy she's crushing on?"

Ash thought some other villain was out there making illusions. Did she really just say she was crushing on him?

"Don't screw this up Ketchum. Just think about what mom said."

"Tell me. What do you like about me?" She asked as she put her arms behind her back and leaned forward up to him with a silly grin.

"Just you."

"Try again or prom is off and I'm going with Kenny." Not enough for her. He suddenly grabbed her arm at her challenge. Staring into his auburn eyes she saw something he didn't do much, being vulnerable.

"I know I'm bad at showing it but I really care about you. More then I should. I always thought that once I started my job I needed to distance myself from other things in life. I can't relax for a moment in it but you make it impossible. I can't seem to stay away from you no matter how hard I try. You always pull me in like a magnet and I can't escape it no matter how fast I run. I had this even before you joined me at work and my mom said I had to tell you since we're both on borrowed time."

Him telling his emotions on her Dawn's heartbeat raised. A small blush on her cheeks she cozied herself on Ash's right arm pushing herself against him. Feeling his arm muscles Ash used his left finger to scratch his chin embarrassed. Silence between them as the situation is perfect they continued their walk. Dawn hugging him could lay claim on her man even more if she played it right.

"You always wanted a girlfriend to see what its like. You just happen to pick me out of everyone."

"Means I made the right choice." This annoyed her.

"Were there others then?" A small vein popped out on her forehead.

"No. It's you or no one." Ash plainly said. Dawn blushed at just how smitten he is with her. She found herself lucky a great guy like him who got the hot's for her. Confident enough about her feelings for him now he dived right in.

"So, you're willing to try to make it work out?" Relationships on the workplace usually don't work out as he was aware.

"I don't want to let you down." Ash still questioned if she wanted to be an item but to be sure asked.

"You won't, you've never let this city down so I'm not worried you'll start with me. Plus there's an advantage when I'm with you." Dawn leaned up and pecked him on the cheek. Ash shocked by her kissing him jumped in shock. Putting the cutest pout she could she finished her remark.

"Unlike most fairy tales I know how the guy looks like when the frog gets kissed by the princess." The hero look Dawn gave him playing perfectly to that trope he was looking for a bit more.

"Isn't that mostly on the lips?" Daring her to brush his mouth she only put her index finger on it shutting him up.

"You gotta earn it by being a good boyfriend. Now shut up before I hit you again." Not afraid to get physical they walked around town with Dawn still hugging his arm. She kind of was surprised it went that easy admitting they liked each other but with them risking their lives they got a lot more open to things like these when it could.

"What about Kenny?" Ash asked her wondering if this wouldn't backfire.

"What about Kenny?" Dawn could care less at this moment. She'll just be more honest to him and tell him to grow up. Things in life are unpredictable after all and don't turn out the way you plan. If he couldn't accept her choice it's his problem.

"There's no need to worry about him. You just leave him to me."

Dawn was smitten by the boy she held on too with an iron grip. Reluctantly she let go off his arm as they reached her porch. Dawn standing a bit higher than him now turned round looking down. She kissed her palm and blew him a goodnight kiss which he caught.

"Bye Ash."

"Bye Dawn." Closing the door behind her she let her back fall on it as she slumped to the ground. Hugging herself she saw her mom give a sideways look.

"I was looking at the window wondering when you came back. 'Dentist' appointments went well?" Johanna said full of smug.

"Moooooom…" Dawn didn't need this right now after her dream scene.

"So…did he accept it?" Dawn softly nodded.

"He did." Although Johanna was happy Dawn's taste in boys was good she still took on the elder role.

"Just make sure you don't get distracted by each other while in a dangerous situation." Johanna's biggest fear now would be them paying eye to the other and not the ones trying to hurt them or worse.

"That's what I'm for." Umbreon promised the mother she'd keep the lovebirds in check. With food on the table and a hungry Dawn she dived right in filling her stomach the way Ash did. The former model smiled at her lack of manners.

"Guess you picked up a few more things from him then how to fight."

Ash got to his house. Still thinking about his new girlfriend he borrowed her catchphrase. In the end there was no need to worry as she wanted to try having a relationship with him. Doing one last surveillance check around the house he went inside. Seeing his mother hear a news report about a gang leader recovering from a heart attack she looked towards the door where her son was standing.

"Sit." Deliz demanded he sat next to her on the couch.

"So. There are reports of a new drug making the round and a gang leader that got busted. You wouldn't have anything to do with this?"

"Maybe."

Delia just shook her head. Even on days off trouble just seemed to find him. Ash explained that he and Dawn were fighting them off while protecting Brock and Kenny. Delia glad his friends were safe was glad that Dawn helped him out keeping his secret safe.

"How was your day?" Ash asked her.

"The usual. Getting to hear talks about you and your friend while doing the house. Anything good happened before it? Did you resolve your talk with Brock and Kenny?"

"Not really. But I did get a good ending." He started to have a silly grin.

"Dawn…she…you know…" Delia got the same grin as her son implying what they talked about recently. She hugged her boy tightly Ash holding back a winch as she touched his back as he got tossed around earlier.

"My little boy has got a girlfriend! You work fast."

Still a little surprised on how quick he did it she couldn't help but wonder. They had each others back but there was no guarantee their productiveness as guardians won't suffer for it. And how would their teammates respond? If Riley, May and Zoey get wind off it they might try to keep them separate not to distract them. They had quite a to do list so time might be scarce to build on it.

But if there was one about Ash is that he had a talent for always making things work out in his favor. He always did and she hoped it would never end. Still as a mom it was her duty to give him a normal live as much as possible and that would imply lots and lots of teasing during his time off.

That's what moms are for afterall.

Yep. I know it seems sudden but I just suck at build up and wasted too much time already.

Note to self. If you ever do another story just get them together from the start.

See you around.