XashXdawnX - Here's another chapter. I hope you all enjoy. All rights go to their respective owners.

Gary pulled into the gravel driveway, behind Ash's silver pickup truck. Ash didn't live in the same house as he did when Leaf had been friends with him. Instead of the two story white house with a lovely garden in the front yard, the house that stood before her was a simple one story, brick house. A garden was in the front yard, but much smaller than the one at his old house. Leaf wondered what was the reason that Ash and his mother moved houses. Leaf also saw Dawn's white convertible parked beside Ash's truck. Her two other friends were just inside...Leaf briefly wondered if Gary had warned them that she was coming.

Leaf jumped in surprise when Gary touched her shoulder. She looked at him with a raised brow.

"Are you getting out?" he asked.

Leaf then noticed that his door was opened and and he was leaning across his seat since he was standing outside.

"Yeah...yeah..."

Leaf opened her door and got out, before she made her way over to where Gary was.

The two walked into the house and Leaf followed after Gary as he made his way through the kitchen before taking a left and coming to a door that was slightly opened.

"Ashy Boy, you two decent?" Gary asked.

"Shut up, Gary!" came Dawn's voice.

"Come on in." Ash's voice replied.

Gary pushed the door opened and walked in and Leaf awkwardly followed behind him. Ash's room was pretty big considering the size of the house. His bed was against the far wall from the door with a window on the other wall. Ash and Dawn were currently on the bed, cuddling. A laptop was at the foot of the bed. Gary grabbed the desk chair and plopped down into it.

"It's nice to see you again, Leaf." Dawn said, breaking the silence that had fallen in the room.

Leaf glanced at her and hugged her arms closer to herself. She was so uncomfortable being here with her old friends. These three knew so much more about her than any of her current friends knew about her. These three knew truths that her friends now would never think were true. Her current friends knew mostly lies she had told.

"I'm gonna go get some drinks." Ash said and quickly got up and left the room.

Dawn also got up and walked out of the room, muttering that she was going to the bathroom.

Leaf knew she had caused the awkwardness. She stumbled as she was pulled and struggled to get free, but since she had been lost in her thoughts she couldn't. She was now seated on Gary's lap.

"Will you relax? They aren't going to hurt you. You know them and they know you, better than anyone else. So just relax." Gary said.

Leaf was quiet for a bit before she finally spoke.

"I can't...I know they hate me." Leaf said, frowning.

Why had she just admitted that? Abort! She needed to get out of here.

"We don't hate you, Leaf." Ash's voice said from the doorway.

"We would never hate you." Dawn added.

Leaf looked at the two.

"You don't?"

She really needed to stop talking! She was too vulnerable right now!

"No, Leaf. You were my best friend for years. I could never hate you. Sure you might have changed and I'll always wonder why, but you were my best friend...maybe one day you'll be my best friend again. I do miss you and all our talks, but I know you had to of had a reason for why you changed. Maybe one day you'll tell me and we can be besties again, but for now familiar faces is fine by me. I know that you probably don't consider me a friend anymore...and that's okay. Maybe one day we will be again. I do miss you, but I have never and will never hate you." Dawn said.

"Yeah, Leaf. We don't hate you. I mean you were the one who would do stupid little challenges and races with me. I don't do those anymore because that was our thing. Honestly, I miss it, but I can't bring myself to do them again because you aren't here to partake in them with me anymore. Like Dawn said, you have your reasons for changing and dropping us as friends. Maybe one day we'll know why, but you'll always be my friend even if you don't physically talk to me or acknowledge me. I have the memories and I'll hold onto those forever." Ash said.

Leaf stared at her old friends in shock. She couldn't believe that even after the way she had treated them upon her return that they didn't hate her. Dawn hoped that they could become besties again. Ash missed having her around because he didn't have anyone to do stupid little challenges and races with him anymore. That had always been their thing. They both still considered her their friend.

Leaf hopped up and hurried out of Ash's room. She was unfamiliar with the layout so she ended up in the kitchen.

She leaned against the counter and ran her hand along her face. She felt trapped. She was trapped. She couldn't breathe from fighting back the tears that were on the verge of falling. She couldn't cry.

"Leaf?"

She jerked her head up and found Gary. She swiped at her face, angrily.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

He was speaking to her in such a gentle and caring voice that it was what caused the tears to fall.

"I don't understand how they don't hate me. I was horrible to you all once I came back. I came back...completely different and just dropped you all as my friends."

Summer before junior year...

Leaf Green stepped out of the plane and looked around at the familiarity of everything around her. Yet, nothing was familiar or welcoming anymore. She wasn't the same girl that had left. This place could never be home again. When she left she had been a freshmen in high school, only fourteen years old. She had been short and slim with dark brown hair falling to her waist, green eyes that were bright, and she had been pale and had yet to fill out her body. Now she was sixteen years old. She had grown taller and had was still slim, but her body had filled out. She flaunted her body and accented her features with her makeup. Her hair was a caramel color with blonde highlights and she was tanned.

She adjusted the bag on her shoulder and headed towards the airport so she could get the rest of her bags.

... ...

She walked through town. People glanced at her with curiosity and lust. She had changed a lot since the time she left. No one really knew who she was. It also didn't help that she had sunglasses on, hiding her features.

She pushed opened the door to the local cafe and went to the bar, taking a seat. She slid her sunglasses up and rested them on top of her head. She glanced at the menu, deciding on what to get.

She had just chosen what she wanted when a voice stopped her from waving the barista over.

"Leaf?"

She turned her head and came face-to-face with one of her best friends, Gary Oak. He had changed since she last saw him. He was muscular now and his auburn, brown hair was slightly less spiky. His voice had gotten deeper, too. But his eyes...they were still the same as always. Dark green and showing what he was feeling. Right now they were showing happiness, but also confusion.

"Well you look different..." he continued, giving her a quick look.

"Leaf!" a high pitched voice, screamed from behind Gary.

Dawn Berlitz, her best girl friend. She had grown a little taller and had filled out a little more. Her shoulder length sapphire blue hair was now to her waist and she had her makeup done better, now in natural colors instead of bright colors.

Leaf glanced passed Dawn who was speaking and saw her final best friend, Ash Ketchum. He still looked exactly the same, but his hair was even more spiky and he was more muscular now. His voice had probably gotten deeper, too.

"You didn't tell us you were coming back! I missed you!" Dawn cried, hugging her.

Leaf went rigid at the contact and jerked away.

"Um yeah. It was a sudden decision to move back here." Leaf replied, monotonously.

"What happened to you?" Ash asked.

Yep. His voice was deeper now.

"Nothing. People change, what can I say? I changed,"

Leaf hopped up and shoved Gary's shoulder to get him to move.

"Leaf!" Gary cried, grabbing her hand.

Leaf froze, but went rigid once again. She turned her head towards him.

"What happened to you?"

His eyes were begging her to stop this and just talk to them. He was confused and he wanted her to stay.

"People change, Oak. I don't need you guys. See ya, Oak." Leaf said, snatching her hand free and walking out of the cafe.

She had thrown in the "See ya, Oak" as a way to say goodbye to her old self. That had been something she had done, but it was usually upbeat and happy, almost playful. Not stoic like it had just been. She put her sunglasses back on her face and pulled out her phone. She scrolled through her social media apps and found who she needed to and without thinking twice she sent a message. The message that would help her erase her old self. The message that would change her life.

Leaf snapped out of her memories and continued.

"I became friends with the ones that used to torment us in elementary school. I became one of the clones that Dawn and I mocked all the time. I became what I never wanted to become!"

"And I know you hate me, too!" Her voice had taken a level a hysteria, but she couldn't control it anymore. She had lost all control. "That's why you took this bet...I just can't lose, but I'm trapped. I can't be the girl I once was...she's gone. I can't be the Leaf that you all once knew. I just can't...but I'm scared I will be her again. If I do that..." she trailed off.

"I'm trapped and I can't escape..."

Gary couldn't believe that this was Leaf in front of him. She was so vulnerable right now. She was terrified of something, but she was being careful to keep it hidden and secret.

"Leaf...we could never hate you because you're one of our best friends. I know that you're still the same Leaf from all those years ago...you're just lost. If you want to be her again we can help you. Let me help you, Leaf. Please."

"I can't lose the bet..."

"I don't care about the bet, dammit! Leaf, I care about you! I care about getting my best friend back!" Gary screamed and his hands slammed on the countertop.

His arms had trapped Leaf. She couldn't run or escape now. She was trapped and she was falling, tumbling, crashing towards something she didn't want or need.

"Leaf...please..."

Leaf looked at Gary and could see that he was desperately trying to get her to let him in. He wanted to know the secrets that she kept hidden and he wanted to help her.

He raised his hand and wiped at the tears that trailed down her cheeks.

For a moment, Leaf lost herself and allowed herself to live in this contentment. But she was pulled back to reality and out of the daze by her phone ringing.

She fumbled and answered the call. She made a face and Gary could only hear yelling coming from the other end, but couldn't make out what was being said.

"Okay. Sorry, I lost track of time. I'll be home in thirty minutes top." Leaf said, but she had a waver to her voice.

More yelling.

"I know." Leaf said, quietly and hung up the phone.

"I need to go." she said without meeting Gary's questioning gaze.

"Okay...let me tell Ash and Dawn that I'm taking you home."

Gary walked back into Ash's room.

"Is Leaf okay?" Dawn asked.

"I'll explain later. I have to take her home. Just wanted to let you know." Gary replied.

"Okay, just make sure she's alright." Ash said.

Gary nodded his head and walked back into the kitchen where Leaf was. She stood in the same place.

"Ready?"

Leaf just glanced at him and made her way towards the front door. She had completely closed herself off and Gary was now more confused than ever. This Leaf was one he had never seen before. He had also never seen Leaf so vulnerable before. He had been so close to getting her back or at least getting her to open up, but the phone call had ruined it. Whoever called her had caused this response from Leaf.

Leaf had her bag in her lap, but her hand clutched the strap of her bag tightly. So tightly her knuckles were white.

She shoved her phone into her bag as Gary approached the curb.

"Are you okay?" he asked as he pulled to a stop.

"Thanks for the ride." Leaf said and hopped out.

Gary watched as she walked towards her front door. She opened the door and stepped inside. Never did she turn and look back.

Gary drove back to Ash's in a daze. Something was going on and he wasn't sure what. He had a feeling Leaf was going to do everything she could to avoid being around him for a bit, because of this little vulnerable episode she had.

So any guesses on what's up with Leaf? What could she be hiding? What could be the reason she changed?

Please R&R