Don't You Believe In Fate?
The sequel to 'A Piece Of My Heart'.
It just…didn't seem real.
He gazed blankly out of the car window. He was slightly aware that a Jenny was trying to talk to him. But he couldn't hear her. Was it because he didn't want to? Or was it because he just…couldn't? The sun was just starting to peek over the horizon; the brilliance of it would have made anyone stop and stare - but not Ash.
The police car pulled up outside the Viridian General Hospital. The flashing lights and bustling noises seemed to 'wake' Ash, who only just noticed that the car had stopped moving. Brock held the door open as he climbed out, and solemnly thanked the Officer Jenny who had been driving. The Jenny who had been asking him questions followed him into the hospital lobby, where they were greeted by a kindly looking doctor in a pristine white coat.
"It was a good thing you alerted the forces Mr Flint," Dr Kyson praised Brock. "Who knows what would have happened if the Officer hadn't had the foresight to bring that nurse with her."
"What do you mean 'what would have happened'?" Ash exploded. He had been quiet the whole conversation, and everyone turned to look at him. Ash looked away from their gazes. Even now it seemed hard to breathe; like he was taking gasps instead of breaths. "She's dead. She died in my arms so this time," Ash lifted his eyes again. "She can't come back."
Ash glared at the strangers one more time, then set off down the hospital corridor. Everything was so…white. He hated white. It was so…devoid of anything. He stopped when he came to a row of red plastic chairs at the end of a hallway. They didn't look particularly comfortable or welcoming, but he was worn out; psychically and emotionally. He sank into one of the moulded seats, and began to cry again.
It was almost like someone was taunting him. They gave her back to him just long enough for them to share their feelings, and then she was taken from him again. He wondered if he would ever love someone again; he couldn't imagine it. In fact, even as a 10-year-old he never imagined being married to anyone but Misty. She was his other-half, the person made to be with him; and he had been made to be with her. The prospect of a life alone stretched out in front of him. Every person in the world had another piece to them, and he had been Misty's. Everyone fixed together like a perfect jigsaw, but now Ash's matching piece was gone.
He heard someone clear their throat above him, and he looked up to see Dr Kyson shifting uncomfortably. Ash wearily waved a hand to the empty chair beside him, and the doctor sank into it. There was silence for a few moments before Dr Kyson spoke.
"Ash, she's not…completely dead." Ash's face jerked up, and he stared at the doctor in disbelief.
"But…but I was there. She…she died in my arms. I felt, I felt her stop breathing." The doctor nodded.
"Oh yes, she did die then, but we have her on a machine that's giving her the blood that she lost." Ash jumped up.
"Can I see her?"
"I'm afraid not yet. Ash, you mustn't get too excited. This is a very risky process - she was shot twice; once in the stomach, and once in the neck. She has only a…" The doctor faltered as he saw the look on the boy's face. "…4% chance of survival." Ash's face fell again. "It's dropping lower every minute she's in this coma; I'm really sorry." The doctor rose to go, but Ash caught his jacket.
"Can I see her? Please?" The doctor felt terrible.
"I'm afraid not. I really am sorry. Maybe, if she gets a little better, you can see her before she d…" The doctor caught himself just in time, and after putting a reassuring hand on Ash's shoulder, he scurried down the hall to the theatre Misty was in.
Ash was alone in the corridor. He wanted to kill himself. Really. The pleasure he would get from digging a knife straight into his stomach so the doctors would have extra blood to give to Misty would have at least calmed him. There was so much left unsaid to her; his soulmate. He wondered if in his old age he would forget her; just little things about her. Like the way her eyes flickered when she yelled at him, or the way her hair fell across her eyes when she was running.
Once again he mentally kicked himself for not having the guts to tell Misty he loved her before she had been taken the first time. Then she would have stayed with him in Pallet and they would have never gone after her in the first place. He thought of all the times he could have told her; at the Maiden's Festival, the day when she had almost left Ash for an Orange League Gym Trainer, or even the first time they met.
Ash felt the presence of someone else. He opened his eyes to see two shiny buckle shoes. He raised his head to see a little girl, probably no more than 6 standing in front of him, holding flowers. Seeing her was like seeing a ghost; she had brilliant aqua eyes and red hair, exactly the same tone as Misty's, in a ponytail sticking out of the side of her head. She held out the flowers to Ash, and he wonderingly took them. There were three of them. A lily, a daisy and a violet.
Ash couldn't help but smile at the girl. She was so young, but she had the eyes of a timeless entity; someone who had seen way more than they were entitled to view. She giggled, and bent down to kiss him on the cheek. As she did, she whispered in his ear. She drew away, and with one last smile, disappeared around the corner. Ash reached up and touched his ear, almost like he was checking it was still there.
"Don't you believe in fate?"
Just then, Doctor Kyson appeared, and winked at Ash.
"She's a steady 34%! It's a miracle!" Ash smiled and stood up.
"It's not a miracle doctor, it's fate." The doctor smiled.
"You can go see her now Ashton."
All the doctors looked up as Ash entered the room. For a split second he almost wished he hadn't. The sight of Misty draped over the bed like a rag doll with countless wires and gauges sticking out of her almost sickened him; but then he reminded himself that it was his Misty underneath it all.
He walked to the bed. She glanced at her locket, still untouched and tentatively stroked the side of her face. The doctors all ran over to this one particular machine in the corner which started beeping loudly.
"What's going on Dr Kyson?" asked Ash.
"She's reacting to you Ashton!" cried the doctor excitedly. "Talk to her, this could be what brings her out of her coma." Ash turned back to Misty, and continued stroking her face. Then he started talking to her, ignoring everyone else in the room.
"Hiya Myst…it's er, me. Ash." The machine beeped even louder. "Come on Misty love, I need you to push through this and wake up…for me. You've died on me twice, and I'm not letting you do it again." Nothing happened. "Hey, remember that time when we went to that carnival and you got roped into being that magician's assistant?" Ash laughed at the memory, as the doctors went wild over the paper that was spewing out of the machine.
"Keep talking to her Ash!" cried Dr Kyson encouragingly. "We're having great results!"
"You looked, really beautiful in that Goldeen costume Misty…I should have told you then." He paused and laughed. "Although that's not much of a compliment…I think you look beautiful even now." Suddenly, one of the other machines started beeping, and half the doctors ran to that one. Doctor Kyson unplugged half the machines and took all the drips off Misty's arms.
"Keep going!" he called.
"I know you're trying as hard as you can Myst." Ash began, starting to cry again. "Because you see, I believe in fate now, and your fate is to marry me and have so many kids who look just like you, you won't be able to stand up straight!" he teased, but then he grew serious. "I…I just adore you so much. You're such a strong person, you just can't go." The beeping began to fade, and the doctors began scurrying about again.
"We're losing her!" Tears in his eyes, Ash turned back to Misty, and grasped her hand tightly.
"Come on Misty, you can do it!" Dr Kyson started to talk sorrowfully to Ash, but he wasn't listening. "I love you Misty…and no matter what anyone says, it's fate that you're going to live, and it was fate that I wrecked your bike…"
Suddenly, one of the large machines let out an ear-splitting screech that made everybody jump back in alarm. Misty's eyes popped open, and she glared accusingly at Ash.
"That's right! I remember now! My bike!" She struggled to sit up so she could see eye to eye with Ash, but she immediately lay down again. She had practically no strength. Ash could hear the doctors exclaiming over her awakening somewhere in the background, but he had eyes and ears only for Misty. Quickly, the doctors changed the machine she was on, as Ash and Misty stared at each other half-shyly, Ash not knowing quite what to say next.
"God Misty, you've got more lives than a Meowth." Ash blurted out. Misty rolled her eyes, and grabbed Ash. She started crying as he held her, rather uncomfortably in the bed. "I do love you, you know," he added,. She stopped crying, and nodded. Ash drew her closer and kissed her gently. When they drew apart, he was just about to go back for another when Misty spoke.
"So Mr Pokémon Master, was that the repayment for my *completely* totalled bike?" Ash stared at her, and she smiled back. "I remember it all Ash." She noticed the flowers that Ash had left on the table. "I remember my sisters," she said sadly, but then she turned back to Ash. "When were you planning on pay…"
Ash smiled, and silenced her with another kiss. His childhood would have been a lot quieter if he had started to do this at 10.
"Maybe for an engagement present," he whispered into her lips, oblivious to the hoards of doctors swarming around him.
He had her back again; for the third time. Some people would call it a miracle; but others would call it fate.
Because she would always have a piece of his heart.
No matter how many times she died.
^_^
The End
(Really this time!)