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Misty's Awakening
Part 10
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"Ash," Misty said as he pushed her down the road, "I can honestly say that I never expected this to happen."
They were heading off to a field outside of Pallet, a peaceful place to talk without awkward interruptions.
Ash smiled slightly, though Misty didn't see. "Me neither."
They had reached the field now, its long grasses moving rhythmically in the breeze. There was a rock beneath a tree out in the expanse, looking quite solitary amidst the grass.
"I come here sometimes," Ash told her, slowly stopping the wheelchair. "You know...to think, and stuff."
Misty looked out to it wistfully. "So...you want to talk here?"
"Sure," Ash said. "Can I carry you over?"
"Yeah, if you want," she told him, and he took her carefully in his arms, leaving the chair by the edge of the road.
Gently, he carried her, sweeping through the golden grass toward his rock. The blue sky was brilliant against the yellow, and it reminded Misty of some bright, pastel painting.
The boy that was carrying her in his strong arms, Misty thought, loved her. He wanted her with him as much as she wanted him with her, and now it was a fact...and he wanted to speak to her alone. She suddenly felt an overwhelming admiration for Ash. It was like there was no one else...
And it had all happened in a flash.
They reached the rock, and Ash set Misty down on the boulder's edge. Misty closed her eyes, waiting, and smelling the fresh air around her.
She felt Ash sit down by her on the rock. "I know we were sort of interrupted, but— what I was trying to say before is still true. I've just had so long to think about it, I mean, two and a half years, and there is no way to deny it. I didn't think I could possibly love you, but that's why I kept coming back to you everyday. I thought about just leaving, and letting you out of my life— but I couldn't!
"I'm sorry if a kiss was too sudden for you," he went on, "but after all that time I just had to let you know."
Misty wasn't going to complain. "No, no— Ash, it's okay. But... tell me why you didn't tell me *sooner*...?"
Ash smiled faintly. "Well...I didn't know if you agreed with me. I *still* wasn't sure today, but I guess that's why I did what I did, because you thought that I was just here to take care of you. It goes far deeper than that. I didn't want to do anything, though, if you didn't love me back..." He picked a long piece of grass and tied it idly into a knot.
"I think," Misty began, "that I wasn't sure about *you* liking *me*. I swear, I fell in love with you the moment I realized it was you walking into my hospital room. I just felt *different* about you; I just didn't realize it right off that it was, well, love."
Ash understood. "Me neither."
The breeze rolled over the yellow grass, making the expanse of field seem like a large, golden ocean with two people swimming amidst it.
Ash looked to Misty. "About what you said about my journey— it's not so important anymore. Not compared to you... and until you're better, we don't even need to think about it. If you didn't want to come with me on it, than I just wouldn't go. You've been gone for long enough, and I don't want to leave you..."
"But Ash, if you *wanted* to return to your journey..."
"I do, but not now. That is....I do, as long as you'll go with me."
"I will."
"Then I guess, someday, we'll go off again. But not today. Not anytime soon. I'm happy just to be here right now. With you."
Misty grasped to her hair, holding it in a bunch. "Ash... this whole thing is really, really weird."
"I know," Ash responded. "Did you ever picture us admitting that we loved each other? I sure didn't...well, not back then."
Misty smiled. She wasn't too surprised that he'd say that. "I always liked you, though," she said. "Just a little."
"You never cared about getting your bike back, did you?" Ash asked slyly.
Misty's face turned red.
* * * *
It was well after five when Ash and Misty returned home.
"Where have you *been*?!" an exasperated Ms. Ketchem greeted as they came through the door. "Heaven only *knows* where you could have been for so long!"
Ash and Misty entered the kitchen. "What?"
"Oh, I just wish you'd tell me when you plan on disappearing for hours at a time. Misty just got released from the hospital, after all!"
Ash pushed Misty up to the table. "I was showing her the fields out there, and we were just talking," Ash said. He took a seat by Misty.
"That's good, but you missed dinner, anyway." Ms. Ketchem set out containers of food that had already been put away an hour ago.
"Sorry, Ms. Ketchem," Misty apologized..
"I'll survive. Now, go on and eat. It's a bit cold, but..." she trailed off as she left the room.
Ash shrugged. "I guess she feels really responsible for you now, Misty."
"Yeah..."
They ate cold meat loaf and green beans, talking idly as they did. They both felt, at least at the time, uncomfortable about telling Ms. Ketchem about their 'confessions'.
* * * *
"Ash," Misty called from the purple canopy bed.
"Yes?"
It had grown dark and late, and Misty, though she had insisted that she wasn't that tired, had at last submitted to going to bed.
"Don't go yet..."
Ash smiled, and, before turning off the light, walked back to Misty's bedside. "I have to, Mist..."
Misty folded her arms behind her neck, looking hopeful. "Well...at least give me a goodnight kiss."
"Now, how could I refuse that?" Ash said as he knelt by her. "Okay, you win...wasn't too hard to convince me, was it?"
She giggled, and Ash leaned down and kissed her sweetly on the lips. "Goodnight, beautiful."
"Goodnight, Ash...I love you."
Ash stood up again and, as he switched off the light, he replied, "Love you too, Misty."
He closed the door.
Misty sighed happily, a wonderful feeling rushing over her. People might say that, when she had awoken from her coma, it had been 'the first day of the rest of her life'. But, as far as Misty was concerned, today was the best day of her *whole* life.
* * * *
Morning came like a glorious new light, filling Misty's room with pure, golden sunlight. She smiled as she realized that the sterile smell was nowhere to be found, and there were no beeping machines or nurses to check on them.
She had had a nice dream, too...her and Ash had been together, walking hand in hand through a field of gorgeous flowers.
Ms. Kethem entered suddenly. "Oh, well, you're already awake! Come on out and have some breakfast!"
She was helped into the wheelchair, and taken by Ms. Ketchem (who had loaned her one of her robes) into the kitchen.
Ash was at the table already, also decked out in pajamas and blue robe, eating a plate full of pancakes. Misty smiled at the sight of him. It felt different to see him now— felt good, and she wasn't so nervous.
Ash greeted her by returning her smile. "Pancakes?" he asked as she was pushed up to the table.
"Sure."
Misty took a pancake, finding that she wasn't too hungry, and was just beginning to eat it when the doorbell rang.
Misty didn't give it another thought until Ms Ketchem came back.
"Misty— Dr. Johnson is here."
Her heart sank. "Oh..." Therapy. Did her dream *have* to get ruined now?
"I get the feeling that you'd rather not do therapy," Ash muttered to her between bites of pancake.
"How did you guess?" Misty mumbled back to him.
Dr. Johnson and a nurse in white entered the kitchen. "Hello, Misty— ready for therapy?"
"Ok..."
Dr. Johnson took Misty's chair and began to push her into the front room.
"Wait!" Ash said, beginning to stand. "Can I...come too?"
Misty beamed hopefully.
Dr. Johnson shrugged. "Well...I guess so. For today."
Ash smiled, leaving his pancakes and rushing over to Misty.
He helped to clear the furniture aside in the front room so that they would have enough room. Dr. Johnson wheeled Misty out and let her out of the chair and onto the floor.
"Okay, Misty," Dr. Johnson said, "we're going to work on strengthening your legs today. We want to have you starting to walk as soon as we can."
'Walk soon?' Misty thought. 'Maybe this won't be so bad...'
Ash sat down by her on the carpet, and Dr. Johnson directed her to do the first exercise.
"Alright. I want you to lift your legs up as high as you can."
Misty sat back, and with her legs outstretched, she attempted to lift them one at a time.
"Good...good..." Dr. Johnson said. She knelt by Misty. "You can get them up a geed few inches..."
She then helped Misty up. "Ash? Could you take her other arm?"
"Oh, sure," he said, hopping to his feet and holding her arm.
"Misty," Dr. Johnson said, "we're going to hold you up while you try to move your legs like you're walking, okay? Are you ready to try?"
"Yeah," Misty said. She wasn't sure, though, if she actually *was* ready...
She moved her right leg forward, her foot sliding over the floor and stopping a few inches from the starting point. Her whole leg felt stiff.
"You're doing good," Ash whispered to her.
"Next leg," Dr. Johnson instructed.
Misty strained to move her left leg, feeling Ash's strong arm holding her upright, and she moved it forward, stopping after a few inches. It was hard, but Misty was surprised at how well she was doing it.
"Misty," Dr. Johnson said, "this is the starting point— and you're doing very well already. I'm guessing that— within a few weeks— you'll be able to walk again."
* * * *
A while passed by. Misty wanted to stay on her feet the whole time, but after so long, Dr. Johnson told her she needed to sit down again and work on other things.
She lifted weights for about ten minutes, and then Dr. Johnson told her that they were done. The nurse which had come with Dr. Johnson then helped Misty to bathe and take her medicine.
Today, Misty decided to wear a pair of boot-cut jeans and a black t-shirt and, with Ash's help, put her hair back into a long french braid. Then, Dr. Johnson and the nurse left in the white van they had arrived in.
Ms. Ketchem served sandwiches to Ash and Misty, and soon they both found themselves a bit bored as they sat together at the table.
"There's not a lot to do around here," Ash admitted. "We could go play my Nintendo, though."
"Yeah, sure— I haven't seen your room yet, anyway."
"Okay." Ash picked her up and carried her up the stairs to his room.
The last time Misty had seen Ash's room, there had been Pokemon things every which where. Now, however, it had seen dramatic change. While there were still a few Pokemon things on the walls and dirty clothes on the floor, it seemed altogether cleaner. Maybe, Misty thought, it was just because it looked emptier now— simple things adorning it. A dresser here, a desk there, a couple shelves and a few of pictures over a bed-side table... what were they *of*, anyway?
As Ash set her down on the bed, Misty peered closer at the photographs. One was of Pikachu, another was of the three of them— her, Brock and Ash— and the third picture was one *just* of her, smiling as she sat on a rock beneath a tree. She looked so young...
"Ash," Misty asked, "where'd you get a picture of me?!" She was actually a bit flattered that he had it.
"Oh." Ash looked up from a box full of games. "Todd gave it to me. It was sort of a gift after he learned about you." He smiled nervously.
"Oh...how sweet."
"So— which game do you want to play?"
After looking through Ash's entire game collection, they decided on a showdown of Bust-A-Move.
After they had started their game, Misty quickly insisted that they turn down the sound on the TV and listen to the radio. Without argument, Ash agreed.
It felt reminiscent of that day in the hospital— playing cards and listening to music with Ash. Misty felt quite happy now, even better than she had then, but for two major reasons. She knew Ash loved her now, and she also knew that she was going to walk again.
Misty hummed along to a familiar song as she got into the game, thinking up a strategy to beat Ash, and a feeling of sheer joy came over her. This was happiness, she thought, stealing a quick glance at Ash sitting near her on the floor. The feeling of being "in" love.
Several minutes later, as the two continued their game, Ms. Ketchem knocked on the bedroom door.
"Yeah?" Ash said, pausing the game promptly.
"Um, Misty— your sisters are here."
"What?!?" Misty felt the color leave her face.
"Yes— they said that they came to take you to the mall! Doesn't that sound like fun? You'll get out of the house for a few hours, too...it'll be good for you!"
"But...they...I...if..." Misty stammered, gesturing aimlessly with her arms. She stopped, giving a vanquished sigh. "Oh, fine. I'll be right down."
Ms. Ketchem smiled, unaware of Misty's overall disapproval. "Alright." She left promptly.
"Ash— I don't *want* to leave you now! I feel almost like I'm just getting to *know* you!!"
Ash looked up at her. "Heh, I'm not exactly crazy about letting them drag you off shopping, but...well, it's your choice, I guess."
Misty sighed. "Okay. I think I *should* go...because, well, I *told* them I would, after all..."
Ash smiled. "It's okay, Misty. We have plenty of time to play around on the Nintendo later."
Misty giggled. "Oh, yeah, you know how much I love that Nintendo..." She leaned down and kissed him on the forehead. Ash answered her by looking up and kissing her on the cheek.
"Aw, I knew you were just using my for my video games..."
Misty nearly started to laugh again, but stopped herself and kissed him on the lips. "Oh no, my cover is blown!"
Ash stood up and took her in his arms. "Well, Misty, we'd better get you down there. You have some serious sisterly-bonding to do."
Misty rolled her eyes.
______
...To Be Continued....
Misty's Awakening
Part 10
________________
"Ash," Misty said as he pushed her down the road, "I can honestly say that I never expected this to happen."
They were heading off to a field outside of Pallet, a peaceful place to talk without awkward interruptions.
Ash smiled slightly, though Misty didn't see. "Me neither."
They had reached the field now, its long grasses moving rhythmically in the breeze. There was a rock beneath a tree out in the expanse, looking quite solitary amidst the grass.
"I come here sometimes," Ash told her, slowly stopping the wheelchair. "You know...to think, and stuff."
Misty looked out to it wistfully. "So...you want to talk here?"
"Sure," Ash said. "Can I carry you over?"
"Yeah, if you want," she told him, and he took her carefully in his arms, leaving the chair by the edge of the road.
Gently, he carried her, sweeping through the golden grass toward his rock. The blue sky was brilliant against the yellow, and it reminded Misty of some bright, pastel painting.
The boy that was carrying her in his strong arms, Misty thought, loved her. He wanted her with him as much as she wanted him with her, and now it was a fact...and he wanted to speak to her alone. She suddenly felt an overwhelming admiration for Ash. It was like there was no one else...
And it had all happened in a flash.
They reached the rock, and Ash set Misty down on the boulder's edge. Misty closed her eyes, waiting, and smelling the fresh air around her.
She felt Ash sit down by her on the rock. "I know we were sort of interrupted, but— what I was trying to say before is still true. I've just had so long to think about it, I mean, two and a half years, and there is no way to deny it. I didn't think I could possibly love you, but that's why I kept coming back to you everyday. I thought about just leaving, and letting you out of my life— but I couldn't!
"I'm sorry if a kiss was too sudden for you," he went on, "but after all that time I just had to let you know."
Misty wasn't going to complain. "No, no— Ash, it's okay. But... tell me why you didn't tell me *sooner*...?"
Ash smiled faintly. "Well...I didn't know if you agreed with me. I *still* wasn't sure today, but I guess that's why I did what I did, because you thought that I was just here to take care of you. It goes far deeper than that. I didn't want to do anything, though, if you didn't love me back..." He picked a long piece of grass and tied it idly into a knot.
"I think," Misty began, "that I wasn't sure about *you* liking *me*. I swear, I fell in love with you the moment I realized it was you walking into my hospital room. I just felt *different* about you; I just didn't realize it right off that it was, well, love."
Ash understood. "Me neither."
The breeze rolled over the yellow grass, making the expanse of field seem like a large, golden ocean with two people swimming amidst it.
Ash looked to Misty. "About what you said about my journey— it's not so important anymore. Not compared to you... and until you're better, we don't even need to think about it. If you didn't want to come with me on it, than I just wouldn't go. You've been gone for long enough, and I don't want to leave you..."
"But Ash, if you *wanted* to return to your journey..."
"I do, but not now. That is....I do, as long as you'll go with me."
"I will."
"Then I guess, someday, we'll go off again. But not today. Not anytime soon. I'm happy just to be here right now. With you."
Misty grasped to her hair, holding it in a bunch. "Ash... this whole thing is really, really weird."
"I know," Ash responded. "Did you ever picture us admitting that we loved each other? I sure didn't...well, not back then."
Misty smiled. She wasn't too surprised that he'd say that. "I always liked you, though," she said. "Just a little."
"You never cared about getting your bike back, did you?" Ash asked slyly.
Misty's face turned red.
* * * *
It was well after five when Ash and Misty returned home.
"Where have you *been*?!" an exasperated Ms. Ketchem greeted as they came through the door. "Heaven only *knows* where you could have been for so long!"
Ash and Misty entered the kitchen. "What?"
"Oh, I just wish you'd tell me when you plan on disappearing for hours at a time. Misty just got released from the hospital, after all!"
Ash pushed Misty up to the table. "I was showing her the fields out there, and we were just talking," Ash said. He took a seat by Misty.
"That's good, but you missed dinner, anyway." Ms. Ketchem set out containers of food that had already been put away an hour ago.
"Sorry, Ms. Ketchem," Misty apologized..
"I'll survive. Now, go on and eat. It's a bit cold, but..." she trailed off as she left the room.
Ash shrugged. "I guess she feels really responsible for you now, Misty."
"Yeah..."
They ate cold meat loaf and green beans, talking idly as they did. They both felt, at least at the time, uncomfortable about telling Ms. Ketchem about their 'confessions'.
* * * *
"Ash," Misty called from the purple canopy bed.
"Yes?"
It had grown dark and late, and Misty, though she had insisted that she wasn't that tired, had at last submitted to going to bed.
"Don't go yet..."
Ash smiled, and, before turning off the light, walked back to Misty's bedside. "I have to, Mist..."
Misty folded her arms behind her neck, looking hopeful. "Well...at least give me a goodnight kiss."
"Now, how could I refuse that?" Ash said as he knelt by her. "Okay, you win...wasn't too hard to convince me, was it?"
She giggled, and Ash leaned down and kissed her sweetly on the lips. "Goodnight, beautiful."
"Goodnight, Ash...I love you."
Ash stood up again and, as he switched off the light, he replied, "Love you too, Misty."
He closed the door.
Misty sighed happily, a wonderful feeling rushing over her. People might say that, when she had awoken from her coma, it had been 'the first day of the rest of her life'. But, as far as Misty was concerned, today was the best day of her *whole* life.
* * * *
Morning came like a glorious new light, filling Misty's room with pure, golden sunlight. She smiled as she realized that the sterile smell was nowhere to be found, and there were no beeping machines or nurses to check on them.
She had had a nice dream, too...her and Ash had been together, walking hand in hand through a field of gorgeous flowers.
Ms. Kethem entered suddenly. "Oh, well, you're already awake! Come on out and have some breakfast!"
She was helped into the wheelchair, and taken by Ms. Ketchem (who had loaned her one of her robes) into the kitchen.
Ash was at the table already, also decked out in pajamas and blue robe, eating a plate full of pancakes. Misty smiled at the sight of him. It felt different to see him now— felt good, and she wasn't so nervous.
Ash greeted her by returning her smile. "Pancakes?" he asked as she was pushed up to the table.
"Sure."
Misty took a pancake, finding that she wasn't too hungry, and was just beginning to eat it when the doorbell rang.
Misty didn't give it another thought until Ms Ketchem came back.
"Misty— Dr. Johnson is here."
Her heart sank. "Oh..." Therapy. Did her dream *have* to get ruined now?
"I get the feeling that you'd rather not do therapy," Ash muttered to her between bites of pancake.
"How did you guess?" Misty mumbled back to him.
Dr. Johnson and a nurse in white entered the kitchen. "Hello, Misty— ready for therapy?"
"Ok..."
Dr. Johnson took Misty's chair and began to push her into the front room.
"Wait!" Ash said, beginning to stand. "Can I...come too?"
Misty beamed hopefully.
Dr. Johnson shrugged. "Well...I guess so. For today."
Ash smiled, leaving his pancakes and rushing over to Misty.
He helped to clear the furniture aside in the front room so that they would have enough room. Dr. Johnson wheeled Misty out and let her out of the chair and onto the floor.
"Okay, Misty," Dr. Johnson said, "we're going to work on strengthening your legs today. We want to have you starting to walk as soon as we can."
'Walk soon?' Misty thought. 'Maybe this won't be so bad...'
Ash sat down by her on the carpet, and Dr. Johnson directed her to do the first exercise.
"Alright. I want you to lift your legs up as high as you can."
Misty sat back, and with her legs outstretched, she attempted to lift them one at a time.
"Good...good..." Dr. Johnson said. She knelt by Misty. "You can get them up a geed few inches..."
She then helped Misty up. "Ash? Could you take her other arm?"
"Oh, sure," he said, hopping to his feet and holding her arm.
"Misty," Dr. Johnson said, "we're going to hold you up while you try to move your legs like you're walking, okay? Are you ready to try?"
"Yeah," Misty said. She wasn't sure, though, if she actually *was* ready...
She moved her right leg forward, her foot sliding over the floor and stopping a few inches from the starting point. Her whole leg felt stiff.
"You're doing good," Ash whispered to her.
"Next leg," Dr. Johnson instructed.
Misty strained to move her left leg, feeling Ash's strong arm holding her upright, and she moved it forward, stopping after a few inches. It was hard, but Misty was surprised at how well she was doing it.
"Misty," Dr. Johnson said, "this is the starting point— and you're doing very well already. I'm guessing that— within a few weeks— you'll be able to walk again."
* * * *
A while passed by. Misty wanted to stay on her feet the whole time, but after so long, Dr. Johnson told her she needed to sit down again and work on other things.
She lifted weights for about ten minutes, and then Dr. Johnson told her that they were done. The nurse which had come with Dr. Johnson then helped Misty to bathe and take her medicine.
Today, Misty decided to wear a pair of boot-cut jeans and a black t-shirt and, with Ash's help, put her hair back into a long french braid. Then, Dr. Johnson and the nurse left in the white van they had arrived in.
Ms. Ketchem served sandwiches to Ash and Misty, and soon they both found themselves a bit bored as they sat together at the table.
"There's not a lot to do around here," Ash admitted. "We could go play my Nintendo, though."
"Yeah, sure— I haven't seen your room yet, anyway."
"Okay." Ash picked her up and carried her up the stairs to his room.
The last time Misty had seen Ash's room, there had been Pokemon things every which where. Now, however, it had seen dramatic change. While there were still a few Pokemon things on the walls and dirty clothes on the floor, it seemed altogether cleaner. Maybe, Misty thought, it was just because it looked emptier now— simple things adorning it. A dresser here, a desk there, a couple shelves and a few of pictures over a bed-side table... what were they *of*, anyway?
As Ash set her down on the bed, Misty peered closer at the photographs. One was of Pikachu, another was of the three of them— her, Brock and Ash— and the third picture was one *just* of her, smiling as she sat on a rock beneath a tree. She looked so young...
"Ash," Misty asked, "where'd you get a picture of me?!" She was actually a bit flattered that he had it.
"Oh." Ash looked up from a box full of games. "Todd gave it to me. It was sort of a gift after he learned about you." He smiled nervously.
"Oh...how sweet."
"So— which game do you want to play?"
After looking through Ash's entire game collection, they decided on a showdown of Bust-A-Move.
After they had started their game, Misty quickly insisted that they turn down the sound on the TV and listen to the radio. Without argument, Ash agreed.
It felt reminiscent of that day in the hospital— playing cards and listening to music with Ash. Misty felt quite happy now, even better than she had then, but for two major reasons. She knew Ash loved her now, and she also knew that she was going to walk again.
Misty hummed along to a familiar song as she got into the game, thinking up a strategy to beat Ash, and a feeling of sheer joy came over her. This was happiness, she thought, stealing a quick glance at Ash sitting near her on the floor. The feeling of being "in" love.
Several minutes later, as the two continued their game, Ms. Ketchem knocked on the bedroom door.
"Yeah?" Ash said, pausing the game promptly.
"Um, Misty— your sisters are here."
"What?!?" Misty felt the color leave her face.
"Yes— they said that they came to take you to the mall! Doesn't that sound like fun? You'll get out of the house for a few hours, too...it'll be good for you!"
"But...they...I...if..." Misty stammered, gesturing aimlessly with her arms. She stopped, giving a vanquished sigh. "Oh, fine. I'll be right down."
Ms. Ketchem smiled, unaware of Misty's overall disapproval. "Alright." She left promptly.
"Ash— I don't *want* to leave you now! I feel almost like I'm just getting to *know* you!!"
Ash looked up at her. "Heh, I'm not exactly crazy about letting them drag you off shopping, but...well, it's your choice, I guess."
Misty sighed. "Okay. I think I *should* go...because, well, I *told* them I would, after all..."
Ash smiled. "It's okay, Misty. We have plenty of time to play around on the Nintendo later."
Misty giggled. "Oh, yeah, you know how much I love that Nintendo..." She leaned down and kissed him on the forehead. Ash answered her by looking up and kissing her on the cheek.
"Aw, I knew you were just using my for my video games..."
Misty nearly started to laugh again, but stopped herself and kissed him on the lips. "Oh no, my cover is blown!"
Ash stood up and took her in his arms. "Well, Misty, we'd better get you down there. You have some serious sisterly-bonding to do."
Misty rolled her eyes.
______
...To Be Continued....
