Chapter 18: Flying Again
The next morning Ash, Misty, Brock and Tracey woke early and rushed around making sure that they weren't leaving anything behind as they got the rest of their things together. As soon as everything was ready the group went up to the upper decks where they would turn in their room keys and where they were going to be meeting up with Carla and Angelica.
After they had turned their keys in Ash, Misty, Brock and Tracey walked into the lounge with Pikachu in tow where Carla and Angelica were waiting for them to arrive.
"Good morning everyone." Carla smiled at her new friends as she moved close to Tracey.
"Hi. Have you been waiting long?" Ash returned the greeting cheerfully.
"Not really. We hadn't been here all that long when you guys got here." Angelica answered as she hugged Brock.
Fifteen minutes later, it was their turn to disembark and the six young travelers, along with a carefree Pikachu, got their carry on luggage and maneuvered their way through the large crowd. Soon they were off of the ship and back in the parking lot that they had left seven days before.
* * * * *
It was a tight fit but they managed to get all of six of them into a car that was meant for four people and Tracey took the keys from Brock and squeezed into the driver's seat. After taking a few minutes to get situated they were on their way to the airport.
"I'm really glad that you are coming back with us Carla and Angelica. That way I'll have some girls to talk to as well." Misty smiled.
"I know. It always surprises me that the most sudden things almost always turn out to be the best." Carla agreed.
"Yeah. I couldn't have said it better myself." Angelica laughed.
From the front passenger seat, Carla noticed a distant, far off look in Tracey's eyes and this struck her as being a very odd change from the way he had been less that 24 hours before.
"Hey, Tracey. You seem to be really far away and distant. Is anything wrong?" Carla asked, a little concerned.
"No, hon. Everything's fine. I guess I'm just a little tired. You really shouldn't worry about it." Tracey smiled as he reached over and patted Carla's hand.
"Okay. If you're sure." Carla sighed, purely unconvinced. She didn't notice that, behind her, Ash and Misty gave each other a knowing look as the car pulled into the airport and they went and returned it.
* * * * *
When they got to the gate they were twenty minutes away from boarding time and since they had a light snack before they got off of the S.S. Anne and none of them were hungry, the group decided to just sit around talking until they boarded.
"I can't wait to get back home again! It'll be great to see the look on my mom's face when we tell her that Misty and I got engaged while we were gone." Ash smiled.
"Yeah. I hadn't thought that your mom doesn't know yet." Misty hugged Ash tightly.
"What I can't wait for is to get to see the Pokemon lab and meet Professor Oak. From what I've heard he's very knowledgeable about every type of Pokemon." Carla beamed as she leaned close to Tracey.
"Yep. Professor Oak is a wonderful guy too. I'm sure he'll make you feel right at home and help you get adjusted to everything. I still can't believe that I'm going to get to see you everyday."
"I don't know if Tracey told you this but Professor Oak's place is only about five minutes from where Ash and I live. You and I can hang out together often and maybe sometimes we can all four go out and do things." Misty grinned.
"Oh neat! I think I got the best end of this deal. I get to stay and work with someone I absolutely think the world of." Carla paused for a moment to give Tracey a kiss. "And I have friends living very close by. I couldn't ask for anything better."
"I think you and Tracey both got the best end of that deal." Ash laughed innocently seeing Carla's enthusiasm.
"I'm looking forward to seeing what Brock's gym looks like and meeting all of his brothers and sisters. I hope they like me." Angelica said.
"They are absolutely going to adore you. They'll like you as much as I do because you make me so happy. I think that you are definitely going to be a great help to me as well as great company." Brock smiled, taking Angelica in his arms.
It seemed like no time at all until the plane was only ten minutes away from boarding and it was time for Ash and Tracey to face the inevitable once again. Knowing that Tracey wanted to take his sedative out of Carla's view as to avoid scaring her, Ash thought of a viable excuse to get the two of them away from the group long enough.
"Hey. I'm really kinda thirsty so I think I'm going to go and see if there is a water fountain close." Ash said suddenly as Misty smiled, knowing very well what he was doing.
"I'll go with you, Ash. There's no point in you going off on your own. We won't be very long." Tracey chimed in quickly, getting up and moving in Ash's direction.
"Okay. That's a good idea. Let's go. Come on, Pikachu." Ash let his Pokemon climb onto his shoulder before starting off with Tracey on his heels.
"Thanks a lot, Ash." Tracey smiled as soon as they were out of earshot of the others.
"No problem, Tracey. I understand why you wanted to do this. The only reason I was nervous about this whole thing to begin with was because I was worried about upsetting Misty." Ash confessed as Tracey shook his head and smiled.
* * * * *
A few minutes later, Ash and Tracey were on their way back to the gate to join their friends. After finding some water they had both taken the sedatives while safely out of view. Just then, Tracey realized another potential problem.
"Uh oh. I just thought of something else. Since Carla doesn't have a clue about any of this, I'm going to have to try and act natural in spite of this thing. That'll be the hard part. How in the world am I going to do that?" Tracey sighed.
"Hmm. I hadn't thought about that either. These things really do pack a wallop once they get in your system. Acting natural is going to be tricky when we're on the verge of completely collapsing but I'm sure we'll be able to think of something." Ash scratched his head.
"Wait a second. What do you mean 'we'?" Tracey asked.
"Well I'm going to have to act natural too. If it appears that you're suddenly dead on your feet and I start zoning out too then Carla is bound to get suspicious and upset." Ash was surprised that Tracey hadn't thought of that.
"Rats." Tracey whispered as they approached the others and Ash just laughed at the comment.
* * * * *
When Ash and Tracey arrived back at the gate to rejoin the others, the plane was less than five minutes from boarding. As they sat back down, it became evident that acting natural was going to be harder than they first anticipated. Misty noticed this and tried to create a diversion.
"Hey, do you know what the flight schedule is going back home, Brock?" Misty asked and gave Brock a look that told him to play along.
"Yep. We're on this flight for a day and a half and then we land in Saffron City tomorrow afternoon for a connecting flight which will take us the remaining day and a half flight back to Pewter City." Brock replied.
While all the conversation was going on, Pikachu noticed that something was different about Ash since he and Tracey had come back and this concerned the little Pokemon.
"Pi pikachu, Pikapi?" (Are you okay, Ash?) Pikachu asked quietly as not to draw attention.
"I'm okay, Pikachu. It's just that I am getting incredibly sleepy and it's really hard to act natural but I have to do it for Tracey because I promised." Ash whispered to his Pokemon, drowsiness becoming apparent in his voice now. Pikachu just shook his head and let the subject drop as the announcement came that the plane was boarding.
* * * * *
As they were gathering their things to get on the plane, Carla noticed that Tracey was dragging a bit and this concerned her. It was very unlike him to be so lacking in energy.
"Hey sweetie. Are you sure you're all right? You seem to be dragging a bit." Carla asked with a little concern in her voice.
"Yeah. I'm fine. It's probably all of the action of this trip catching up to me." Tracey said, trying desperately to keep his eyes open.
The more time that passed, the sleepier Tracey felt. Even though he tried hard to stay alert, his eyes began to droop in spite of his efforts. Walking beside him, Carla noticed this and became a little worried but shrugged it off as being nothing.
By the time they found where their seats were, Ash wasn't in much better shape than Tracey was. Ash was so drowsy that he, like Tracey, was coming close to falling asleep on his feet. Once they got to their seats the group had to try to get a comfortable arrangement in order. Obviously Ash and Tracey were on the ends of the row, Carla was next to Tracey and Brock was sandwiched between her and Angelica, Misty was on Angelica's right with Ash beside her. As soon as they all got situated Tracey stretched out and rested his head in Carla's lap while Ash settled into Misty's arms and both closed their heavy eyes and within moments they were overcome by a very deep sleep.
At this point, Carla began to get a little bit afraid because she had no idea what was going on. One minute Tracey seemed fine to her and the next he was suddenly sound asleep and this frightened Carla. She looked around and saw that Ash was in the same condition and decided to say something.
"Hey, Misty. You don't happen to know what's wrong with Tracey, do you? I really don't understand. He seemed fine just a few minutes ago and now he's so still." Carla didn't attempt to disguise the fear in her voice.
"Yeah. I do know. Tracey was afraid this was going to happen. He didn't want to frighten you. The reason that Tracey is sleeping so heavily is that he and Ash have both been sedated." Misty said reassuringly as Brock took note of the conversation.
"What on Earth for? I don't understand."
"They were sedated because they are both afraid to fly. Before we left they were both given some sedatives to make them sleep during the takeoff." Misty told her friend quietly.
"Can you tell me why Tracey would be afraid to fly?" Carla noticed the fear in Misty's eyes. "Brock? Misty? Someone please tell me if you can."
"Well, I wasn't with them at the time because this apparently stemmed from something that happened while they were traveling in the Orange Islands with Tracey so Misty is really the only one who could tell you anything about it." Brock spoke up as Angelica looked on curiously.
"Please tell me, Misty. I would like to know what got Tracey like this." Carla pleaded.
Misty glanced at Ash sleeping deeply in her arms and sighed. As she began to recount the tale of that time years ago that still gave Ash occasional nightmares she felt Brock place an encouraging hand on her shoulder. Misty then told the three that horrific tale of the day that she had tried so hard to forget. When she finished, her friends were all staring at her in shock as the plane's engines roared to life.
"I'm so sorry, Misty. I had no right to make you go back and relive all that. I never should have asked." Carla gasped as she leaned over Brock and Angelica to touch Misty's arm.
"It's okay. How were you supposed to know? I'm not angry with you. Anyway, I just felt the engines start up so we're about to take off so why don't you take these and make sure that Tracey is comfortable." Misty handed a blanket to Carla along with one of the pillows she had brought with her as she wiped a tear from the corner her eye. Then she placed a blanket over Ash and gave him a gentle kiss.
At the same time, Carla was tending to Tracey. She slipped the pillow under his head carefully and laid the blanket over him. Just then the plane accelerated down the runway and took to the air.
* * * * *
"I can't believe what Misty said before. She never told me that before though I can definitely see why. It seems pretty hard for her to talk about." Brock whispered to Angelica.
"Yeah. I know. I couldn't imagine being in her place. If something ever happened to us like that I don't know what I'd do." Angelica laid her head on Brock's shoulder and felt his arms around her.
"Hey. You don't have to worry about that sweetheart. I'm always going to be here for you just like Ash is always going to be there for Misty and Carla will always have Tracey there for her. You are my world and I am never going to leave you."
"I hope so, Brock. I really hope so." Angelica said.
"I give you my word on it." Brock promised as he gave his girlfriend a soft kiss.
* * * * *
After the plane took to the air, Carla sat there for several minutes with Tracey sleeping peacefully in her lap, looking down at him while he rested and realized again how much he meant to her. She reached down and brushed a stray piece of hair away from his face with her finger and kissed his cheek. Suddenly a voice startled Carla out of her thoughts.
"Hey. Where were you just now? You were obviously lost in thought about something." Misty spoke softly.
"What? Oh, sorry, Misty. You startled me a little bit. I was just thinking about how much Tracey means to me and how special he has become to me in the few days we have been building the start of our relationship." Carla practically jumped out of her skin at the sound of her friend's voice.
"Do you mind if I ask what it was that made you start thinking about this?" Misty wondered.
"I was watching Tracey sleep a few minutes ago. That's actually why you startled me. He is so very peaceful while he sleeps and he seems so calm. His face is blank and he looks very beautiful. How could I not care about Tracey? He's such a loving guy and it's obvious that his friends mean a lot to him. That's just one of the many things that we have in common. I have the feeling that once I begin staying at the lab and working with Tracey then we're only going to get closer." Carla smiled as Misty just shook her head and smiled in return.
Carla then turned back to Tracey and pulled him closer to her. In response he smiled in his sleep and settled deeper into her lap. She looked down on him with warmth in her eyes as she pulled the blanket up closer to his head. It was then that she realized what it was that she felt for Tracey. It was love. She loved Tracey with all of her heart and she knew that it was a love that she had never felt before.
* * * * *
Misty sat staring off into space. She was thinking about the things that Carla had told her. Then she looked at Ash sleeping in her arms and realized that she had said those exact same sorts of things when she first discovered her love for Ash. This realization brought a smile to Misty's lips.
"I think we have some new lovebirds on our hands, honey. I saw earlier that Carla really does love Tracey. She didn't come out and tell me but we were talking and I saw it in her eyes. I just hope that they'll be as happy as we are. I love you so much, Ash." Misty whispered to her sleeping fiancé as she smoothed his hair and kissed his head, knowing fully well that he hadn't heard her. She loved him more than life itself and she always would.
* * * * *
Brock kept holding Angelica in his arms for a long time. She had seemed so afraid earlier after hearing Misty's story that he had been reluctant to let her go. Angelica looked up at Brock and smiled. She thought it would be wonderful just to stay here in his arms forever.
"I never want you to stop holding me. When I'm in your arms, anything that I happen to fear doesn't seem so frightening anymore. I don't remember when I've felt this safe around a man." Angelica smiled.
"Well I'm glad that I make you feel safe. I plan on keeping you safe for as long as you'll let me. All I know is that you are number one in my book and I want you to remember that." Brock was moved to know that Angelica felt so safe with him.
"I will always remember. Just like I will always care for you." Angelica whispered as Brock pulled her into a kiss that left her breathless.
* * * * *
Thirty minutes later, Carla had gotten wrapped up in a mystery novel that she was reading and taking advantage of the quiet around her when a quiet groan drew her attention. She put the book away and looked down to see Tracey beginning to slowly stir awake. He opened his eyes and smiled up at Carla.
"Hey there." Carla greeted him happily.
"Hey. I can't believe that this is actually happening. It seems like a dream. If I am dreaming I don't ever want anyone to wake me because it is a beautiful dream." Tracey said as he blinked to allow his eyes to get used to the light.
Carla laughed a little at this. "Of course you're not dreaming. This is perfectly real, silly."
"I know it's real. I was just joking. This is a real dream come true to have you here with me though." Tracey rolled his eyes as he sat up and gave Carla a very big hug.
* * * * *
At the same time, Misty was trying to figure out a way to wake Ash. Before she did this she took another look at Ash resting in her arms. He was sleeping so peacefully that she almost changed her mind and considered letting Ash awaken on his own. But she decided that she needed to at least try because they had found out that they were going to be served dinner soon and Ash needed to eat something. So Misty bent down and gently kissed Ash's lips and, as she did, his eyes slowly fluttered open as he returned her kiss.
"Welcome back, hon. How are you feeling?" Misty asked warmly.
"I'm still a little bit sleepy. Why did you have to wake me?" Ash yawned.
"I actually almost reconsidered because you seemed so very peaceful but the reason I woke you is because dinner is going to be served soon and I thought it would do you good to eat something because none of us have had much to eat today." Misty smiled, pulling Ash into a hug.
"Well, I guess that sounds like a good reason because I am pretty hungry. Another good thing is that if I did have to wake up it was the best way to do it with a kiss from you and then to open my eyes to see your beautiful face. I'll never get tired of that." Ash grinned and gave Misty a kiss.
Ash and Misty sat together looking at their four other friends looking very happy together and it made both of them smile. As Ash became more awake he remembered what had happened back at the airport and his smile faded. Misty noticed this and instantly got slightly concerned.
"What's wrong, Ash? Is something on your mind?"
"I just thought of something. Did you end up telling Carla about our situation? How did she handle it?" Ash asked worriedly.
"Yes, I did tell her. She handled it pretty well but she also asked why Tracey was afraid to fly so I had to tell her. Luckily I had Brock for support otherwise I wouldn't have been able to get the story out." Misty's voice was a little shaky.
Ash turned to Misty and gathered her into his arms and held her close. "I am so sorry, Mist. I know there wasn't anything I could do but still I feel bad that I wasn't able to be there for you as you had to relive that. I know how hard you have tried to forget that day."
"It's my fault, Ash. I was the one who pressured her to tell me." Carla's voice caused the couple to look up.
"No, it wasn't your fault, sweetheart. If our places were switched I would have pressed Misty to tell me the facts. Nobody is to blame for that." Tracey said softly.
"Yeah. Tracey's right. There's no possible way that you could have known about what happened years before we even knew you. You deserved to have answers and for obvious reasons Tracey and I couldn't give you those answers so it was only natural that you would turn to Misty. It may have shaken her up but I wouldn't worry. My fiancé is one tough woman." Ash supported Tracey's comment totally and completely.
"The guys are right. I really don't like to see you beating yourself up over this. If I didn't know why Ash was scared to fly and you did then I would give anything to know why. You shouldn't feel bad." Misty smiled, her voice reassuring.
"Thanks guys. I really needed that reassurance. I appreciate it." Carla whispered as the flight attendant and asked what they wanted for dinner.
Soon they had finished eating and sat talking about the highlights of their trip. Tracey and Brock looked happier than Ash and Misty had ever seen them as they sat there with their new female companions. Before they knew it the flight attendant came back around and gave them headphones to watch the in flight movie. As they all sat there together watching the movie, the couples all in each other's arms, there was definitely something magical in the air.
* * * * *
As he was watching the movie with Misty, Ash realized just how much he truly loved her. Just then he found himself thinking about what their wedding should be like. A few minutes later, Misty's voice brought Ash out of his daydream.
"Hey, Ash. Earth to Ash. What are you thinking about?" Misty asked in a whisper.
"Actually I'm sure you'll like what I was thinking about. I was picturing our wedding and what it should be like. It was a very nice thought." Ash smiled as he tried in vain to hide a small yawn with the back of his hand.
"You okay? You seem kind of sleepy. Why don't you rest for a while." Misty pulled Ash closer to her and hugged him.
"Yeah. That does sound good. I've been sort of tired ever since I woke up earlier." Ash muttered as he closed his eyes. Misty kissed him gently and stroked his hair as he slipped off to sleep. Then she turned her attention back to the screen in front of her.
* * * * *
Brock and Angelica were paying hardly any attention to the movie because they were so lost in each other's arms. Brock could hardly believe that Angelica was actually his girlfriend and that this beautiful angel was actually traveling back with him. He just sat there staring at her for the longest time and realizing how beautiful she was. Angelica was just happy to be near Brock because she knew that he was everything that she had ever hoped for.
Brock was so relaxed in Angelica's presence that, at the late hour, he was almost falling asleep. His girlfriend noticed this and pulled him close and hugged him tighter.
"You're tired, aren't you?" Angelica pressed.
"Yeah, a little. What time is it?" Brock yawned.
"It's 10:30." Angelica let Brock lean his head on her shoulder.
"Oh. No wonder I'm sleepy. The problem is that I don't want to be apart from you." Brock looked at her tiredly.
"Don't worry about that. Why don't you just get some sleep because you seem like you need it? I promise that I'll be here when you wake up. Here, you can use me as a pillow." Angelica whispered soothingly.
"Well, I don't think I'm ready to sleep yet but using you as a pillow sounds like a pretty good idea." Brock smiled.
Angelica held Brock close as he once again put his head on her shoulder. After a while, the exhaustion that Brock had been trying to ignore was beginning to catch up to him and he found himself becoming very drowsy. A few minutes later Brock's eyes began to close and before he knew it he had nodded off with his head resting on Angelica's shoulder.
It wasn't long before Angelica noticed that Brock was unusually quiet. She looked over and smiled when she saw that he had fallen asleep on her shoulder.
* * * * *
When the movie was over it was after midnight. Carla looked around and noticed that her four new friends were all locked in sleep. Then to her surprise she noticed that Tracey was still wide awake. Carla turned to him and put a hand on his shoulder.
"You're still awake. It's after midnight, what's wrong? Can't you sleep?" Carla whispered.
"No. I'm just a little stiff. I think it's from when we were playing chicken on the ship the day before you and I met. I let Brock use me as a base and when Misty caught him off guard he fell over my head. It really gave my neck and my shoulders an abrupt stretch and it's been stiff ever since but now it seems a lot worse than before. It can get a little hard to sleep with something like that." Tracey said quietly, tilting his head in small circles.
"Well no wonder you seemed tense. I think that if I could help you get rid of some of that tension then it might help you get to sleep." Carla smiled softly.
"I like that idea but I don't understand how you could do that. I don't think anything can get rid of this stiffness I'm dealing with." Tracey said wearily. He was tired but every time he had started to drift off, the pain from his stiff muscles woke him again.
"I happen to know something that I think might work. Come here." Carla pulled Tracey against her. "Just try to relax the best you can."
Then Carla laid her hands on Tracey's shoulders and began to give him a shoulder massage to work the tension out of his muscles. After a few minutes, Tracey began to feel his tense muscles start to relax and he closed his eyes.
"Are you feeling any better?" Carla whispered.
"Yeah. The stiffness is totally gone. Where did you learn to do that?" Tracey muttered. He was beginning to feel very relaxed.
"I really don't know. It's something I just picked up from somewhere. Right now, though, I think you need to rest. So why don't you close your eyes and try to get some sleep." Carla whispered soothingly as she continued to massage Tracey's shoulders.
"That's no problem now. You've helped me relax so much that I'm almost asleep already. Goodnight, Carla. I'll see you in the morning, hon." Tracey whispered sleepily. Then he closed his eyes again and let Carla ease him into a relaxing sleep.
Carla looked down at Tracey and smiled. She had been able to ease his tension and now he was sleeping soundly. She carefully picked up the blanket and placed it over Tracey and sat smiling down at him. The found herself thinking again how peaceful he looked as he slept. His face was calm and expressionless and his lips were slightly parted with his slow, deep breathing. A few moments later, Carla decided it was time for her to get some sleep as well. So after a quick glance at Tracey, still sleeping peacefully in her lap she leaned back in the seat and closed her eyes. She fell asleep thinking about the newfound love that she had for Tracey.
The next morning Ash, Misty, Brock and Tracey woke early and rushed around making sure that they weren't leaving anything behind as they got the rest of their things together. As soon as everything was ready the group went up to the upper decks where they would turn in their room keys and where they were going to be meeting up with Carla and Angelica.
After they had turned their keys in Ash, Misty, Brock and Tracey walked into the lounge with Pikachu in tow where Carla and Angelica were waiting for them to arrive.
"Good morning everyone." Carla smiled at her new friends as she moved close to Tracey.
"Hi. Have you been waiting long?" Ash returned the greeting cheerfully.
"Not really. We hadn't been here all that long when you guys got here." Angelica answered as she hugged Brock.
Fifteen minutes later, it was their turn to disembark and the six young travelers, along with a carefree Pikachu, got their carry on luggage and maneuvered their way through the large crowd. Soon they were off of the ship and back in the parking lot that they had left seven days before.
* * * * *
It was a tight fit but they managed to get all of six of them into a car that was meant for four people and Tracey took the keys from Brock and squeezed into the driver's seat. After taking a few minutes to get situated they were on their way to the airport.
"I'm really glad that you are coming back with us Carla and Angelica. That way I'll have some girls to talk to as well." Misty smiled.
"I know. It always surprises me that the most sudden things almost always turn out to be the best." Carla agreed.
"Yeah. I couldn't have said it better myself." Angelica laughed.
From the front passenger seat, Carla noticed a distant, far off look in Tracey's eyes and this struck her as being a very odd change from the way he had been less that 24 hours before.
"Hey, Tracey. You seem to be really far away and distant. Is anything wrong?" Carla asked, a little concerned.
"No, hon. Everything's fine. I guess I'm just a little tired. You really shouldn't worry about it." Tracey smiled as he reached over and patted Carla's hand.
"Okay. If you're sure." Carla sighed, purely unconvinced. She didn't notice that, behind her, Ash and Misty gave each other a knowing look as the car pulled into the airport and they went and returned it.
* * * * *
When they got to the gate they were twenty minutes away from boarding time and since they had a light snack before they got off of the S.S. Anne and none of them were hungry, the group decided to just sit around talking until they boarded.
"I can't wait to get back home again! It'll be great to see the look on my mom's face when we tell her that Misty and I got engaged while we were gone." Ash smiled.
"Yeah. I hadn't thought that your mom doesn't know yet." Misty hugged Ash tightly.
"What I can't wait for is to get to see the Pokemon lab and meet Professor Oak. From what I've heard he's very knowledgeable about every type of Pokemon." Carla beamed as she leaned close to Tracey.
"Yep. Professor Oak is a wonderful guy too. I'm sure he'll make you feel right at home and help you get adjusted to everything. I still can't believe that I'm going to get to see you everyday."
"I don't know if Tracey told you this but Professor Oak's place is only about five minutes from where Ash and I live. You and I can hang out together often and maybe sometimes we can all four go out and do things." Misty grinned.
"Oh neat! I think I got the best end of this deal. I get to stay and work with someone I absolutely think the world of." Carla paused for a moment to give Tracey a kiss. "And I have friends living very close by. I couldn't ask for anything better."
"I think you and Tracey both got the best end of that deal." Ash laughed innocently seeing Carla's enthusiasm.
"I'm looking forward to seeing what Brock's gym looks like and meeting all of his brothers and sisters. I hope they like me." Angelica said.
"They are absolutely going to adore you. They'll like you as much as I do because you make me so happy. I think that you are definitely going to be a great help to me as well as great company." Brock smiled, taking Angelica in his arms.
It seemed like no time at all until the plane was only ten minutes away from boarding and it was time for Ash and Tracey to face the inevitable once again. Knowing that Tracey wanted to take his sedative out of Carla's view as to avoid scaring her, Ash thought of a viable excuse to get the two of them away from the group long enough.
"Hey. I'm really kinda thirsty so I think I'm going to go and see if there is a water fountain close." Ash said suddenly as Misty smiled, knowing very well what he was doing.
"I'll go with you, Ash. There's no point in you going off on your own. We won't be very long." Tracey chimed in quickly, getting up and moving in Ash's direction.
"Okay. That's a good idea. Let's go. Come on, Pikachu." Ash let his Pokemon climb onto his shoulder before starting off with Tracey on his heels.
"Thanks a lot, Ash." Tracey smiled as soon as they were out of earshot of the others.
"No problem, Tracey. I understand why you wanted to do this. The only reason I was nervous about this whole thing to begin with was because I was worried about upsetting Misty." Ash confessed as Tracey shook his head and smiled.
* * * * *
A few minutes later, Ash and Tracey were on their way back to the gate to join their friends. After finding some water they had both taken the sedatives while safely out of view. Just then, Tracey realized another potential problem.
"Uh oh. I just thought of something else. Since Carla doesn't have a clue about any of this, I'm going to have to try and act natural in spite of this thing. That'll be the hard part. How in the world am I going to do that?" Tracey sighed.
"Hmm. I hadn't thought about that either. These things really do pack a wallop once they get in your system. Acting natural is going to be tricky when we're on the verge of completely collapsing but I'm sure we'll be able to think of something." Ash scratched his head.
"Wait a second. What do you mean 'we'?" Tracey asked.
"Well I'm going to have to act natural too. If it appears that you're suddenly dead on your feet and I start zoning out too then Carla is bound to get suspicious and upset." Ash was surprised that Tracey hadn't thought of that.
"Rats." Tracey whispered as they approached the others and Ash just laughed at the comment.
* * * * *
When Ash and Tracey arrived back at the gate to rejoin the others, the plane was less than five minutes from boarding. As they sat back down, it became evident that acting natural was going to be harder than they first anticipated. Misty noticed this and tried to create a diversion.
"Hey, do you know what the flight schedule is going back home, Brock?" Misty asked and gave Brock a look that told him to play along.
"Yep. We're on this flight for a day and a half and then we land in Saffron City tomorrow afternoon for a connecting flight which will take us the remaining day and a half flight back to Pewter City." Brock replied.
While all the conversation was going on, Pikachu noticed that something was different about Ash since he and Tracey had come back and this concerned the little Pokemon.
"Pi pikachu, Pikapi?" (Are you okay, Ash?) Pikachu asked quietly as not to draw attention.
"I'm okay, Pikachu. It's just that I am getting incredibly sleepy and it's really hard to act natural but I have to do it for Tracey because I promised." Ash whispered to his Pokemon, drowsiness becoming apparent in his voice now. Pikachu just shook his head and let the subject drop as the announcement came that the plane was boarding.
* * * * *
As they were gathering their things to get on the plane, Carla noticed that Tracey was dragging a bit and this concerned her. It was very unlike him to be so lacking in energy.
"Hey sweetie. Are you sure you're all right? You seem to be dragging a bit." Carla asked with a little concern in her voice.
"Yeah. I'm fine. It's probably all of the action of this trip catching up to me." Tracey said, trying desperately to keep his eyes open.
The more time that passed, the sleepier Tracey felt. Even though he tried hard to stay alert, his eyes began to droop in spite of his efforts. Walking beside him, Carla noticed this and became a little worried but shrugged it off as being nothing.
By the time they found where their seats were, Ash wasn't in much better shape than Tracey was. Ash was so drowsy that he, like Tracey, was coming close to falling asleep on his feet. Once they got to their seats the group had to try to get a comfortable arrangement in order. Obviously Ash and Tracey were on the ends of the row, Carla was next to Tracey and Brock was sandwiched between her and Angelica, Misty was on Angelica's right with Ash beside her. As soon as they all got situated Tracey stretched out and rested his head in Carla's lap while Ash settled into Misty's arms and both closed their heavy eyes and within moments they were overcome by a very deep sleep.
At this point, Carla began to get a little bit afraid because she had no idea what was going on. One minute Tracey seemed fine to her and the next he was suddenly sound asleep and this frightened Carla. She looked around and saw that Ash was in the same condition and decided to say something.
"Hey, Misty. You don't happen to know what's wrong with Tracey, do you? I really don't understand. He seemed fine just a few minutes ago and now he's so still." Carla didn't attempt to disguise the fear in her voice.
"Yeah. I do know. Tracey was afraid this was going to happen. He didn't want to frighten you. The reason that Tracey is sleeping so heavily is that he and Ash have both been sedated." Misty said reassuringly as Brock took note of the conversation.
"What on Earth for? I don't understand."
"They were sedated because they are both afraid to fly. Before we left they were both given some sedatives to make them sleep during the takeoff." Misty told her friend quietly.
"Can you tell me why Tracey would be afraid to fly?" Carla noticed the fear in Misty's eyes. "Brock? Misty? Someone please tell me if you can."
"Well, I wasn't with them at the time because this apparently stemmed from something that happened while they were traveling in the Orange Islands with Tracey so Misty is really the only one who could tell you anything about it." Brock spoke up as Angelica looked on curiously.
"Please tell me, Misty. I would like to know what got Tracey like this." Carla pleaded.
Misty glanced at Ash sleeping deeply in her arms and sighed. As she began to recount the tale of that time years ago that still gave Ash occasional nightmares she felt Brock place an encouraging hand on her shoulder. Misty then told the three that horrific tale of the day that she had tried so hard to forget. When she finished, her friends were all staring at her in shock as the plane's engines roared to life.
"I'm so sorry, Misty. I had no right to make you go back and relive all that. I never should have asked." Carla gasped as she leaned over Brock and Angelica to touch Misty's arm.
"It's okay. How were you supposed to know? I'm not angry with you. Anyway, I just felt the engines start up so we're about to take off so why don't you take these and make sure that Tracey is comfortable." Misty handed a blanket to Carla along with one of the pillows she had brought with her as she wiped a tear from the corner her eye. Then she placed a blanket over Ash and gave him a gentle kiss.
At the same time, Carla was tending to Tracey. She slipped the pillow under his head carefully and laid the blanket over him. Just then the plane accelerated down the runway and took to the air.
* * * * *
"I can't believe what Misty said before. She never told me that before though I can definitely see why. It seems pretty hard for her to talk about." Brock whispered to Angelica.
"Yeah. I know. I couldn't imagine being in her place. If something ever happened to us like that I don't know what I'd do." Angelica laid her head on Brock's shoulder and felt his arms around her.
"Hey. You don't have to worry about that sweetheart. I'm always going to be here for you just like Ash is always going to be there for Misty and Carla will always have Tracey there for her. You are my world and I am never going to leave you."
"I hope so, Brock. I really hope so." Angelica said.
"I give you my word on it." Brock promised as he gave his girlfriend a soft kiss.
* * * * *
After the plane took to the air, Carla sat there for several minutes with Tracey sleeping peacefully in her lap, looking down at him while he rested and realized again how much he meant to her. She reached down and brushed a stray piece of hair away from his face with her finger and kissed his cheek. Suddenly a voice startled Carla out of her thoughts.
"Hey. Where were you just now? You were obviously lost in thought about something." Misty spoke softly.
"What? Oh, sorry, Misty. You startled me a little bit. I was just thinking about how much Tracey means to me and how special he has become to me in the few days we have been building the start of our relationship." Carla practically jumped out of her skin at the sound of her friend's voice.
"Do you mind if I ask what it was that made you start thinking about this?" Misty wondered.
"I was watching Tracey sleep a few minutes ago. That's actually why you startled me. He is so very peaceful while he sleeps and he seems so calm. His face is blank and he looks very beautiful. How could I not care about Tracey? He's such a loving guy and it's obvious that his friends mean a lot to him. That's just one of the many things that we have in common. I have the feeling that once I begin staying at the lab and working with Tracey then we're only going to get closer." Carla smiled as Misty just shook her head and smiled in return.
Carla then turned back to Tracey and pulled him closer to her. In response he smiled in his sleep and settled deeper into her lap. She looked down on him with warmth in her eyes as she pulled the blanket up closer to his head. It was then that she realized what it was that she felt for Tracey. It was love. She loved Tracey with all of her heart and she knew that it was a love that she had never felt before.
* * * * *
Misty sat staring off into space. She was thinking about the things that Carla had told her. Then she looked at Ash sleeping in her arms and realized that she had said those exact same sorts of things when she first discovered her love for Ash. This realization brought a smile to Misty's lips.
"I think we have some new lovebirds on our hands, honey. I saw earlier that Carla really does love Tracey. She didn't come out and tell me but we were talking and I saw it in her eyes. I just hope that they'll be as happy as we are. I love you so much, Ash." Misty whispered to her sleeping fiancé as she smoothed his hair and kissed his head, knowing fully well that he hadn't heard her. She loved him more than life itself and she always would.
* * * * *
Brock kept holding Angelica in his arms for a long time. She had seemed so afraid earlier after hearing Misty's story that he had been reluctant to let her go. Angelica looked up at Brock and smiled. She thought it would be wonderful just to stay here in his arms forever.
"I never want you to stop holding me. When I'm in your arms, anything that I happen to fear doesn't seem so frightening anymore. I don't remember when I've felt this safe around a man." Angelica smiled.
"Well I'm glad that I make you feel safe. I plan on keeping you safe for as long as you'll let me. All I know is that you are number one in my book and I want you to remember that." Brock was moved to know that Angelica felt so safe with him.
"I will always remember. Just like I will always care for you." Angelica whispered as Brock pulled her into a kiss that left her breathless.
* * * * *
Thirty minutes later, Carla had gotten wrapped up in a mystery novel that she was reading and taking advantage of the quiet around her when a quiet groan drew her attention. She put the book away and looked down to see Tracey beginning to slowly stir awake. He opened his eyes and smiled up at Carla.
"Hey there." Carla greeted him happily.
"Hey. I can't believe that this is actually happening. It seems like a dream. If I am dreaming I don't ever want anyone to wake me because it is a beautiful dream." Tracey said as he blinked to allow his eyes to get used to the light.
Carla laughed a little at this. "Of course you're not dreaming. This is perfectly real, silly."
"I know it's real. I was just joking. This is a real dream come true to have you here with me though." Tracey rolled his eyes as he sat up and gave Carla a very big hug.
* * * * *
At the same time, Misty was trying to figure out a way to wake Ash. Before she did this she took another look at Ash resting in her arms. He was sleeping so peacefully that she almost changed her mind and considered letting Ash awaken on his own. But she decided that she needed to at least try because they had found out that they were going to be served dinner soon and Ash needed to eat something. So Misty bent down and gently kissed Ash's lips and, as she did, his eyes slowly fluttered open as he returned her kiss.
"Welcome back, hon. How are you feeling?" Misty asked warmly.
"I'm still a little bit sleepy. Why did you have to wake me?" Ash yawned.
"I actually almost reconsidered because you seemed so very peaceful but the reason I woke you is because dinner is going to be served soon and I thought it would do you good to eat something because none of us have had much to eat today." Misty smiled, pulling Ash into a hug.
"Well, I guess that sounds like a good reason because I am pretty hungry. Another good thing is that if I did have to wake up it was the best way to do it with a kiss from you and then to open my eyes to see your beautiful face. I'll never get tired of that." Ash grinned and gave Misty a kiss.
Ash and Misty sat together looking at their four other friends looking very happy together and it made both of them smile. As Ash became more awake he remembered what had happened back at the airport and his smile faded. Misty noticed this and instantly got slightly concerned.
"What's wrong, Ash? Is something on your mind?"
"I just thought of something. Did you end up telling Carla about our situation? How did she handle it?" Ash asked worriedly.
"Yes, I did tell her. She handled it pretty well but she also asked why Tracey was afraid to fly so I had to tell her. Luckily I had Brock for support otherwise I wouldn't have been able to get the story out." Misty's voice was a little shaky.
Ash turned to Misty and gathered her into his arms and held her close. "I am so sorry, Mist. I know there wasn't anything I could do but still I feel bad that I wasn't able to be there for you as you had to relive that. I know how hard you have tried to forget that day."
"It's my fault, Ash. I was the one who pressured her to tell me." Carla's voice caused the couple to look up.
"No, it wasn't your fault, sweetheart. If our places were switched I would have pressed Misty to tell me the facts. Nobody is to blame for that." Tracey said softly.
"Yeah. Tracey's right. There's no possible way that you could have known about what happened years before we even knew you. You deserved to have answers and for obvious reasons Tracey and I couldn't give you those answers so it was only natural that you would turn to Misty. It may have shaken her up but I wouldn't worry. My fiancé is one tough woman." Ash supported Tracey's comment totally and completely.
"The guys are right. I really don't like to see you beating yourself up over this. If I didn't know why Ash was scared to fly and you did then I would give anything to know why. You shouldn't feel bad." Misty smiled, her voice reassuring.
"Thanks guys. I really needed that reassurance. I appreciate it." Carla whispered as the flight attendant and asked what they wanted for dinner.
Soon they had finished eating and sat talking about the highlights of their trip. Tracey and Brock looked happier than Ash and Misty had ever seen them as they sat there with their new female companions. Before they knew it the flight attendant came back around and gave them headphones to watch the in flight movie. As they all sat there together watching the movie, the couples all in each other's arms, there was definitely something magical in the air.
* * * * *
As he was watching the movie with Misty, Ash realized just how much he truly loved her. Just then he found himself thinking about what their wedding should be like. A few minutes later, Misty's voice brought Ash out of his daydream.
"Hey, Ash. Earth to Ash. What are you thinking about?" Misty asked in a whisper.
"Actually I'm sure you'll like what I was thinking about. I was picturing our wedding and what it should be like. It was a very nice thought." Ash smiled as he tried in vain to hide a small yawn with the back of his hand.
"You okay? You seem kind of sleepy. Why don't you rest for a while." Misty pulled Ash closer to her and hugged him.
"Yeah. That does sound good. I've been sort of tired ever since I woke up earlier." Ash muttered as he closed his eyes. Misty kissed him gently and stroked his hair as he slipped off to sleep. Then she turned her attention back to the screen in front of her.
* * * * *
Brock and Angelica were paying hardly any attention to the movie because they were so lost in each other's arms. Brock could hardly believe that Angelica was actually his girlfriend and that this beautiful angel was actually traveling back with him. He just sat there staring at her for the longest time and realizing how beautiful she was. Angelica was just happy to be near Brock because she knew that he was everything that she had ever hoped for.
Brock was so relaxed in Angelica's presence that, at the late hour, he was almost falling asleep. His girlfriend noticed this and pulled him close and hugged him tighter.
"You're tired, aren't you?" Angelica pressed.
"Yeah, a little. What time is it?" Brock yawned.
"It's 10:30." Angelica let Brock lean his head on her shoulder.
"Oh. No wonder I'm sleepy. The problem is that I don't want to be apart from you." Brock looked at her tiredly.
"Don't worry about that. Why don't you just get some sleep because you seem like you need it? I promise that I'll be here when you wake up. Here, you can use me as a pillow." Angelica whispered soothingly.
"Well, I don't think I'm ready to sleep yet but using you as a pillow sounds like a pretty good idea." Brock smiled.
Angelica held Brock close as he once again put his head on her shoulder. After a while, the exhaustion that Brock had been trying to ignore was beginning to catch up to him and he found himself becoming very drowsy. A few minutes later Brock's eyes began to close and before he knew it he had nodded off with his head resting on Angelica's shoulder.
It wasn't long before Angelica noticed that Brock was unusually quiet. She looked over and smiled when she saw that he had fallen asleep on her shoulder.
* * * * *
When the movie was over it was after midnight. Carla looked around and noticed that her four new friends were all locked in sleep. Then to her surprise she noticed that Tracey was still wide awake. Carla turned to him and put a hand on his shoulder.
"You're still awake. It's after midnight, what's wrong? Can't you sleep?" Carla whispered.
"No. I'm just a little stiff. I think it's from when we were playing chicken on the ship the day before you and I met. I let Brock use me as a base and when Misty caught him off guard he fell over my head. It really gave my neck and my shoulders an abrupt stretch and it's been stiff ever since but now it seems a lot worse than before. It can get a little hard to sleep with something like that." Tracey said quietly, tilting his head in small circles.
"Well no wonder you seemed tense. I think that if I could help you get rid of some of that tension then it might help you get to sleep." Carla smiled softly.
"I like that idea but I don't understand how you could do that. I don't think anything can get rid of this stiffness I'm dealing with." Tracey said wearily. He was tired but every time he had started to drift off, the pain from his stiff muscles woke him again.
"I happen to know something that I think might work. Come here." Carla pulled Tracey against her. "Just try to relax the best you can."
Then Carla laid her hands on Tracey's shoulders and began to give him a shoulder massage to work the tension out of his muscles. After a few minutes, Tracey began to feel his tense muscles start to relax and he closed his eyes.
"Are you feeling any better?" Carla whispered.
"Yeah. The stiffness is totally gone. Where did you learn to do that?" Tracey muttered. He was beginning to feel very relaxed.
"I really don't know. It's something I just picked up from somewhere. Right now, though, I think you need to rest. So why don't you close your eyes and try to get some sleep." Carla whispered soothingly as she continued to massage Tracey's shoulders.
"That's no problem now. You've helped me relax so much that I'm almost asleep already. Goodnight, Carla. I'll see you in the morning, hon." Tracey whispered sleepily. Then he closed his eyes again and let Carla ease him into a relaxing sleep.
Carla looked down at Tracey and smiled. She had been able to ease his tension and now he was sleeping soundly. She carefully picked up the blanket and placed it over Tracey and sat smiling down at him. The found herself thinking again how peaceful he looked as he slept. His face was calm and expressionless and his lips were slightly parted with his slow, deep breathing. A few moments later, Carla decided it was time for her to get some sleep as well. So after a quick glance at Tracey, still sleeping peacefully in her lap she leaned back in the seat and closed her eyes. She fell asleep thinking about the newfound love that she had for Tracey.