Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon or associated characters! ~

Happily Ever After

Ash flicked through television channels; searching desperately for something appealing to him.

"Gimme that," Misty said with a frown, and Ash smirked playfully at her, as she snatched the flicker and flicked through the channels at a doubling speed.

Aurora yawned sleepily. "Mommy," she tugged on Misty's pajama sleeve, lightly. "Can I go to bed now?" she asked in a whining tone.

Misty smiled down at Aurora. "Sure, sweety," she said, handing Ash the flicker.

Ash smiled proudly, as he stroked Pikachu's golden fur coat, as he flicked through the channels. "Victory is mine," he muttered to himself with a victorious grin.

Misty held Aurora's small little hand, as they ventured up the creaky wooden, carpeted stairs. Misty led Aurora to her room. Posters of Cleffa, Wooper and Jigglypuff laced the light pink painted walls.

Misty smiled as she placed Aurora down into her welcoming bed. Aurora pulled her delicate pink Togepi bed sheets over her body independently, before looking up at Misty through her big, innocent, sparkling crystal blue eyes.

Misty smiled, and gently stroked Aurora's crimson hair.

"Love ya sweety," she whispered gently, and Aurora smiled and whispered in response, "love you too."

"Can you tell me a bedtime story?" Aurora asked, as Misty yawned.

"I don't know, honey…I'm pretty tired…" she said with a weak smile.

"Please," Aurora pouted sadly. Misty smiled guiltily at Aurora, before clearing her throat.

"A long time ago…in a far away forest…" Misty began, using descriptive vocabulary to illustrate her story. "A young girl with fiery red hair, and a dashing young boy with black jet hair, were travelling together…"

"You got us lost again, Ash!" Misty yelled angrily.

Ash frowned. "Did not!"

"Wait a minute…is this story about you and daddy?" Aurora interrupted, as Misty laughed. "Yes," she nodded, and continued.

"Did too!"

"Oh yeah?"

"Oh yeah!"

"Oh brother," Brock said as he shook his head, trying to relieve his pounding headache. "STOP IT!" he yelled. Ash and Misty both stopped in their tracks, before looking at Brock.

"You okay, Brock?" Misty asked worriedly.

"Yeah…is everything alright, Brocko?" Ash asked in surprise at Brock's outburst.

"I'm sick of your fighting! You two act too much like a married couple – it's insanity!" Brock said dramatically, before biting his tongue in regret. Misty lunged at Brock, and although Ash was mad, he held Misty back.

Brock sighed in relief, and sweat dropped. "Sorry…" he mumbled.

"I hope so! How dare you say that Ash and I act like a married couple!" Misty said in denial, glancing at Ash, who was still holding her back. They looked at each other for a minute, before blushing and stubbornly turning away.

"Yeah!" Ash nodded in agreement. "It's ridiculous!"

"Whatever," Brock said in defeat; obviously giving up.

"I don't need this," Ash finally said, shaking his head. "I'm going to go get my sixth Johto badge with or without you guys. So are you going to come and watch me, or what?"

"Did you go, Mommy?" Aurora interrupted.

Misty frowned. "Well, I was still pretty upset about Brock's marriage comment, so I decided against it."

"No way, Ash! I have way better things to do!" Misty said angrily, grabbing Brock's hand and turning the other way. "We'll be getting firewood, if you need us!"

"Fine!" Ash said, just as angrily as Misty. "Come on, Pikachu!" he said determinedly. "Let's go get that badge!"

"Pi…ka…" Pikachu said reluctantly, following Ash.

"I can't believe Ash," Misty said angrily, snatching some firewood viscously. Brock stood healthily a few feet away. "I mean, he's so stubborn, it's amazing!" she continued.

"He's not the only one…" Brock noted.

"What is that supposed to mean? I'm not – " Misty trailed off, reading Brock's glance, as she frowned. "Me? Stubborn? Yeah right!" she said stubbornly.

"You're just as stubborn as Ash," Brock teased with a smile, collecting some firewood.

"No I'm…" Misty wasn't in the mood to argue, as she gave in. "Okay…okay…" she said weakly.

"What's the big deal?" Aurora interrupted again, curiously.

"Well I was frustrated, and mad, and confused all at the same time," Misty explained, "but on the other hand I was floating, and swooning and daydreaming."

Misty answered Aurora's questioning glance. "I was in love."

"You like him, don't you?" Brock asked. Misty blushed furiously as her eyes widened, as she looked at Brock.

"Me?" she asked nervously. "Like A-ash?" she repeated, with a blush. She was burning red.

"You're blushing…" Brock said with a small smile. "Come on, you can tell me," he coaxed.

Misty dropped the firewood, as her blush slowly disappeared. "Yes," she said quietly. "I really like him…and I've liked him…" she paused, "loved him," she corrected herself, "since the very beginning."

"No!" Brock said in mock astonishment. "Really?" he asked in fake surprise.

Misty eyed the ground. "Yep," she nodded in embarrassment.

"So why don't you just tell him?" Brock asked.

Misty looked up at him sadly. "Because he doesn't love me back! That's why!"

Brock opened his mouth to object, when Misty interrupted. "But don't tell him, okay? If you tell him…I'll kill you," she threatened, as Brock sweat dropped.

"I promise I won't tell him," he said with a nervous gulp.

"Okay…" Misty said uneasily.

Meanwhile, Ash was shining his badge from Jasmine.

"Thanks again for a great battle," Jasmine smiled.

"No problem – thank you for the badge!" Ash responded humbly.

"Anyway, I better get back to my friends…" Ash said, heading back towards the forest. "…Bye!" he waved, as he headed towards the forest.

--

"So, you're back," Misty said angrily. She couldn't help but feel guilty for her attitude.

"Yeah," Ash nodded. "And I won!" he showed Misty the badge, and Misty nodded simply in approval.

"So let's get going guys," Ash said, waving his hand in a 'come on' motion. "We have to get to the next city so I can win my next badge!"

"What do you mean win?" Misty asked teasingly. "The gym leader's going to cream you!"

Ash snorted. "Yeah…just like Jasmine creamed me," he said sarcastically, attaching his new badge to his jacket proudly.

Misty crossed her arms over her chest. "Well –" she stopped. "Ahh!" she yelled.

"Misty!" Ash said in alarm. "Waaa!"

They appeared to be stuck in a hole.

"A hole?" Brock asked questioningly, from above land. "That can only be the work of – "

"Let me guess," Aurora said, "Team Rocket?" she asked with a small, knowing smile.

Misty nodded. "You guessed it! But you wouldn't believe what happened to Ash and I, next…"

"-Team Rocket!" Misty, Ash and Brock exclaimed in unison.

"Pika!" Pikachu's cheeks sparked with electricity, as it frowned angrily at Team Rocket.

"You two seem to be having a hole lot of fun down there," Jessie said smugly, with a small cackle.

"Yeah," James nodded. "Seems like we caught ourselves a pair of romantics!"

Ash and Misty blushed, and fumed from the bottom of the hole.

"WE ARE NOT IN LOVE!" they said in unison, angrily.

"Uh-yeaaahh….suuurrre…." Jessie said sarcastically. "We really believe you."

"Anyways, while yous twoos are down dere, figurin' out your feeling's--we'll be takin' Pikachu," Meowth said with a grin, as he extended a mechanical arm and grabbed Pikachu.

"Ha ha ha!" Team Rocket happily laughed in triumph.

"We have to get Pikachu!" Ash said, clenching his fists.

"You really care…don't you?" Misty asked.

Ash's expression softened, as he turned to face her. "Yeah, of course."

"Ash, you're such a great kid," Misty said with a loving smile. "You're absolutely perfect, and I'll greatly envy the lucky girl who gets to have you."

"Huh?" Ash asked. "But Misty…I thought you were only in it for the bike…" he trailed off.

"The bike?" Misty questioned, before snorting a small laugh. "That was just a silly little excuse so I could follow you around!" she said.

"So…what was the real reason?" Ash asked softly, leaning towards Misty.

Misty's eyes faced Ash's, as she leaned forward. "The real reason was…" their lips were about to meet, when Pikachu's cry was heard, from a distance.

"Pikachu!" Ash cried, turning away from Misty. Misty missed Ash, and hit the ground with a thud. She sweat dropped, and blushed. She was so close!

"Ash…how are we going to get out of here?" she asked curiously, as she watched Ash desperately try to climb out of the hole.

"I don't know," he said determinedly, "but there has to be some way out!"

"So how did you get out?" Aurora asked, as Misty softly shushed her. "Shhh. It was all thanks to Ash's brilliant idea that we're still here today, and not still in that hole," Misty said, as she continued.

"I know!" Ash threw a Pokeball. "Go, Bayleaf!" he called, as he returned the Pokeball back to his belt, and commanded Bayleef, "use your vine whip to get us out of here!"

"Bay!" Bayleaf nodded determinedly in agreement, as it lifted the two teenagers out of the hole.

"Thanks Bayleaf," they said in unison, as Misty smiled shyly at Ash. "You know what to do, Ash," she said happily, as Ash nodded and smiled back.

"Bayleaf, Razor Leaf Team Rocket's balloon, and use vine whip to save Pikachu!" Ash commanded.

"Bay…" Bayleaf threw some sharp leaves at Team Rocket's soaring hot air balloon. And used its vinewhip to carry Pikachu to safety. "…leaf!"

Team Rocket went flying, and Pikachu landed safely in Ash's arms. "Pika!" Pikachu cried happily, as it nuzzled Ash's cheek. Ash smiled, and laughed happily. "Pikachu, you're alright!"

"Well, it looks like the mighty duo has reunited," Brock stated the obvious, with a happy grin.

"Anyway, Ash," Misty said shyly, approaching Ash. Ash turned to Misty.

"The real reason I'm travelling with you…is because," Misty paused, to try to think of the right wording, "I…love you."

Ash smiled happily at her. "Well, Misty, I…I love you too!" Ash said, before they pulled in together, to kiss.

"Eww!" Aurora interrupted. "That's so gross!" she complained, as she scrunched up her nose in disgust.

"Gross?" Misty blinked. "Love is beautiful," she said with a distant, daydream smile. "It's very powerful. It's said to move rivers and mountains. Feelings and emotions are a big part of everyone, you know. You'll know if your in love if you get this small little fuzzy feeling in your heart when your around a person, or if your stomach does gymnastics. Some people blush crazily around people they love, and others get sweaty. Personally, I think I was the blushing, fuzzy feeling kind of love-sick girl. Because whenever I was around Ash," she said with a smile and blush. "your father," she corrected, "I always got a fuzzy, happy feeling inside of me, and I instantly knew it was love. Ever since the tender age of eleven, I've loved your father. And even though you're too young to realize love now," Misty paused with a smile. "I know that someday you'll love someone, and they'll love you back."

Misty smiled, feeling that her love topic was quite refreshing. "I think you'll really enjoy the feeling of love, Aurora, and maybe –" Misty stopped.

"Aurora?" she asked quietly. Aurora was asleep, hidden beneath her warm, comforting bed covers. Misty smiled at her innocent little child, before pecking her lovingly on the cheek and quietly moving towards the door.

"Good night, honey," she said, turning off the light and heading downstairs.

"Is she asleep?" Ash asked, half asleep on the couch. The television was off.

Misty nodded. "I told her the story of when we confessed our love for one another, and at the end, when I was explaining love, she fell asleep," she said.

"No wonder," Ash teased, as Misty frowned.

"What is that supposed to mean, Ash Ketchum?" she said, sitting beside him on the couch.

"Oh, nothing," he said innocently.

"Whatever," she said, turning to walk up the stairs. She turned around and hugged Ash, and gently kissed him.

"Love you," she said sweetly.

"Love you too," Ash said with a dazed smile. Misty giggled, before grabbing his hand, and leading him upstairs.

"Come on honey, you're half asleep - lets get some rest," she decided, turning off the hall light as they went into their bedroom.

She yawned, and stretched before joining Ash in bed.

"Good night Ash," she said before kissing him.

"Good night, Mist," Ash said with a tired smile.

"Love you."

"Love you too," Misty said, falling asleep in Ash's arms.

Aurora walked into Misty and Ash's bedroom, wide awake.

"Mommy," she said. Misty snapped awake, attentively. Ash soon woke up.

"Yes, honey?" she asked.

"Can you tell me another story?" Aurora asked sweetly.

Misty groaned. "Daddy would love to tell you a story, honey," she said sleepily, with a yawn.

"No I wouldn't," Ash said.

"Yes you would," Misty said with a frown.

"No I wouldn't!" Ash countered.

"Yes you would!"

"Never mind," Aurora said sleepily, as she grudged back to her room.

--

Later that night…at around 12:35am…

"No I wouldn't!"

"Yes…you…"

Misty and Ash fell asleep, in each others arms again. Aurora peeked in the door. "Love," she said. "I'll never understand it," she said, shaking her head before falling back asleep.

The End

~~ How was it? Good? Bad? I'm, personally, not to thrilled with it. Oh well. It's my second stab at a fic where Ash and Misty are older. I don't know what you can blame this little story on…lack of sleep (It's 2:30am and I'm still not asleep…aaahhh)…and maybe…uhh…zzzzzzzzz

~ Satok….