DISCLAIMER: Don't own Pokémon. Don't even ask!

A/N: Woohoo, another chapter! And guess what - it's done by Geo again! Eeek, this guy's just on a roll! But alas, I'm writing the next one, so I'll probably start that tomorrow. Would start it tonight but it's nearly midnight and my family can be really distracting…anyways, I'll shut up now and let you read.

It took another few moments before the severity of the situation fully registered within Ash's mind. Another muffled choking type cry, which Ash instantly recognized as an attempt to call his name via his wife, brought him out of his trance.

"Oh my God…" Ash whispered while swallowing hard. It was Brock's raised tone that was then heard.

"Ash! Stop standing there like a spare prick at a whore's wedding will ya! Get over here!" he demanded as both he and James tried in vain to contain a squirming Misty as she frantically gasped for breath.

"C...C… couch" Ash stuttered. James's eyes widened as he spun his head around in shock.

"What?" he asked in confusion.

"Yeah, like give us a sentence we can make use of will ya!" Jessie snapped as her emotions towards her best friend began to over cloud her judgment.

"Get her on the god dam couch!" Ash demanded, as he turned and opened a small drawer located within the liquor cabinet. The others, who were shocked at his outburst, simply complied with his wishes as they scrambled to locate Misty to where her husband had asked. It was at this point Wilhelmina reemerged into the room and stopped dead in her tracks at the scene unfolding before her eyes.

"Wh…what the hell's happening?" she shrieked. Ash spun his head around.

"Will! Keep the kids outback!" he shouted.

"But what -" Ash interrupted her, cutting her short.

"Do it now!" Wilhelmina, scared of her friends raised tone, rushed from the room to do as he asked, as he continued his rummaging through the small drawer.

"Uh, Ash! I don't mean to put any pressure on you what so ever, but could you hurry it up!" Brock shouted, beginning to show real concern for the girl he had endeared as a sister since he was a kid. By this time Misty was finding breaths even harder to come by as her three companions tried to stabilise her in a comfortable position. Finally a smashing sound was heard and James shot his head around in shock in response to it.

"What the -" There in front of him, with blood pouring from one hand and a small tube like device in the other, was Ash. He raced up to his wife as Jessie looked on.

"An inhaler?" She moved as Ash approached he nodded at her, as he spoke to Brock.

"Brock, tilt her chin a bit will ya?" Brock nodded as he did as he was asked. Ash moved in closer. "Come on Mist." She pushed his hand away with the inhaler in it, frantically shaking her head as if pleading with him through her gasps, begging him not to let her depend on that contraption once more. Her husband looked at her with pleading eyes.

"Honey…please…." he choked out. Reluctantly he parted her lips with his free hand and gently placed the tube in and pressed down three times. .A sharp intake of breath was taken through out the depleted group, as for the next minute or so the room went into a spine-tingling silence. Ash removed the inhaler a moment later, and to everyone's relief Misty's sharp gasping and coughing was beginning to subside, with colour at last starting to begin resuming normal service back within her cheeks.

"Oh thank god" Jessie exhaled deeply as she moved away slightly to give Misty some room. Misty groggily arose from her lying position and immediately threw herself into the arms of her husband situated near her, as she burst into tears, a flurry of emotions crying openly into his chest. Brock and James just reverted their eyes around the room uncomfortably, as a stunned Jessie looked on in a total state of shock.

"What the hell's wrong with her now?" James asked, finally ending the uncertainty in terms of whether someone should speak up. Ash sighed dejectedly.

"I wish I knew Jimmy" he said, as he pulled her in closer and tenderly began stroking her hair to reassure her he was there. Jessie just stood there, totally in a trance. She had never seen her best friend as emotionally frail as this, even in the darkest of times, when Ash's death seemed immanent or had apparently transpired. She could find no words to say, but in retrospect, she realised, anything she could come up with would be of little comfort to Misty as she had no idea of what she had just been through. It was then Brock aired his views, and thus put forth a suggestion.

"Ash, like maybe you should get her checked over? This whole emotional distress thing, well, it may be shock related" he advised. Ash sighed heavily.

"Maybe…" he muttered, but he did not have to ponder that word much longer, as he came to a decision on the matter.

"Brock, do me a favour will ya? Can you give Doctor Andrews a call? It's Friday, he does house calls today, his cell phone number is on the table next to the phone" Ash told him. Brock nodded.

"Sure, will do man." He paused and pointed at Ash's right knuckles. "And while I'm at it, I'll sort something out for that" he explained. Ash glanced down at his hand, and then redirected his gaze to Brock and smiled.

"Thanks Brock." He just nodded at his younger friend and with that exited the room to complete the tasks assigned to him. It was then James rather abruptly arose from his sitting position.

"Uh….I think I will go and inform Will what the heck is going on, and tell her she can come back inside now, I need a breath of air anyways." Ash and Jessie nodded as James walked to the kitchen, where the backdoor was located. Misty for her part did not move at all, while her friends' other activities got under way. Her sobbing had somewhat died down to muffled whimpers at this time, but still Jessie could not help air her concern as she placed a hand on Ash's shoulder.

"Is she going to be ok?" Ash stole a glance at Jessie before placing his face within his wife's hair.

"She'll be fine Jess… she'll be fine…."

***

"You're kidding! You mean all of them have asthma?" a stunned James asked as Misty was being tended to by the family physician as the others awaited the outcome around 45 minutes later. Ash sighed at the question put forward by James, as the others listened on in interest.

"Well both her and her three sisters do, although I am not sure whether it was hereditary or not, as I never did have the privilege of meeting Rose" Ash explained, referring to Misty's now dearly departed mother.

"I can't believe that after 12 years you would not tell me something like that was wrong with her!" Jessie snapped in Ash's face.

"What if something had happened to her when I was with her? What if she keeled over? I would not have a fucking clue what to have done!" she spat out bitterly, unable to comprehend the fact that her best friend would keep something as important as this from her. Ash backed away slightly, as James held his wife back.

"Jess! Please I understand your frustration in this matter! But they were Misty's wishes, I could not very well go against them" Ash confirmed, as James turned to Brock.

"Slate! Did you know about this, or were you as much in the dark as we were?" Brock looked up from his pondering state.

"If you are asking me whether I knew directly about Misty's illness then my answer would be no, but in all honesty I did have a hunch something was up" he explained. Wilhelmina took a seat by her husband as Ash raised an eyebrow at him.

"Huh, you did? What gave her away Brocko?" he inquired.

"Um…well you remember that day you were involved in that car explosion in Cerulean city?" Ash nodded.

"Well that day she went into shock, and as you know now she had to be rushed to the general hospital, but normally when someone goes into shock the colour drains from them and then their breath rapidly decreases. With Misty this was not the case. I guess the roles must be in reverse for asthmatics" he explained. James and Ash nodded to his words and Jessie tightly closed her eyes, trying to shut out the events of that horrific day. James picked up on it and reassuringly placed a hand on his wife's shoulder.

"Just shut it out Jess" he told her.

"James is right Jessie, it's all in the past" Ash told her as footsteps were heard from the hallway as the lounge door opened.

"Jason, how is she?" Ash asked as he arose to his feet and walked over beside him.

"You don't have to worry Ash, your original assumption was correct, just a basic attack. I guess her body just was not prepared for it, considering she has not had one since…" He stopped and scanned his notes but Ash already knew the answer.

"Christ and heaven above! 16? No wonder her system could not hack it" the doctor joked.

"Any idea what brought it about after all this time?" Brock asked.

"Numerous circumstances can bring such events to a boil, whether it be bouts of worry, stress, every day life, just one of these things that can't be helped I'm afraid" he told them. He turned back to Ash.

"I have given her some inhalers, just as a precaution in case it becomes a regular occurrence, but I can't see why it should do. If you want my non medical opinion Ash, if I was you I would do something to maybe get her mind off it, take her to dinner, take in a movie, whatever you feel like." He stopped and grinned.

"Coincidently, on a totally unrelated topic, should you stop by the local later on tonight, how about trudging over to the pool room and shouting the old doc a beer" he teased with a grin as Brock let out a laugh.

"God dam it Jason! Don't mock me you bastard, I know you're only after your case of Bacardi ever since you won that bloody darts game" Ash retorted with a smile.

"Hey Ash, you know the expression pay the piper right? Well you still got to pay the doctor, buddy-boy," he teased. "Anyways all jokes aside I'd better be going, got a few more rounds today."

"Yeah that's cool Jas, and thanks for coming out on such short notice." Ash told him he paused as he turned to leave the group.

"If you don't mind the guys will see you out, I'd better go check on Misty." And with that he shook the doctors hand and said goodbye once more before making a dash for the stairs.

***

Ash entered his and Misty's room a few seconds later and gently shut the door behind him as Misty, who was blankly staring out of their bedroom window when he entered, stole a glance behind her, and then just resumed her gaze to where it lay before hand. For a moment, Ash let the time go by in silence, as he leaned against the bedroom door.

"You feeling any better?" The question from Ash was simple and even though it hardly sounded as if it held any sincerity within it, Ash knew that nothing was further from the truth.

"I guess…" Misty replied a few seconds later while still not turning to face him. Her reply was muffled and choked that Ash found it hard to hear her, and began to detect something was amiss here. He took a few more steps towards her and reached out and grasped her arm.

"You sure you're ok?" he asked again, for in reality he had repeated the previous question, he had just used different wording to try and gain Misty's attention. And this time, his efforts were rewarded as she slowly turned to face him. Ash however immediately wished she hadn't as what he saw brought nothing but a throbbing pain and panic to the pit of his stomach. For there with tears ravaging her cheeks, was the emotionally distraught figure of his wife.

"Mist… come on what's wrong?" he asked as he proceeded to take her in his arms and hold her close.

"I…I…I" She could not get the words out as her emotions were overpowering her at this point in time.

"Sssh, come on baby, don't let this beat you, you have got through much worse than this" her husband pointed out, as he broke apart and locked eyes with her once more. Misty moved her hands from his shoulders and took his hands in hers.

"I'm scared…" she finally admitted. Ash stared at her, in somewhat disbelief, as if he was shocked she would admit to something like that.

"What are you scared of? Misty, you are one of the bravest people I know, to have gone through what you have and still come out with the sort of life you have is nothing short of remarkable" her husband told her. She shook her head furiously, frantically brushing aside Ash's words of comfort.

"That's bullshit Ash!" she started as she took a few steps away from him. Her voice cracked as her true emotions shone through.

"I'm scared of everything!" She paused as tears ravaged her cheeks. "I'm scared of my kids being apart from me for any more than 5 minutes, I'm scared of where we are going to find next month's rent, I'm scared of bug type pokemon for god sakes!" She stopped and sat herself down on the bed.

"But do you know what scares me the most?" she asked him. Ash inhaled deeply before shaking his head. She bit her lip timidly before going on.

"The thing that scares me most, is losing this overwhelming feeling I get…when I'm with you." She stopped and lowered her head to avoid his eyes. Ash just stood there stunned. Yet again his wife's words were true and powerful to the core of his being. Reluctantly he approached her and slid down to his knees beside her as he took her by the shoulders.

"So you're saying…" Misty cut him short, thus interrupting him.

"You don't get it, do you? Today was a real eye opener for me Ash. Despite all I have been through, the pregnancies, the numerous attempts on my life, whether it be the poisonings, explosions, or being dropped from high heights, can I just say that through out all those experiences, never have I felt so helpless and certain that I was on my way out more so than I did this afternoon" she explained.

"Misty, it was just a basic asthma attack" he assured her as he sat on the bed beside her and engulfed her in a hug. She swallowed hard.

"To you and Jason maybe…but not to me, to me it was the thing that almost took me away from you and I…" she stopped, as she could not complete her words due to her apparent distress. Ash released the embrace he had on her and eyed her seriously.

"Misty? There is more to this isn't there? For I know you! The woman I love would not let something as minor as this destroy her out look on the life she has built" he explained. She gazed into his eyes; she knew she could not lie to him even if she tried.

"No…no matter how our lives pan out Ash, I've just realised something." She swallowed back the lump in her throat. "No matter which one of us go first, like it or not…. I'm going to lose you one day Ash…and the notion of this, well…. I can't bear it and…" Ash placing a finger to her lips cut her short.

"The old immortality debate huh?" he asked softly as he pulled her against his body. She nodded. He tenderly moved his head down, and engulfed her in an emotion felt kiss. Upon parting from her he sighed.

"You know, this is the part where one of us would say something to reassure the other and everything would be alright" Ash confessed, as he tightened the grip on her body. He inhaled sharply.

"Y…you know I can't do that this time, don't you?" he replied tenderly as he gently kissed her neck.

"Yeah…I know" she choked out. For a moment silence overwhelmed them both.

"But there is something I can promise you" Ash told her all of a sudden. Misty forced her head around to meet his eyes.

"What's that?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Just the same thing that you promised me on our wedding day" he told her. Her face turned a beat red.

"Uh, baby? If this is about that heated conversation I had with you about the sleeping arrangements, I really don't see how that is relevant here." Ash grinned.

"Funny and beautiful, and no Mist, contrary to what you might think, that's not what I was on about" he explained. She raised a hand to his cheek.

"Then what? Please tell me?" she almost begged. Ash smiled as he moved off the bed.

"Better yet I will show you" he told her as he walked up to the closet within the room, and unlocked a small compartment within it. He obtained an object from it and redirected his gaze to his wife, whilst keeping what he held in his hands still from her view. Slowly he approached her.

"Tell me Misty, do you remember this?" he asked, unveiling the object he had before her eyes. Upon seeing it Misty instantly covered her mouth with her hand in shock.

"I…I can't believe you kept this!" she marveled as she got up from the bed and walked over to him, taking it from his hands as she reached him. Ash grinned.

"Yeah, guess I'm kind of a sentimental bastard." She raised an eyebrow at him.

"Well, I don't know about sentimental…" She stopped. "But what has this got to do with, you know?" she asked shakily.

"Don't you remember your wedding speech?" he asked. Misty thought for a moment.

"Vaguely, why?"

Ash closed his eyes. "I remember every word Misty" he confirmed to her.

"You compared yourself to a lamppost, and myself to a bike, claiming that, through out the 5 years we were apart, we were still changed together. And you further went on to decree that no matter what separates us, land or sea, we would always be chained together by our love, Misty." He stopped, for the words he had just said had once again brought tears to his wife's eyes. He embraced her lovingly as he took the bike lock from her.

"This bike lock is the symbol of our love Misty, it links our hearts together in anything we do, and in this case, death, for which ever one of us goes first will only determine which of us becomes the lamppost and which of us undertakes the role of the bike. Regardless, Mrs Misty Ketchum, my love for you will never die, because we are linked by a unique chain, even beyond death." He stopped his heartfelt speech and tossed the bike lock on the bed as his wife marveled at his words.

"God I love you…" Ash grinned.

"Gee, ya think?" he teased. She playfully punched him.

"Now" Ash started, "here's what we are going to do." Misty encircled her arms around his neck.

"What's that?" she asked with a smile.

"We are going to call the agency, get a sitter and we're off out tonight on the town, just you me...ah to hell with it, and the 4 guys also" he told her.

"You got my vote, I need some time to unwind after the day I've had" Misty told him.

"Make it so" she confirmed as yet again she tenderly kissed him.

***

"I still say you should have let me appraise the babysitter!" Misty scowled as the group emerged from their cabs after a hard night out.

"Misty, stop complaining will ya!" Ash snapped as he rummaged around for his keys, as Wilhelmina took the opportunity to start vomiting on the tulips. Ash sighed.

"Brock! You never should have let her down those 3 shots of whisky in a row!" James snapped. It was then Jessie, who reverted the conversation back to what Misty was talking about earlier, spoke up.

"Misty, if it puts your mind at ease, James said the woman the agency sent over was fine, as you will soon see, it is not your fault. You and Ash had to be there early to sign for our dinner reservations" she pointed out. By this time Ash had found his keys, and was ushering everyone inside. Seconds later, with exchanged words of goodnight, the group was depleted, as Brock, James and their respective wives had taken refuge within their assigned rooms. Ash walked into the kitchen, where, to his surprise, he found Cory.

"Hey sport, what are you doing up at this hour?" he asked. Cory spun around to look upon his father.

"Oh, I was only up getting a drink Dad" he explained as Misty walked in, hearing the end of their conversation.

"Where's the baby sitter?" his mother asked.

"I think she's upstairs" Cory supplied. "Everyone else is asleep" he finished.

"Which is exactly where you should be young man, come on I'll tuck you in" Misty told him. "I'll be up in a minute" she said, directing those words to her husband. He nodded and went on to leave the kitchen and make his way upstairs. He reached his room and entered and, to his surprise, someone he had never met was there. She appeared to be glancing herself over within the mirror.

"Um…. excuse me" Ash politely interrupted. The copper haired women shot her head around in shock.

"Oh…I'm sorry, I did not hear you come in!" the woman confessed.

"That's no problem Miss -" He stopped as she cut him off.

"Please call me Alice" she told him. He nodded.

"Alice." He looked her over once more. "Do…do I know you from somewhere??" he asked. She arose from the chair she was in situated near the mirror.

"I don't see how" she told him. Ash once again nodded, but still he could not shake this nagging feeling.

"So, I hope the kids were ok for you" he explained.

"Yes." She stopped. "Mr Ketchum I presume." Ash faltered.

"Uh yeah, sorry way are my manners, call me Ash" he told her as he stepped forward and shook her hand. Just then his eyes caught something dangling from the woman's neck.

"Uh…. is that my wife's necklace you are wearing?" the girl looked away to avoid his gaze.

"I'm sorry, it's just, when all the kids went out like lights, I decided to clean up a bit for you. I was in here, it must have fallen from the floor, and it looked so pretty. I hope you don't mind" she asked.

"No not at all, although I would not mind it back" he told her. "It was a gift for her birthday earlier this year" he explained. Alice smiled.

"Of course…" she trailed off, as she appeared to be having problems in unclipping the clasp.

"I'm really sorry about this, but I don't seem to be getting anywhere with this, can you give me a hand?" she asked in what many would regard as an innocent tone.

"No worries" Ash replied as she turned her back on him and moved in closer against his body. The next thing that happened Ash was not expecting, for before he had time to react the girl had spun around, encircled her arms around his neck and was rather abruptly kissing him. As soon as he realised this he was all ready for pushing her aside when another force pulled her from their seemingly never-ending bounds. Ash shot his head around just in time to see Misty back the girl up against the room wall and rather forcefully take her by the throat. She stole a glance around at him as if warning him he was not coming out of this as clean as a whistle also. The girl just continued to stare at Misty. Her face fell.

"I…I…. I know you!" Misty announced while keeping a strong secure grip on her throat.

"Mrs Ketchum, so we meet again…"

A/N: Cliffies! Don't you love 'em?! Next one will be up as soon as poss and in the meantime, reviews are brill (if you've got the time). Thankies!