A/N: Err. This chapter was supposed to have been up on Valentines Day, but as we all know FFN was on read only mode. Then my Internet got busted, so I couldn't post on Saturday or Sunday. So here's a late, late happy Valentines and for those in America. Have a happy President's Day. Now here's the second half of chapter 11. Will Haruka and Brock make up? Find out now.

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon.

Reviewer's Questions:

Joy-girl::: Err… I'm trying, but it takes a while to post. Hmmm… Ash shows up and punches Rudy. Errr… :sweat drops:… I don't know. Err… Misty slaps Rudy. Now that one's more likely. I know you want Ash back. Err… we'll see. Thanks for reviewing.

Labannya::: :ducks and sweat drops: Eeeep!! You don't like Rudy either… huh? Never mind. I already know the answer to that one. Errr. I don't know. I'm still deciding on what will happen. I'm leaning towards something else… But I'll leave that Misty slaps Rudy thing open for now. :sobbing: You think I'm a meanie. :WAAA: Did you know I have a dark side too? Yep. My dark side has been writing this story so far. Well, since the Misty goes to the dance with Rudy part. Thanks for the review.

Overlord::: Err… :runs around freaking out. Look behind and screams: Yeah I see where you're coming from. If I read that, I would be flaming and screaming and complaining too. :grins: Yeah! I'm off the hook… for now… gulp. :flips through ideas and shudders: Thanks for your review.

Avenger10::: Yeah, a new reviewer. Thanks for reviewing. :grins: You hate Rudy too. Wow! Me too! I hate him also. That's why I liked writing about him so far. I get a chance to make him suffer. :coughhintcough: Yep! I should really join RHA. Err… I can't have Misty kill him. That's a no, no for now. As for the mallet, we'll see. :shudders and sobs: I ain't a meanie and ain't cold hearted. Really. It's all the work of my dark side. I swear. Thanks for the review, and I hope you continue to review.

Nightswift::: :thinks and grins: I like your idea. Great minds think alike. Err… maybe. Ash… hmm… who's Ash? … Oh wait. I remember. The guy that owns the Pikachu. Yeah, the cutie. Err… yeah… Ash a guardian angel. Hey wait! :grins: Me like. Err… Misty slaps Rudy. Wow! :look at reviews: Wow! Tons of people told me that… Well we got to wait and see. Thanks for the review and the idea.

SulliMike23::: :ducks quickly. Looks back and sweat drops: Mommy going to kill me for the tomato on my wall… Ermm… never mind… Err… bring Ash back. Bring Ash back. :daze. Another tomato hits: Ouch! :Looks a computer: Did I really write that? Err… never mind. Yeah, I hate Rudy too. So what's the problem?… Just joking. Thanks for the review.

SamuraiChris::: Err… another slap Rudy. I'm really leaning towards that right now. Guess. I should tell the truth. I already wrote what will happen after the kiss. And…. Well… err never mind. Yes. As you can tell, you all want Ash back. Now it's up to me. :evil laughter: Gulp. Evil side is back. Meaning read on. Thanks for the review.

Chapter 12

"Yourself?" asked Brock. He couldn't believe what Haruka was telling him. It was his fault, but Haruka was making things seem like hers.

"I guess… I never told you how much I appreciated you. I… could have never gotten through the last seven years without you. When my… mom died, I thought I had lost everything. When… when the Pokémon trade… I thought I had lost a passion that I learned to love. If… it weren't for you, Misty… and Ash, I would have never gotten to this point. Before I met you, I was… petrified of life itself. When… when I saw you kissing Junsar… thought everything was gone. I… I thought it was just like… before. When I lost my best friend… You once asked me why I never trained Pokémon. Well now I'm ready to tell…"

"No… Haruka… what you're saying…. I mean… you shouldn't be the one apologizing to me. It was my entire fault. I was the one that spent the day with Junsar. I was the one that almost lost their reputation… You… Haruka didn't do anything. I should have came straight back after picking up the kids' clothes… You didn't do anything…" Haruka immediately silenced Brock was a finger.

"No… it wasn't your fault… entirely. If… I hadn't been ignoring you… since Senri's birth… this wouldn't have happened. I shouldn't have kicked you out of the house… I was being… unreasonable. You had a prefect good reason, and I wouldn't listen… I am sorry," mumbled Haruka.

Brock shook his head simply. "No… it wasn't your fault. It was my… fault. I… had a bad reputation as a teen. If I hadn't… built such a bad reputation, you would have believed me…" Haruka similes as silences Brock again.

"No… I shouldn't have judged you based on your past. We've been married for so long. I should have known to truth you… but I didn't…"

"And you had a good reason too… believe me, Haruka. If I was in your place… I would have done the same thing." Haruka glazed at Brock and grinned.

"You would have?" asked Haruka curiously.

Brock immediately went red before nodding. "Yeah, I would have," muttered Brock.

Haruka grinned. She had just learned another weakness from her husband. She clasped her hand around Brock's. "Thank you."

Brock nodded. He lightly kissed Haruka's cheeks before breaking into a smile. "What?"

"Nothing," muttered Brock.

"BROCK!" Haruka's eye's tilted before she ran her hands through Brock's shoulders. He lightly glazed the side of his neck. A light laughter erupted from Brock's mouth. Haruka grinned as she continued the task. Once more another light snicker escaped from his mouth turning into on sought of laughter.

"Ha… Haruka… s… stop," said Brock is a fret of laughter.

"I will, if you tell me what's so funny," said Haruka.

"Uncle! Uncle! Mercy! Mercy!" shirked Brock.

Haruka grinned as she watched her husband call out uncle. "Brooocck," whined Haruka.

"W… what?" asked Brock.

"Tell me," whispered Haruka as she continued to tickle Brock's side.

"F… fine. I… tell," shouted Brock. Haruka immediately stopped as Brock sat up.

"I was just thinking about our first kiss?"

"First kiss?" Haruka raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, our first kiss. I remember it. Don't you?"

Haruka nodded. She remembered that day very well…

"This is not fair! I don't want to go looking for firewood," pouted a sixteen-year-old boy.

"It's you turn," said an older boy. "How am I suppose to cook without firewood?"

"Err…" muttered the first boy.

"Exactly… Now go…"

"But why?"

"Because you're the best at collecting firewood. That's why," snapped the older boy. The young child moaned.

"It's your fault, Brock," muttered the boy.

Brock rolled his eyes as he eyed the two girls to his side and the much younger boy probably only nine. One of the girls looked up and meet Brock's eyes. She sighed as she stood up. "Fine… I'll go. You coming… Haruka? Masato?" asked the girl.

"No," said the two in unison.

"Fine," muttered the girl. She had just gotten back from Cerulean to find that things were already going back to normal. Except for Brock that is. He hadn't flirt with a girl in weeks. She and Ash were making fun of him. They had this theory that it was because of Haruka. Or more like her theory. Ash was still as dense as ever.

"Come on Ash," said the girl. The young boy looked up and groaned.

"But…"

"But nothing Ash," said the girl. She eyed her friend funnily. The boy sighed.

"Fine, Mist," mumbled the boy. He turned to face the five Pokémon who were playing together. "Hey Pik, Kimori. You coming?"

The yellow rodent and the strange chameleon thing nodded they head. They immediately ran to their trainer as the young girl picked up her egg. "Remember, firewood," shouted Brock. The two nodded before disappearing into the woods. Brock sighed as he looked across to the brother-sister duo. Haruka and Masato had been traveling with them for a year already. It had been an eventful year, now a new year was dawning about them. Ash almost had enough badges to enter the tournament. Just one more gym and that were most going to be against Senri, Masato and Haruka's father. Ash had lost because he didn't have enough Pokémon. Well he did now, and as they neared Touya City Brock's heart beat faster each minute.

Haruka and Masato had both gotten stronger over the year. Haruka was a successful trainer now, and she could handle herself in a trainer battle. Brock knew that he would have to say good bye to Haruka soon. She and Masato only joined them to gain experience. Now that they were experienced trainers, they would to leaving soon. Secretly Brock didn't what them to leave.

"Brock," said a sweet voice.

"Uhmm?" asked Brock to no one in particular.

"BROCK!" shouted the voice this time more angrily.

"Uhmm?" A hard slap was felt on his head waking Brock from his thoughts.

"Ouch!" shouted Brock. Brock looked around and sighed. There she was… the cute, sweet girl. "Haruka! What you do that for?"

"Brock!" shouted Haruka again. A small snicker could be heard.

"WHAT?" shouted Brock and Haruka together at the young boy. The boy immediately cringed as he nearly dropped his Poké-navi.

"Nothing," muttered Masato. He was used to me tormented by his sister and their friends. Since Misty's return, he has been petrified. Masato had turned into a Pokémon freak. He had this thing for wanting to know every Pokémon, their attacks, and levels. Misty would yell at him each time, he got annoying or nosy. Before Misty joined them a few weeks ago, Haruka, Brock and Ash use to laugh and call him a Prof.'s pet.

"Brock," muttered Haruka.

"Huh?" asked Brock reverting his glaze back at Haruka.

"Ash, Misty," replied Haruka simply.

"Huh?" asked Brock. He didn't get what Haruka meant.

"They… they aren't back yet… you don't think the… the monster… got them do you?" asked Haruka.

Brock immediately paled. "W… what monster?"

"When Masato and I were kids, our parents told us of a monster that hunt little kids at night. It was get us to come home early."

"Isn't that… fake?" asked Brock raising his eyebrow.

Haruka shook her head. "No," mumbled Haruka. "I use to think that too. Every kid in Touya did, until that fateful summer night. It was the longest day. At midnight a kid left his house as if being dared to. The next day his bones were found cover in his own blood."

"Eep. So… so you mean we… we… could get eaten?" asked Brock. Haruka nodded plainly.

"Okay then. We better go find them before the monster gets them," mumbled Brock. "Mizugorou." A small, water Pokémon turned around from where it was sleeping and walked over to Brock.

"Achamo, come over here," called Haruka. The small, chicken Pokémon flew over to Haruka and landed on her shoulder.

"Mizugorou, Achamo, go with Masato to find Ash and Misty," ordered Brock.

"Huh?" asked Masato turning around when he heard his name being called.

"We got to go find Ash and Misty," said Haruka.

"Why?" asked Masato.

"The monster," answered Haruka. Masato raised his eyebrows. He suddenly understood what Haruka meant and shuddered.

"O… okay," muttered Masato. "Mizugorou, Achamo, come here." The two starter Pokémon went over to Masato. Achamo landed on Masato's shoulders as Masato picked up Mizugorou.

"Spread out and look. Haruka and I will go one way. You go the other. We meet up in one hour," ordered Brock. The two, small groups set out. The dinner was forgotten, as was the firewood. An hour had come and past, unfortunately for those two without Masato's Poké-navi, they were hopelessly lost.

Instead of finding Ash and Misty, they had lost their way them selves. The two ended up on a riverbank. Brock had suggested they rest before finding a way back. Brock had left upstream to find some kind of a clue leaving Haruka alone. A loud howl was heard. Without her Pokémon, Haruka panicked. She forgot everything. They had taught her about wildness survive and immediately ran. Still she didn't want to run into the forest; the only way she could go was forward. So into the river, Haruka fell.

She immediately screamed as the current carried her downstream. Upstream Brock heard Haruka's cries, and immediately came running. "Haruka!" scream Brock. He found that Haruka wasn't there. "Haruka!"

A muffled sound could be heard, as Brock looked farther downstream. There he saw Haruka's head and arms bobbing up and down. "Haruka!" screamed Brock petrified. "Hang on. I'm coming!"

"Hang on?" asked Haruka confused. She turned around and saw what Brock meant. There in front of her, was a tree branch sticking out from the banks. Haruka threw herself on the branch and held on for dear life. Brock caught up soon, and immediately took the branch. Inch by inch he edged his hand to touch Haruka's.

"Grab on!" shouted Brock.

"I can't," moaned Haruka.

"Yes, you can," shouted Brock. Beards of sweat poured from his face as he tried to inch forward more. A thought hit his mind as he noticed how much faster the water was going now. Brock looked further down stream as an image hit him. There a few feet away was a… WATERFALL. Brock was alerted back as he heard a loud scream. Haruka had disappeared from the branch. The stick had broken off, and Haruka was heading for the waterfall.

Brock screamed as he pulled out, from his belt a long rope. "Haruka catch," screamed Brock. Haruka looked up and saw a whip heading her way. She immediately grabbed it and held on for dear life. Brock managed to bring her back. The young girl was grasping for air as she finally was back on dry land.

"You okay?" asked Brock concerned. Haruka looked up giving him an evil eye.

"What you think? I almost drowned," said Haruka with much sarcasm.

"I… I… am sorry," muttered Brock looking down. Haruka immediately looked up and her face saddens.

"For what?" asked Haruka.

"For losing my concentration. I almost lost you just then," muttered Brock.

"I… I never knew you cared," muttered Haruka.

"I do care," mumbled Brock. Haruka raised her head as Brock inched forward. He lightly stroked the side of Haruka's face. A beam of moonlight shone on her face enlightening her lovely eyes even more.

Haruka smiled as for once she saw Brock not as a friend, but as something more. A hidden but powerful force pushed them to the breaking point. Brock inched forward as Haruka inched closer. Through the ray of moonlight, two broke into a solemn kiss. The two shared their first real kiss. The kiss was short but filled with passion.

"B… Brock," muttered Haruka.

"H…Haruka," mumbled Brock. The two immediately blushed. "I…"

"Shhh," muttered Haruka. "I know." Behind them a snicker could be heard followed by laughter. The two teens immediately turned around, to find that they had been watched…

Haruka grinned as she came out of her memories. "What?" asked Brock looking at his wife strangely.

"I understand now," said Haruka.

"Yes, even though we were being watched it was still sweet," muttered Brock.

Haruka cocked her head and turned to face her husband. "Brock, I was wondering."

"Yeah?"

"Where did you get the whip from?

"Huh?" asked Brock curiously.

"The whip," muttered Haruka again.

Brock immediately sweat dropped. "I can't remember."

"Oh."

"But still, even today it was sweet." Brock grinned. Haruka raised her eyebrow then lowered it. Brock had unexpectedly changed the subject. She grinned before moving closer to Brock. They had finally made up as the two shared a single kiss.

"AHHHHH!"

Brock and Haruka immediately broke from their kiss. "What was that?" asked Brock.

"I don't know. Let's go check it out," said Haruka. The two took off towards the direction the scream came from. Unknown to them, this time, just like the first time they had kissed, there was an audience.

A/N: Hee hee. Once again a cliffhanger, I love cliffhangers… not. I just love writing them. Where did that screaming come from… err… I don't know. Wait! :checks brain: I do know, but I won't tell till the next chapter. You'll find out after four reviews and when I finish writing it. Oh yeah and here's a question that I need to ask you all. Does any one know how to write Soul Stealer, Light, Dark, darkness, black, white, sword of, stone of, and crystal of, in Japanese. Who ever tells me, I'll dedicate the next chapter to them.