DISCLAIMER: Don't own Pokémon. I'm getting kinda bored of saying this...

A/N: Well who said anything about being on hiatus?! Geo has written a chapter and he's gonna write the next one too so woohoo, we're back into it! Sorry about the delays and all, busy busy and computers crashing and so on and so on...I'll stop making excuses. Read on and enjoy!

Chapter 5 - Banter Before Bereavement

The unmistakable sound of thunder and water ravaging the hotel room windows rapidly played through out my senses, for yes, it was now morning, and yes as you have guessed it was raining on this morn. What a fitting set of circumstances to coincide with the events about to take place huh? As I sat at the mirror sorting my hair, I saw Ash stir lightly through it as he sat up in bed.

"Mist?" he said sleepily, wiping his eyes as he stole a glance at the clock. I did not reply to him, just continued to fondle my hair as I continually glanced myself over in the mirror.

"Misty" Ash started with a concerned sigh as he arose from the bed and walked up behind me, laying his hands to rest on my shoulders as he approached. I just hoped to god above he could not see my tears as I sat there. He did not deserve to go through the rigmarole of seeing me in discomfort like this, not him, for in reality he was all keeping me going through this. Well, not that Andie and Brock's antics did not help, however Ash was the backbone of it all if you like, the catalyst that started every shred of comfort I had within life at this moment in the proceedings. However the fates did not yield or hinder my earlier plea, as Ash instantly noticed my distress, as I suspect the shaking of my shoulders was the attribute that gave it away.

"Honey? Come on, you know I hate to see you like this" he choked out as he moved the chair around to face him as he got onto his knees before me. The pain in his tone, god I can't shake this overwhelming feeling of guilt. I hate to see him upset, I really do, it's just...a delicate thumb tracing across my lips cut my pondering state short, as my eyes opened to be confronted by that wonderful smile, that smile I knew was especially for me. I could do nothing but respond to it in tow, as I was rather abruptly picked up from my chair and pulled against him, laying my hands to rest around his neck upon impact.

"What are you doing up so early?" he asked tenderly, finally mouthing something besides my name, or a name of endearment in concern for the first time that morning.

"Would you be able to sleep to a decent hour on such a day?" I retorted back with somewhat haste and bitterness in my tone. The look of shock and the undertone of sadness within his eyes told me that was not the best answer to give at this time. I sighed as I laid my head to rest upon his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, I should not be taking this out on you." He nodded as if knowing my words were nothing but the truth.

"Hey look, you have every reason to be edgy on today of all days" he started. He pulled away from me and gazed into my eyes.

"Besides, even if you had a shot gun at my head at the moment I would never stop loving you despite your mood. So knowing I can handle that I think I can handle this" he explained. I merely smiled gratefully at him. He could understand the reasons behind my attitude and I was also slightly eased that he was as wonderful as he was when it came to listening to my inner emotions. I tenderly ran my hand down his jaw line.

"God, what did I do to deserve you?" I asked him, almost choking up as I said it. He grinned at me, briefly kissed me and began making his way to the bathroom.

"That one's easy honey" he told me as he opened the room door. I cocked an eyebrow at him.

"Oh yeah, care to enlighten me?" I asked. He turned to me with a grin.

"Simple, you went fishing, and well had adequate bait" he explained.

"Bait?" I laughed at the metaphor he used.

"Well, care to elaborate on that?" I asked him, raising an eyebrow. He stopped short at the bathroom's entrance.

"Say what?" He asked, turning round to face me. I coyly walked up to him.

"Come on, what was it? What was the one thing that stuck out that first time you saw me? The thing that told you I was the one, the thing that told you, you would need nothing else" I quizzed. And let me tell you for something that started out as a small joke, I was really rather intrigued as to what his answer would be

"Uh, Mist, it's going to sound kind of dumb" he replied, averting his eyes to the ground to avoid my gaze. I tilted his chin so he would lock eyes with me once more.

"Ash, please tell me?" I whispered. He stared at me intently a moment, as if seeking out reassurances within my eyes, that once he revealed to me his answer I would not obliterate him from the face of the earth.

"You...you really want to know?" he asked me, tracing my nose with his index finger. I nodded.

"Alright." A moment's silence, and then as he reverted his eyes from me I heard two words escape his mouth in just an audible whisper.

"Your hair." I blinked in disbelief.

"Whaaa?" I spluttered out. I was in all honesty speechless, that was not what I was expecting. Slowly and as composed as I could I put forth the obvious question.

"Why my hair Ash?" I asked softly. He gazed at me a moment, a gaze that showed nothing but insecurity.

"Uh, Mist its kind of hard to explain" he admitted.

"Try me" I challenged with a smile. He rubbed his temple with a sigh a moment as I awaited him to go on.

"I don't know why your hair Misty, it just stuck out the most to me, I guess in a sense it reminded me of my overall personality back then, for even though overall I didn't have a clue at times, your hair reminded me a lot of myself. Wild, unpredictable, fiery, and timid." He paused and eyed me a moment.

"But as the days, weeks, months and eventually years went by, I was able to see past the hair, I was able to see past the tomboyish hot headed persona that you yourself endeared to me." He stopped and took my hands in his. I was in all honesty hanging on his every word he said at this moment in time, because in reality they were 100 accurate.

"I was able to see past all those barriers, and even survive a brief time apart from you and it was because of my ability to do these things that I obtained the thing I have today." He explained. I swallowed hard, not for the first time that morning on the verge of tears, even if the reason behind my emotions was somewhat different this time around.

"And what is it you think you have today, Ash? What has evolved from the tomboyish girl with the unpredictable hair?" In a sense I already knew his answer, or at least I thought I did. I was expecting the girl I love or something along those lines, but the answer I got stunned even me. I think in reality what he said stunned even himself, but hell in his eyes, he was making me happy, getting my mind off of the events to come. Of what was his reply, you ask? Simply this.

"What I have today is something you can only hope to find within a given lifetime, what I have today is the mother of my daughter, the key to my heart, the girl of my dreams." He stopped and took me by the waist.

"What I have today is you" he mouthed softly as he dissented his lips on mine once more. I was in a dream world at this time; his words touched me in regions of my soul I never knew existed, but as with my so-called dream world and dreams themselves, it had to end and end it did as Brock entered into our room. He sighed in a playful manner at us, thus breaking our lip lock.

"Oh for god's sake you two! I tell ya, I'd be better off staying in a bloody rabbit hutch!" Ash, rather pissed off to put it lightly, pulled away from me and grinned.

"Oh Brocko! Come on man, you know rabbits can't hold a candle to my voluptuous redhead and myself." Upon hearing these words leave his mouth I burst out laughing as Brock scowled at us both.

"You two are sick in the head, you know that?" he teased. I smirked at him as I stole a glance at Ash.

"So sue us!" I quipped. Brock smiled at me.

"Yes, I can almost picture it already, Andrea's autobiography in stores, with a title that will do nothing but shock the world" he explained. Ash just let out a laugh as I grew curious.

"Oh Really Brock? So what's this so-called title of my darling daughter's book then?" he smirked.

"The Sexual Compulsive years by Andrea Ketchum" he mocked. Ash burst out laughing. I on the other hand just stood there, part of me knew I should have played along but something stopped me. Was Brock's attempt at humour a foresight of what was to come? If Ash and I were not careful was that the light our little girl would see us in? Brock immediately picked up on what I was thinking and tried his hardest to put my mind at ease.

"Mist get that thought out of your head right now! You and Ash do all you can for that girl to the best of your abilities despite the circumstances. As long as you continue to give her the love and support you have given her thus far, nothing else is needed" he told me. I sighed, his words did go a long way to settle this uneasy feeling I had.

"Thanks Brock." He nodded as Ash spoke up.

"Speaking of my princess any sound from her on your way in Brocko?" he asked him. Brock shook his head, indicating no.

"Nah man, dead to the world not a peep" Brock told him. Ash thought for a moment.

"Hmm I think I will go check on her" Ash said out loud. I nodded.

"Honey if she does not waken, let her sleep" I called to him as he walked past Brock to the door. He sighed.

"Yes, yes, anything else my fair lady?" I smiled.

"I love you" I told him tenderly. He nodded at me, turned and left the room. Brock sighed.

"You know by the time I go home I am going to need some major therapy" he mocked. I smiled at him.

"Well hun, if you can't stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen" I retorted.

"Aren't we a barrel of laughs this morning, all things considered." I fell silent, realising what he had meant by that comment. Brock realised his mistake instantly and wasted no time in approaching me and placing a hand on my shoulder.

"Honey I'm sorry I was out of line there, I -" I cut him short.

"No Brock, it's alright, no sense in holding off the inevitable" I told him. He smiled at me, and then reverted the conversation to a whole new level.

"Listen Mist, now I got you alone for a moment I have a proposition for ya" he told me. I blinked. I realised his hand had not left my shoulder and I smirked.

"Oh Brock I'm flattered but...." He raised an eyebrow.

"But?" I had too composed myself as I said my next sentence.

"A one woman man's all I wanna be and there's only one perfect guy for me" I spluttered as I burst out laughing in front of him. His face drained of all colour at the memory.

"Fucking hell! I knew one day one of you two would throw that back in my face!" he teased as he began to laugh along with me. It took as a few seconds to regain our composure and when we finally did Brock's attitude turned more serious.

"Misty all jokes aside, that proposal I was on about." I nodded.

"Yeah I'm sorry, please go on Brock" I told him.

"Look I have this mate of mine who's involved in the stock market, and Ash has filled me in on your mothers antics and, well." He paused and looked at me.

"He recently got a tip for some stock that can't fail. What I am saying is, if you could make a contribution I could double maybe even triple it within the next two to three days." I gazed at him a moment unsure.

"Brock isn't that a risky game?"

"Normally it is Mist, but like I said he can't lose, guaranteed." I thought for a moment.

"I appreciate the thought Brock, but the only spare money I have on me is next month's rent" I explained.

"Misty, you guys are like family to me, all I want to do is help you in every way I can so here's what I'm going to do. Give me what you have got, and if the stock fails, I'll pay your rent for you, in fact I'll pay the next two months in advance" he explained. I blinked in shock. He would do that for us? I sighed.

"Brock I could not ask that of you -" He interrupted me.

"I insist, either way it gives you guys some breathing space financially for a few months" he explained. In a way his offer did make sense, and considering all he had done for us thus far how could I refuse? I smiled at him as I pleased a small kiss on his cheek.

"You're a good friend Brock Slate, you know that?" He grinned at me.

"I try." And so yeah, I gave him the money, and with that he went off to do whatever it is he had to before we left for the crematorium. I dunno, I guess somewhere in the back of my mind I realised life is too short to always live by the book, at times you have to roll the dice and take a gamble to see what happens, and although there was no risk involved whatever the outcome thanks to Brock generosity, a part of me hoped that his friend's information was accurate. Ash and I needed some good fortune in our lives right now. At that thought I sighed. It was almost time, time to face my mother, to confront my sisters, and to say goodbye to my father for the last time. Could I really do it? Could I get through such a morbid day in my life? That, I knew, was a question that only the concept of time could give the answer to.

A/N: And what can I say? It's one in the morning and we've got a chapter up, go go go! lol, anyways thanks so much for the reviews thus far, we both really appreciate them, and I really can't type much more without my burnt hands dying on me. So look out for the next one, it'll be up here ASAP, and AAML forever! Yay!