DISCLAIMER: Why do I still bother with these? We don't own Pokemon. How would we get the power to do that?

A/N: Okay okay, stop pelting the tomatoes already! I KNOW it's been nearly a year since we updated this and for that we are incredibly sorry. It's gotten hard, I've been without a computer and for the most part I talk to Grocko maybe once a month, whereas before it was once a day, lol. So please forgive us, we honestly appreciate and thrive on the support you guys have given us. I've received dozens of emails asking for an update and I'm so so sorry it's taken this long. But hopefully you'll agree it was worth it! Read on and enjoy!

Chapter 6 – Funeral & Frustration

"It's a long hard road to the promised land, when you fear in your heart what you don't understand."

--Eric "Brock" Stuart--"A Bad Seed To Sow."

The car pulled up outside the huge building, just before 10 am that morning. The short ten minute drive was done so in silence. Brock ever keeping his eyes on the road, Andrea asleep in the back seat, with myself blankly staring out the window in my own little world watching the deserted streets go by. Ash for his part respected that I needed this time for reflection and didn't utter a word, surprising as it sounds. He just kept his hand on my knee throughout the drive, assuring me he was there when I needed him.

The whole concept of time seem to elapse too quickly for my likening as before I knew it I had found both Ash and myself standing to the entrance of the huge building with our goodbyes to Brock being uttered not but seconds earlier, as he had quickly departed, thus taking Andrea away from this place, this place of sorrow and despair.

For what seemed like an eternity I just stood there blankly staring into nothingness, amply followed by the choking back of an inhaled sob, trying desperately to maintain my composure in a bid to brace myself for what was to come. I stole a glance around me to find Ash intently staring at me worriedly, his arms folded, not sure how or what to say to aid me through my inner turmoil at this time. He seemed to stall a moment before finally speaking up.

"Misty..." he mouthed softly. I cast my eyes upon him before reverting them back to the building, and then simply uttered two simple words.

"Hold me" I whimpered softly, to which in response he once more seemed to be rooted to the spot, somewhat scared and uneasy about doing or saying the wrong thing within this moment. He hastily approached me, wrapping me in his arms. I buried my head into his chest as I stood there trying to take some shred of comfort to his kind words and gentle touch.

"I realize this will be nothing but a cliche to you at this time honey, but the pain you're feeling will pass in time...it will pass in time..."he whispered softly as I merely stood there letting the rain cascade upon me while trying to take what shred of comfort of which I could from the one I loved.

Once we had mustered the mental resolve to enter the building we were shocked to discover that the services were running somewhat late on this morn, and due to the constricting time span of the whole process, of which you could tell right away my mother had flung together on the cheap, we found ourselves taking part in the wake / keegar whatever others call it before the actual service in the reception of the building's main hall.

You could cut the tension with a knife. Numerous strangers and bickering family members assembled in a huge hall brought together for a purpose no one wanted to be there for. I for my part was a nervous wreck. I kept looking towards my sisters awaiting a cold glare, or some sort of sarcastic look as my mother seemed to ignore my presence completely, engrossed in conversations and taking in sympathy from anyone who was everyone who would give it to her

"My God! How much longer are they going to make us wait, acting out this bloody charade!" I blurted out bitterly as Ash approached me with a plate of food.

"Misty, calm down will you? No one has said anything to you. Besides, you can't exactly speed along other peoples bereavement." I sighed as I took the plate from him. He was right, I was being totally narrow minded here. I was not the only person within the community suffering on this day.

"You're right Ash, I'm sorry..." He sighed as he grasped me by the shoulders and focused my head to face him.

"Look, I know this is hard for you but you've got to be strong.....you have the chance to do something here I never had - to say goodbye. I think your father would have wanted you to with a clear conscience, don't you? Whatever anger you're feeling, whatever hostility you experience Mist, please for God's sake let it go."

I gazed into his eyes wondering if he had lost his mind. He was basically asking me to accomplish an impossible task. How could he even stand there and ask that of me?

"Ash Ketchum, I love you and you mean the world to me, but that's it, no more coffee in the mornings for you" I quipped in response as he merely proceeded to glare at me with a bemused stare.

"Misty! I'm serious here" he warned as I placed the plate down on a near by table and folded my arms in befuddlement.

"You've got to be kidding me here!" I said, trying hard to keep my vocal base at a steady level. He went to say something but I hastily cut him short, as my anger seemed to boil over.

"You expect me to plaster a smile on my face and totally forget everything those people have done to me....done to us?" I stammered as he rubbed his hands down his face

"Will you settle down? I wasn't implying that -" I cut him short yet again, for I just felt as if he had unearthed a buried rage that I had been trying so desperately to suppress for all this time.

"The hell you weren't!" I spat out bitterly. He grasped my arms as I went to move away from him.

"Misty will you just hear me out for a second!" he advised as I focused my gaze back upon him.

"Mist if life has taught me anything..." I smirked playfully as he cut himself short. "Yeah I know at times I ain't the sharpest knife in the drawer but just listen a sec, ok?" I could not help but initiate a sigh of exasperation.

"Ash, in case you haven't noticed I am at my father's funeral here so could we move this along please?" I asked as he nodded and let go of my arms.

"Alright, what I am trying to say here Mist is...no matter what indiscretions they might bestow upon you, no matter how much your sisters might snub or mistreat you and no matter how much of a bitch your mother becomes to you.....at the end of the day, especially during a time like this, they are still your family. They are hurting just as much as you are. Their frustration towards you is just their way of coping. Remember Mist, he was the girls' father too. And yeah he was in the proceedings of divorcing your mom but part of him must have loved her and vice versa, cause if that was not the case...then I wouldn't have the girl I love right now." I stood there taking in his words. I never thought within my lifetime I would say this but Ash Ketchum sort of began to make sense!

"Mist please, if they don't do it themselves, don't get mixed up in a war of words today. Your dad wouldn't have wanted it that way" he urged as he placed a hand on my cheek. I choked back an inhaled sob as I moved my arms around his neck.

"Alright. For you...." I whispered as I moved closer to him in a bid to merge my lips with his but he stopped me.

"No! Don't do this for me. Hell, don't even do it for your father. Do it for yourself sweetheart. Prove that you're better than them. Don't raise to it" he told me as I nodded and brushed my lips into contact with his. Our moment of intimacy was rather abruptly interrupted by a third voice.

"Well well, like look who's here and fashionably on time for once!" I heard Violet chime as I whirled around in Ash's arms to be confronted by my three sisters.

"Guys" I acknowledged with a slight nod. "Good to see you don't let your fashion sense go to waste considering the somber occasion" I commented, referring to the bright dresses they wore despite the fact they were at a funeral.

"Well Misty, we are suppose to be celebrating dad's life today...and black is such a depressing color" Daisy commented in a tone which I could not help detect had some sarcasm based within it.

"Fair comment" I finally responded, resigning to the fact I had no come back for that last statement. I let go of Ash as Violet scanned her surroundings a second.

"So! Where's the kid?" I took a step forward a moment, wanting to basically wipe the floor with her for that comment, but Ash placed a hand on my shoulder. I cast my eyes at him and seeing a slight shake of the head, I merely cleared my throat and softly spoke.

"Her name is Andrea, and to answer your question Brock's looking after her this morning" I informed her as she merely nodded to my words. Lily for her part was being awful quiet, for I detect she was still wrestling with where her loyalties truly lied. I re-focused my gaze on Violet as she had spotted the table I had laid my plate of food upon. For unbeknownst to me I had placed it upon a table with numerous other plate where located. Little did I know my sister would be underhanded enough to use this as a catalyst to a provincial war of words.

"Say, that food yours?" she asked, pointing in the direction of the table. Not knowing any better I just shrugged and nodded my head. Little did I know that was my first mistake.

"Geez! Little sis! What's up with your appetite lately?" Violet commented, to which Daisy suddenly exclaimed a theory of her own.

"Like, my God! The Casanova there hasn't knocked you up again has he?" Now I got to say even that one took Ash aback as the phrase of, "Say what!" escaped from the back of his throat. As for me my rage was at an all time high.

"What did you just say!!!" I shouted as another voice was heard.

"Alright that's enough! My God I don't need this today.....and I might have known you were involved!" For the voice that just spoke was my mother and yes, she was referring to myself. She approached and stood between us.

"Now what's the problem here?" she asked, casting her eyes around Ash and the four of us.

"No problem "I commented, folding my arms and taking a few steps back towards Ash.

"Hey Misty, better get you a seat near the rest room, women in your condition and all and with such a long service ahead." My mother whirled around at me, her mouth agape.

"What!! You're pregnant?!" It was then my resolve snapped.

"I'm not pregnant!!!" I roared as even Ash decided to back off on that one.

"Now now sis! Don't have a hissy fit! You wouldn't be the first member of our family showing up at a funeral carrying something other than a heavy heart and a since of bereavement" Daisy mocked as I, to put it bluntly, had had enough. I lunged at her but was held back by Ash. In the process something fell from my pocket to which my mother indicated. She bent down and picked it up.

"What's this?" she asked, picking up what I now recognized as the small photograph I had brought with me.

"That's your granddaughter Mrs. Waterflower" Ash commented as I went to grab it from her but he held me at bay. My mother flipped it over and cast her eyes upon the small picture.

"She's... beautiful..."she muttered, to which I shifted uncomfortably.

"Thanks" I muttered uncertainly. She seemed to take a few seconds to stare at the object within her hands as my sisters leaned in to get a closer look. I even got a squeal from them which was surprising in itself.

"She has your cheekbones" my mother commented, referring to Ash. He smiled gratefully.

"I wonder if she'll have her mothers zealous for life when she grows up" my mother observed as Ash seemed to be confused at what she meant.

"And that means?"

"Oh you know....go out, sleep around, have under age sex..." That was all I heard as after the phrase "sleep around" I had lunged forward and proceeded to swing my hand in an air swift motion and as she finished her words my hand came into contact with her face.

"You bitch!!! Just when I think there might be a remote chance you're being Goddamn sincere!! I...." That was all I got out as Ash had picked me up on his shoulders and started making his way out of the room.

"Alright, won't be long! Misty and myself are just popping out side to grab some air...maybe retrieve her sanity while we're at it!" he shouted. He walked outside as I repeatedly pounded on his shoulders.

"Ash for God's sake put me down!" I hissed.

"Not until you promise not to kill your mother!" he mused as he had arrived within the hallway.

"Dammit! Alright" I conceded as he put me down to face him

"It's just she makes it so Goddamn difficult! Did you hear the thing she said?"

He nodded. "I ain't deaf Misty" he informed me. "But the fact is you went back on your word of earlier already" he told me. My mouth gaped open.

"What!! You expect me to stand there and let them slander my little girl! Forget it!"

"Misty, don't you see what they've done? They plop the biggest piece of bait in front of you and you've bitten like a starving piranha!" I glared at him. "I can't believe you're turning on me over this!" I shouted.

"I am not turning on you, Misty! For God's sake, this town already has a screwed up picture of you! Do you think what's just transpired in there helps your case? If nothing it gives validation to whatever they might have said about you."

I knew I should have listened to him.. I knew some of what he was saying did make perfect sense. But I just couldn't bring myself to do so, I just couldn't trust his word. My blood was at a boil and instead of throwing my arms around him and taking what comfort from him I could, I found myself doing the one thing I least expected.

"When you're ready to stand up for your daughter as am I, then come back and we'll talk." And with that I left him in the hallway with his thoughts.

The rest of the service went by unexpectedly with no more glitches. We all got to say goodbye the way it should be done, but my sense of betrayal by Ash somewhat spoiled the occasion. I sat alongside him throughout but did not dare utter a word to him. I just could not comprehend how he could see another's point of view against that of his daughter's.

Even Brock seemed mystified when we got back to the hotel as to why I was so pissed at him. I merely barged through the door, walked into our bedroom and threw some pillows outside within the lounge. Finding no way to make sense of it all I found I had cried myself to sleep. In the distance I could hear Ash explaining to Brock the bare bones of what happened.

Several hours must have passed me by in disruptive slumber as the bedroom door slowly opened. Keeping my eyes closed I felt a hand slip down my cheek, softly wiping the tear infested droplets that remained. It moved away and I sternly reached out and softly spoke.

"How in the hell do you put up with me? Even when I'm a total bitch to you?" I asked, opening my eyes and casting them upon Ash.

"That's my job" he muttered, sitting down to face me to which I nodded with a grin. He sighed. "Mist, you know I was right today. You've lost this one sweetheart" he informed me with a sly grin.

"I know baby. It's just going to take a little time to get down from this particular high horse...I just can't stand anyone saying anything like that about her" I told him, referring to our daughter. "She ok?" I asked as he lay down beside me and wrapped me in his arms.

"She's fine, had a feed from the bottle about an hour ago and is out like a light" he assured

me. I smiled to myself as I leaned tighter into his embrace.

"I love you...." I whispered sleepily. He kissed my neck with a sigh.

"Yeah I know" he muttered exhaustedly as I felt his grip on me loosen. I turned to see he had withdrawn into the land of slumber. I snuggled close against him as I pondered over the days events, for the circle was now complete if you like, my father could now rest in peace. While our lives though still had many bumps along the way, I knew all obstacles were for another day. For sleep was all I desired a clear conscious of body sprit and mind.

A/N: Well! Are you all happy now?! LOL, I am too, I can't wait to start writing my part, even though I don't have a computer or a clear-cut image of how this is gonna go. But I'll do my best. I'm not setting any deadlines for this story, as I said it has become increasingly difficult to write stuff without a computer and I am doing this at work so you may next hear that I am unemployed for breaching internet rules, lol. Nonetheless, we are hoping to not be so slack in the future. Once again thanks oh so much for the kind words, look out for the next installment ASAP!!

P.S. For some odd reason the paragraphing went screwy. Hope you can all bear it out!