DISCLAIMER: Should I even bother with this? We don't own Pokémon.

A/N: It's finally here! I managed to finish it! And I can promise you all that the updates are going to be MUCH more regular – me and my partner went out on the weekend and chucked a computer on our credit card so at last I have one I can use whenever I want! Anyways sit back and enjoy, hope it's been worth the wait!

Chapter Seven – A Gut Wrenching Proposal

I don't know how I managed to wake up the next morning - my eyelids had felt like bricks when I'd gone to bed. It was a humid Cerulean day, the sun glaring through the smallest of partings in the hotel's curtains. I groaned and sat up. I had a horrible feeling something awful had happened yesterday but my mind was a hazy fog of jumbled memories...

Then it all came rushing back in a flood. The funeral. My sisters. "Sleep around, have underage sex..."

My fists involuntarily clenched around the sheets at the recollection of my mother's words. How dare she. How could she stand there and insult her own granddaughter, let alone her daughter who was standing in front of her?

Ash and Andrea must have already been up. I could hear the gentle hum of a television and Ash's voice, although by the pauses and getting no response from Brock I could assume he was on the phone, most likely to Delia.

"Yeah...no she's fine, all things considered...honestly, we're okay, just looking forward to coming home...our flight arrives at two..."

Yes, we were leaving that very day. There was no point in any of us staying and it did become expensive staying at hotels after a while.

I slid out of bed and padded my way into the lounge. Brock was sitting on the couch holding Andrea, who was absolutely enthralled with grabbing his face, most particularly his nose.

"Oh sweetie, that hurts Uncle Brocko" I softly chided, although judging by Brock's laughter I could tell he didn't really mind. He rarely did. God he would make a great father if he ever learnt to settle down.

"Hey it's alright Mist, been a while since I've felt the sometimes painful female touch" he grinned. I swatted his arm, watching his grin widen. "I knew that was where you got your strength, Andie. When Mommy's angry she can be a touch wee bi -"

"Okay okay, no cursing in front of the kid" I interrupted as I took her off him, and then immediately cringed at my words. They were what Violet had used to describe her niece. The kid. The home wrecker. The thing that had destroyed everyone's lives...

Brock caught on to my tension and raised an eyebrow. "Hey Mist, everything okay? Ash told me you had a run in with your family yesterday."

"Had to be inevitable, didn't it?" I sighed. Andrea started whimpering and I started her morning feed before I continued talking. "Brock, do you think I...that maybe I should've gone through with the adoption?"

"What! Mist are you crazy?!" he cried out.

"Well maybe our lives would be easier if I did. I know Ash finds her a burden after his lack of defense towards her yesterday" I bitterly spat out, recalling his silence at the harsh words he had clearly heard.

"Now hold up a sec, he told me about that. Sounds like you might be overreacting a fraction."

"I'm not! He didn't utter one protest when those cows decided to have a go at her! Not one word!" I said loudly.

"Is that anything in comparison to the nights he gets up to her, the mornings he plays with her and the hours when he just sits and watches her with pure love and pride?" Brock responded. I fell silent at his points and he sighed. "Look Misty, Andrea's a handful, no doubt about it. All babies are. And yes, your lives may have been easier if you'd given her up. But would they be happier? Would you and Ash ever feel complete knowing your child was in the hands of a stranger?"

"This was all stuff I asked before she was born" I said softly.

"Yeah, and who was the one who changed your mind? It was Ash" Brock replied to his own question. "So you can't tell me he regrets keeping her or thinks she's a burden."

I smiled gratefully at my best friend. He always knew what to say, he always nutted out a situation until it was rectified.

"Thanks Brock."

"What's all this gratitude for?" Ash had walked into the lounge, his call to his mother over.

"Just me doing my best shrink impression" Brock shrugged. "Your lady here thought you might've regretted keeping Andrea." Ash sighed at the words and sat next to me, stroking Andrea's hair as he did.

"Misty, if this has got anything to do with yesterday -"

"It's okay, I know" I smiled. Andrea slowly finished her feed, falling asleep in my arms as per usual. As I stared down at her guilty thoughts scrambled my mind. How could I even consider giving her up? Then an awful thought struck me - Yeah, you only think that cos she's asleep, not screaming her head off.

Oh my God. I hardly deserved to live with thoughts like that. And like the punishment I knew I deserved, a huge wave of nausea gripped me, rocked me so hard I had to clutch to Ash for fear of being knocked over by it.

"Woah Mist, are you alright?" he asked worriedly. As quickly as it had appeared, it faded away and I looked at him in shock. A dull throbbing was resounding in my lower stomach but I immediately put it down to my time of the month. With an impatient groan I nodded.

"Stupid bloody system" I muttered. I noticed Brock and Ash shooting each other strange looks but I suppose on account of not being particularly interested in female body matters, they kept their mouths shut.

"I'll start packing Andrea's things if you like hun" Ash said softly. I nodded with a brief smile as he kissed the top of my head. My stomach was still sore but I hardly had time to think about that now. We had to pack, clean up the hotel (which was scattered with various baby toys, equipment and clothes) check out and leave this damned place for the rest of our lives.

Oh Daddy. I'm so sorry you have to be here forever. Here with the person you tried to escape.

Tears welled in my eyes as I lay Andrea down in her crib, noticing the small distinct features she had of my father. Her rounded chin, so different to both mine and Ash's sharp ones. The makings of a distinguished but dainty nose. A smile so infectious it lit up the world.

Well, all except...

"Misty! I think you better get out here!" I heard Brock yell. Something was wrong. There was a subtle urgency in his tone, like he wasn't trying to scare me while letting me know it was imperative I was there. I frowned and, after one final glance at Andrea, hurried out to the lounge. I could hear Ash in the shower - so much for packing Andrea's things - but what stopped me was the look in Brock's eyes. It frightened me like nothing had before.

"Brock, what's..."

"Someone's here to see you."

It was all he needed to say. I knew who it was without having to guess. I could literally feel the blood from my face rushing downward, forcing my heart to pump faster with this sudden stress. My brain went into overload, running through the reasons for this.

What was she doing here?

I nodded and thanked Brock before striding up to the door. A sudden confidence filled me at the thought of facing my mother again. I knew I could handle it. I had before.

Opening the door I started with "What do you want?"

Her face held no expression. In fact for someone supposedly in mourning she didn't look particularly grief stricken. But what could I expect? Her heart was for no other than herself.

"I've come to talk things through with you."

"Are you mad?!" I cried out. "There is nothing to talk about. You get your money, I lose a father and the blame gets shifted on me and my daughter. Sorry Mom but I'm absolutely sick to death of running through the same old crap with you."

"Misty, please let me in. I have something to tell you that may interest you" she said quietly. My God, she almost sounded pleasant! As if I was going to fall for that.

"Just leave us alone, Mom. You've done enough damage to last us a lifetime" I said bitterly. She sighed and looked me square in the eyes.

"I have a proposition for you concerning your inheritance."

That made me sit up. True, I shouldn't let money rule my head, but with Ash's nest egg from his league days inevitably running out and the enormous expense involved with looking after Andrea, my ears couldn't help but prick up. That and the fact it was one of the only links left to my father.

"I suppose you better come in" I mumbled. She swiftly walked past me and sat down without an invitation to do so. Damn her. I would've made her stand. "So come on, get it over with, we have a flight to catch today" I said stiffly. There was no room for pleasantries here.

"As I said, I have a proposition for you. It wouldn't concern much on your part...in fact you may find it quite a burden off your shoulders" she started. I raised an eyebrow. There had to be a trap here. My mother was on the verge of being nice to me.

"Well...?" I said after a silence.

"I've decided you can keep the inheritance in your name" she said quietly. My eyes grew wide at my initial hope. But of course, it was only initial. "However..."

Shit. Should've seen that word coming.

"There is a condition you'll have to abide to in order to keep it." She paused for dramatic effect and I panicked at the possibilities. Although she had said it could be a burden off my shoulders I still couldn't trust her.

"And that condition is...?" I stammered slightly on my words. God we needed this money. I couldn't deny it much longer. Andrea would be in school in less than five years and if the money all went to Mom we probably wouldn't be able to afford a uniform for her by then.

"You'll have to move back here with us and leave Andrea with Ash in Pallet Town."

Now to be honest, I didn't do the whole "OH MY GOD" shocked performance. I didn't choke on my own saliva, nor did I start shaking or screaming obscenities at her. My heart did a series of flip flops and my breathing got very rapid - so rapid I thought I would faint - but apart from that my external appearance deceived her of my amazement.

It was one of the rare times she had actually called Ash by name, instead of "that boy" or "evil spawn" (well, she hadn't gone that far yet). And it was the one sentence I did not want to hear her say his name. Leave him? And Andrea too? Who did she think I was?

My mind traveled back to the words I had thought only minutes before, where I had wondered if I deserved to keep her. Maybe this was my second opportunity to give Andrea up. My punishment for thinking she was only good if she wasn't screaming or being imperfect. It had been a brief thought but these were the consequences.

"You're thinking it through, aren't you?" my mother asked with a devious smile after a long silence. I slowly raised my eyes to take in her proud form. She thought she had won me over. She thought that after all I had been through for my daughter I'd come running back to her at the whiff of a few green notes.

She thought wrong.

"Get out mother. And don't contact me again. For my good and your own" I said icily. She sighed and stood up, shaking her head as she did so.

"I've given you a perfect opportunity, Misty. All that money, not having to look after a difficult child, not running around after a spoilt former league champion...and you've given it up."

"Get out!" I yelled. I didn't want to hear anymore. It was only making me angrier. "Get out you goddamn bitch!" She only casually shrugged before showing herself out, leaving me standing there with ragged breaths expelling through my mouth. My mind was blurring with emotions I had never felt before.

Difficult child? Spoilt? Was she right...

No! I had to yell it at myself. Don't even think about it! She was pure evil, making me even fleetingly consider giving up Ash and Andrea for money. Did she honestly think I was that shallow?

No my mind answered. She just wants to take control of you.

Satisfied with that explanation I turned around and ran straight into Brock, who was standing there with a face almost as pale as mine.

"I'm sorry Mist, I heard...you're not staying here, are you?" he asked meekly.

"Oh God Brock, do you really think I would? Of course I'm not" I said confidently. The whole scene had scared me though. She actually had the power to make me think things I otherwise never would. "Just please...don't let Ash know. He would panic" I added. Brock nodded and that was that. The end of the matter. I'd let it rest and we'd get by without her goddamn money. Either one of us was perfectly capable of working, especially Ash with his Pokemon background. He could tutor, train, research...the possibilities were endless.

"We'll be fine" I muttered to myself. "I'll be fine."

My head pounded as another wail filled the air. Oh Andrea. You're usually such an angel on planes. Why today of all days do you have to incessantly cry and scream...

"Andie, Andie darling... please calm down..." Ash soothed as I slouched in my seat, trying to ignore the angry stares of other passengers. I could almost hear their mutterings.

How irresponsible...why bring a child so young on such a trip...why have a child so young at all...

I couldn't help thinking how sick I was of hearing such comments. So what if we were young? We weren't neglecting Andrea or abusing her like other parents much older than us sometimes do. We loved her with all our hearts.

Why can't we prove it? Why?

Brock also stayed huddled in his seat, probably feeling too awkward to suggest anything. I couldn't blame him. He was lucky, he had earphones on but he could probably hear Andrea through those. He stayed quiet, feigning interest in the airline's magazine as I sighed and rubbed my eyes.

"Excuse me miss, is there anything we can do to help?" A friendly air hostess was looking down on me and Ash with nothing but pity all over her face. She wouldn't have been much older than me, probably eighteen or nineteen, but look at her. Perfect make up, hair glossy and shining, traveling the world while earning a great salary...

Look at me. Daggy gray track pants, no make up, hair that desperately needed more than a spray of water every morning, traveling only to the supermarket once a week.

For a moment, I envied that air hostess as Ash assured her we were fine. No, we weren't fine. We should be out in the world, doing what she was doing, traveling and meeting new people and wearing nice clothes. Being young. Envy is such an ugly emotion, so ugly I turned and glared at Ash.

"Why won't she be quiet?!" I snapped. He reeled and I don't blame him for the shock in his eyes. I had never said anything so awful with such malice.

"Misty, you know it's not her fault...she's just a little baby...she can't -"

"Yes she bloody can!" I took her off him and held her close, the wails right next to my ear contributing to my headache. "Andrea Delia Ketchum, you listen to me...you're upsetting a lot of people on this plane, me included...so be quiet, come on...for chrissakes please be quiet!" I almost yelled.

"Misty!" Ash gasped. He looked at me like I was a stranger, and maybe I was. Ever since my mother's visit that morning I had been edgy, different, noticing the little things both Andrea and Ash did to annoy me. Andrea was not helping by crying her lungs out when everything around her was perfect. She was fed, clothed, warm, burped, clean...what more could she possibly want?

"What, Ash? You enjoy listening to this?" I sniped. I've never seen him so taken aback. Maybe there had been a time when Andrea could do no wrong but now I was starting to realise just how much she could cry. And cry. And scream, and then cry some more.

"Maybe there's something wrong with her. She's been crying louder than she usually does" Ash said worriedly.

"I don't know" I sighed, feeling some of my old self come crawling back. I couldn't stay mad at her, or Ash. Damn my mother for putting stupid thoughts in my head. She almost had me resenting the two most important people in my life. I wouldn't let that happen, I couldn't.

But still. The crying was getting to me.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry" I mumbled to our fellow passengers as they disembarked at Pallet. Still she cried. No apology from Andie D. They all continued to scowl at us, so in the end I gave up apologizing. Ash placed a hand on my shoulder and gave me a wary smile, reminding me that I was not the only one in on this. Andrea was half him too, and he at least had the courage to face up to that responsibility.

"I love you" I said quietly. It was a random phrase to say at such a time but I think he understood why I said it. He nodded slowly.

"Don't resent her, Mist. She loves you, and you know you love her" he said. I smiled throughout Andrea's consistent tears as we made our way to the arrivals terminal. Brock now tried his usual tricks on her, tickling her under her chin and making faces, but even then the wails didn't die down. He sighed and shrugged at me.

"Sorry Misty. I don't know what could be wrong with her" he said. I smiled at him. He was good for trying, I had to hand him that.

"It's okay Brocko. Let's just get our bags and go home. You'll have to crash on the couch sorry" I told him. He was staying with us a few more days, just to double check everything was alright which I really appreciated. In my grief stricken and confused state, an extra pair of hands wouldn't go astray.

"Ash honey! Over here!"

I grinned at the voice and the frantic pair of arms waving at us. Delia could always be counted upon to be punctual and enthusiastic, even with a screaming baby in her son's arms. We strode up to her and exchanged hugs as she sympathetically took Andrea off a waning Ash.

"Look at you, Lady Ketchum" she said in a reproaching manner to my daughter. I had to giggle. "Not happy to see your grandmother at all? I'm disappointed...but I still love you more than I can say" she grinned, kissing her blotchy tear stained cheek. The cries soothed down for all of five seconds, and I sighed with relief at the silence. But no sooner had we stepped in the car when...

"God no" I groaned. Why wasn't her throat getting sore yet? Teenagers at a Justin Timberlake concert couldn't hold out screaming as long as she could.

"Maybe she doesn't like vehicles today" Ash said with a frown. "She's only really let loose since we got in the car, and when we entered the plane."

I shrugged in reply. Delia was watching Andrea through the rearview mirror as she drove through Pallet to our apartment.

"Ash have you considered..."

"Considered what?" he asked his mother, who had trailed off to observe an intersection.

"Considered that she might have colic? Most babies don't scream that loud unless they're in some sort of pain and colic's probably more common than you think" Delia said wisely.

I glanced at Ash. I'd never even thought of it. But she couldn't...could she? She didn't have any medical problems, she wasn't asthmatic or ran fevers or anything - in fact she'd been one of the healthiest babies I'd heard of.

"You really think it's possible, Mom?" Ash asked as we pulled up in front of the apartment.

"Well I don't know, it's only a suggestion. If you're really worried take her to a doctor. They can always tell" Delia replied.

God it was good to be home. There was our familiar lounge, our kitchen and dining room, our couches...everything exactly as we left it. I smiled in relief. This had our touch, and I was crazy to think I could leave this. This was my life - my somewhat unexpected life, yes, but my life nonetheless. And colic or not, I loved Andrea more and more every day.

Delia left that evening when Andrea finally went down to sleep. She had almost tired herself out just by crying and thanks to a little baby paracetemol she slowly but surely drifted into a slumber. I couldn't be more grateful for the quiet. Brock had made himself quite happy on the couch, TV remote in one hand and a bag of nachos in the other. He'd sleep fine there.

Just when I thought I could get a decent night's sleep, I lay down and felt the same nausea and pains hit my stomach like I had that same morning in the hotel. Ash must have noticed the grimace on my face because he immediately asked if I was alright.

"Just cramps again, you know how it is" I smiled.

"Oh God" Ash groaned. "Monthly woman problems strike again."

I laughed and playfully swatted him. He laughed too before grabbing me in his strong arms and looking down on me with such love and tenderness it could make me cry. His eyes roamed all over me, drinking me in, silently telling me how much he loved each and every inch of me, even when I swore to God I could see cellulite dents appearing on my thighs.

"Perfect" he murmured as he stroked my hair. I blushed at the word. "You're the most perfect woman I could ask for." His hands wandered over my face, my throat...lower. I sighed happily at the familiar but still wonderful sensations he stirred in me. Cramps, colic and one bitch of a mother escaped my mind. I could never leave this. Imperfect though my life sometimes seemed, I loved it. And no amount of money could make me want to leave it.

A/N: Yay! I can't BELIEVE I FINALLY got my ass into gear and wrote this lol. So please leave us your reviews and flames for the time delay are most welcome, I really am so so so so sorry. There won't be anymore from now on! And now I leave it up to my co-writer Grocko to get the next chapter rolling. Cheers guys!