A/N: Bonus update! I finally got over my writer's block and cranked out another chapter after staring at my story for about a straight week. So, writing up another chapter, made me go: "Hey, this needs CELEBRATING!"

So here's the celebration, updating ahead of schedule. Enjoy!

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Chapter 6

"Okay here girl. Slow down there for a minute" May Oak was waving her arms around in frenzy. "You're my girl, you know that, right?"

Misty looked confused, but managed to nod meekly.

May winked. "But Gary there is my bro, and if you guys are getting together, I still have to check out your intentions."

Misty's eyes widened in surprise. "What! We are not getting together, May, you're crazy!" May snickered and leaned back in the kitchen chair, hearing the wooden floor make a squeak sound. She picked up her glass of coke and took a large sip. "Whatever girl, I've been seeing this vibe ever since you came". The microwave beeped as Misty got up and retrieved a quick microwave lunch. She sat down and tried to stall for a moment, opening it up.

"What vibe?" She almost yelled to the ceiling when she saw May still scrutinizing her. "Stop scanning my intentions, I have no intentions!" She argued as she started to munch on her lunch. It was way too late for scheduled lunch, which she and May had missed for being outside visiting the few attractions of Pallet. May let out a heartfelt laugh.

"He's got the hots for you, are you that blind, woman?" She grinned in victory as Misty choked on her noodles and started coughing. Misty tried to get over the choking and let out a shaky breath. She raised her head, in confusion. "He... He does not!" A long silence greeted her.

"Or does he?" She timidly questioned May, who apparently had been expecting that hesitation for as soon as she muttered those words, the silent treatment marked upon her face disappeared and a smug smile surfaced. Misty blushed, blatantly embarrassed; she shouldn't even care, right? May didn't even answer, but merely raised one knowing eyebrow, waiting for some sort of epiphany on her side. But Misty was like trying to reason with a brick wall, as all the progress there quickly vanished when Misty shook her head in denial. "No" Misty argued. "You're insane. It was just coffee, it wasn't anything special"

May let out a groan of frustration and threw her arms up in the air, giving up. "You're impossible, girl" She announced as she finished her coke and got up from her comfortable seat in the kitchen. "Whatever, I'm going to bed"

Misty gaped and frowned at the same time. "It's 3pm!"

May laughed. "I'm going to take you to a decent party one of these nights, red. Maybe tomorrow." May winked and turned around, tiredly making her way to her bedroom. Misty shook her head in dismay staring at her noodles. She pushed the plate away deciding she was no longer hungry. When your brain is working a thousand miles a second, the least you think about is your stomach. She drummed her fingers against the table ignoring that he had been doing the exact same thing not two days ago and slumped her shoulders.

She was walking down the hallway, still as luxurious as ever, as she heard the door of the lab open. Professor Oak was standing there with distress tainting his features. As he looked at Misty he seemed relieved, but bewildered at her presence there.

"Misty! You're here. Come" He said as he disappeared behind the metal door. Misty stood there, hesitating for a moment but snapped out of it and took a step forward. It had been a while since she entered the lab, so she almost tripped when she didn't recognize immediately the metal stairs leading down.

Professor Oak seemed in a rush. "I just can't get Togetic to eat her lunch. Its two hours after her feeding time" Hearing this, Misty looked around until her eyes settled on her baby pokemon. She rushed to her side and picked her up, hugging her lovingly. But as she tried to feed her, Togetic chirped and spat out the food. Misty seemed stunned. "She is perfectly normal, right?" She asked Samuel Oak, who proceeded to reaffirm that everything was okay.

It wasn't until she had tried at least 30 times and was about to go on a nervous crisis that he showed up. His detached image was piercing. "You called old man?" Gary walked down the stairs seemingly uninterested. His hands were in the pockets of his baggy jeans but as he looked coolly at Samuel Oak for a brief instant before switching his gaze to her and slightly smirking. As He looked at her distressed face, he raised an eyebrow and looked at Togetic and the heavy amount of pokemon food. He let out a breath, guessing the motive and walked towards Misty, and took Togetic from her arms.

If she hadn't seen those photos she would have protested. But something told her he knew what to do. But even though, as Gary turned around and walked out of the lab, she hesitated, and hurriedly followed him. Samuel Oak was about to do the same, but the one final glance Gary threw at him while leaving left him frozen on the floor. Professor Oak cursed as he found himself alone again and threw himself on the nearest seat.

As the metal door closed, the laboratory was flooded by the silence he had grown used to.

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Gary stirred in the pot, adding some sugar into the mix. "It's basically pokemon food, but she prefers sweet over salty. When she gets tired of the food, just boil it and add some sugar. Stir until it's soup-like" He poured the soup to a pot, and left it out to chill. Misty was sitting, baffled in the kitchen table, Togetic resting in her arms, and chirping happily as she smelled the soup for lunch.

"G-Gary?" She asked. Gary turned to look at her, bewildered. "Thank you"

They stared at each other for some eternities, until Gary took notice he hadn't said anything in about 5 straight minutes, nor he had done anything but stare at her. He reluctantly looked away and felt the soup temperature until he was sure it was safe for Togetic to drink. He placed it on the table as Togetic flew out of her mother's arms and buried her head in the plate. Misty looked at her with satisfaction. Gary pulled up a chair and took a seat across her. Misty tilted her head. "So, I just keep on feeding that to her?"

"No" Gary chuckled. "You'll spoil her and soon enough, she'll grow tired of that one, and you'll have to figure out something new"

Misty's eyes wavered. "Good point". She was about to say something about Togetic but lost her track of thoughts. She paused. "You know a lot about her"

It was Gary's turn to pause. "Yeah" He admitted. Misty nodded. "Professor Oak must need your in the research"

Gary nodded. "He does"

Misty frowned. "Why doesn't he—Oh. Is it the you resting thing?"

Gary shook his head meekly. "No, I kinda lied there, Red"

Misty glared.

Gary shook his hands trying to defend himself. "Well, I didn't lie. I just guessed. I had three options. Either he's trying to let me rest, he's too damn proud to ask his grandson for help, or he's too damn selfish to share a scientific breakthrough with someone" Gary said bitterly. "I chose the best one."

Misty tilted her head. "Why?"

Gary just chuckled. "The other ones are a bit more complicated to explain..."

Misty let out a breath at hearing the second reason. Pride seemed to run in the Oak blood. "Seems like he needs you. And seems like you want in" She said. "I think something could be arranged there"

"What? I'm not even gonna try to reason with that old sack. It's impossible" He said folding his arms over his chest. Misty laughed. "You two are too alike to get along, it seems"

Gary squinted his eyes. "Don't go all Freud on me, Red" Misty just smirked back and he rolled his eyes. "Fine, whatever rocks your boat. I'm deciphered. Oh no! Don't unlock that hidden door in my memory or it will not be locked again!" He acted out, exaggerating the drama on every single word, making it obvious he was mocking her. She clenched her fist and reached out almost as if going to punch him. Gary almost flinched, but she merely flicked him in the forehead with her index finger.

She seemed to listen to the sound that emerged from the flicking. "Ah. Empty, Just like I guessed!" She pointed up acting out an epiphany.

Gary stood up and walked around the table, ready to tap her head to see just how empty hers sounded, but she caught his wrists and he glared. He leaned in and tapped her head with his. "Ah. Empty how I also suspected" he replied. She gaped and tapped his head with hers. "Nah-uh, that's your emptiness, not mine!"

Gary glared and pressed his forehead against hers. They pushed their head one against the other as if battling, but after playing like that for a minute they realised their exact position. Misty had a hold on both of Gary's wrists, and his forehead was pushed against hers, their bodies were almost pressed against the other, and both of them widened their eyes as they became aware of it. Misty hurriedly let go of his wrist and he stumbled back, astounded.

The embarrassed atmosphere was cruelly broken by Togetic's chirping, having finished her meal. Misty almost jumped, startled, not expecting the sound. She made her way to the kitchen table. "Ga—I... I should take Togetic to..." She drifted off as he continued to stare at her. His eyes seem to weight on her shoulders. "—Bye" She finished and scurried away, into the hallway.

Gary was leaning against the kitchen wall, and mildly waved goodbye, not daring to even utter a word. His heart was still pounding.

The flame. That fire. Her fire.

He had never been so close to feeling it burn.

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Author's gratitude towards:

Maia's Pen: Happy belated birthday! Wai! I'm so happy for you! I'm truly ecstatic, and sincerely hope you had the best day 24 hours can offer, I'm also glad you like the nickname "Red" Dunno why, I always make Gary use a nickname in my fics. XD Dunno why, I think it's a leftover from my crazyness over BtVS (Where Spike, a vamp called everyone by nicknames xD). Either way, I'm bursting from happiness at every review you drop by, I absolutely adore them! And I'm so glad, happy, relieved, and joyous you like this characterizations! Waii I hope you continue on liking them as the story goes changing.

Michelicious: Yes! It IS a day prison! I call it robot-factory. They brainwash us, It's true! I'm never gonna use quantum physics in MY LIFE! Haha, oh well, I'm surviving. I'm also happy (so happy) you like my version of Gary too. I'm really liking how this story is turning out! And I hope you stay tuned! Keep updating your fics, too!

DarkAngelTorchic: Apparently, the seconds half refuses to load ( So I might have to wait you upload it to fan fiction dot net! I left a review or comment in your website, I don't know whether you got it or not, but I hope you did! What I read of "Wake me up when September ends" is very good. (I thought it was a song fic too, at the beginning) So, keep writing, as well!

megs626: Ha ha, certainly not a romantic way. xD, here's the new chappie, fairly soon, right? I mean, last update, I don't really remember WHEN xD I have a crappy memory, but I think it was just Friday or Saturday. And hey! You should write an egoshippy! XD Yay!

Jenvaati: gasp! –gushes over jenvaati- A new reviewer! Welcome to my fic! Wai! I hope you stick around! And OO nooo, I never did say my Gary was better, I said I tried to make it different. xD Haha, I wouldn't dare to say such things. xD But thanks for the compliment. I love anything to do with coffee too! I drink it al the time, it irks my friends out. xD . Hope you see you again!

MagCat: Gah! I'm so happy you liked it. I certainly doubt it's "brilliant" xD but I'm glad you think that. xD Your review made my day, haha, and yes, Ash can seem fairly simplistic sometimes. gawd, I hope you like this chapter!

To everyone: I'm kinda proud of this chapter. I crammed all four characters into this chapter, five if you include Togetic. XD. Hope you like it! I'll update soon! But not as soon as this one. xD

Midnight Mist

There was this sweet lullaby made of mama's love and reviews.