A/N: Yay another update. Shortish, but chappie 8 will be here soon!

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Chapter 7

"Here she is, Professor Oak, fed and happy!" Misty's merry voice broke the stillness of the laboratory. Professor Oak visibly cheered up at the presence of someone there, disturbing the quiet. He stood up from the stool where he had been patiently waiting and shared a heartfelt smile with her. Misty placed Togetic in the white table and he just nodded, dryly.

Noticing the beginning of what seemed to be a very awkward silence, Misty soon started to fidget. "I should let you get back to your work, I guess" She excused herself as politely as she could, and turned around, trying to leave. Professor Oak looked troubled. "M-Misty?" He called after her.

She turned around but remained silent. Samuel Oak seemed to be having a great difficulty uttering the words he wanted to say. "Could... Could you tell me what he did?" The pleading on his worn out face and tired voice were ripe with despair. Misty's heart warmed up to his tired face, but smiled sadly.

"I would be much more comfortable if you asked him yourself" She said, sadly. Stuck in the middle of the battle between Grandfather and grandson, especially in a family as special as the Oaks, was a tough spot to be in. She did not want to take any wrong step. Professor Oak seemed to understand her discomfort and nodded, letting out a breath. Misty tilted her head and decided she needed to at least try to stop the endless war.

But she couldn't do without taking a risk. She cleared her throat. "If I may, both Gary and you need something from each other. Perhaps you're both too proud to admit it, I don't really know why, but it's created a distance between you two" She blushed, realising she had been too blunt but sighed. It was far too late to change it now. "I... don't really know a lot on the subject, and I'm sorry if I'm wrong, but I think you can work things out. You could let him in the investigation, and he could let you know everything about Togetic that you do not know and might be vital for the research"

Samuel Oak's eyes wavered as he gazed at the red headed girl in the entrance of the lab. He questioned her seemingly young age, comparing it with her uncanny perception. She had only been there for a few days, and had him figured out. To establish some sort of peace treaty with his grandson. It was exactly what he wanted, but could never quite utter it out loud. So he looked at her, silently, and meekly nodded. It was painful but necessary. The reason why he never got out of the lab, and why he looked so worn out, wasn't because the investigation was too hard.

It was because every path investigated led him to a dead end.

Misty seemed apologetically uncomfortable, and looked towards the ground. "I'm very sorry for meddling. Perhaps it's none of my business" without anything else to add, she turned around and started to climb up the stairs. As she reached for the metal door handle, his voice made her stop.

"Misty" Professor Oak called after her. She didn't quite reply. "Thank you" She smiled, and looked back one last time before turning the knob and letting herself out. The infamous hallway greeted her again. She decided to walk to the very end of it, and found an exit she had never seen before. She opened the final door and stepped outside. It seemed to be a landscape; some sort of camping spot that even had a bonfire in the middle. It looked recently used, and her suspicion went straight to Gary. It was indeed a beautiful place, facing the forest, but it was radically different from the rest of the house.

It was simple, lacked any form of luxury or any representation of money. There was a bonfire place in the middle, some logs surrounding it, and it was facing the Pallet forest. There wasn't a place that looked remotely comfortable, but it still reminded her of her former travelling with Ash and Brock. She widened her eyes as it sunk in that it had been days since she had last thought about them, and had last felt the pain of having to let them go. Even though she still felt nostalgic, and would probably miss them forever, deep down she knew—she'd see them again, but right now, it was her turn to find herself.

She must have stayed there an hour. And she left that place with a feeling she'd return there, but not exactly sure when. As she walked through the hallway, and took the door to her right, she climbed the stairs and made her way through the smaller hallway in the second floor, to her bedroom.

She was more than just surprised when she saw Gary Oak standing idly in her bedroom that wasn't actually hers, but still made her uncomfortable. He took notice of her bewildered presence and frowned. "Has anyone told you you're a mess?" He said referring to the mess she kept in her bedroom.

Misty smirked. "Today is the no-cleaning up day"

Gary faked shock. "Oh damn, was that today?" Misty nodded, playing along. He let out a breath, playfully. "Better go mess things up then"

Misty chuckled. "You better do that"

Gary's eyes lingered on hers for a moment and he tilted his head. Time to explain why he was there. "Have you talked to my grandfather lately?" She felt herself freeze in her spot. She couldn't have moved from the door even if she had wanted it. Gary smirked, trying to ease up her shock. "Cause he talked to me and I'm finally on the research. He still won't let me do the big stuff. But he'll get there soon enough"

Misty's eyes lightened up. "You're in?"

Gary nodded, smiling, genuinely happy. Misty mentally cheered, forcing herself to take a mental picture of that very moment. She had seen the pictures of his smile, but it was never quite as bright as in person. "Not much to do now though than to observe Togetic's actions. He'll page me when he's in trouble"

Misty was bursting with joy for him. She unfroze, and felt extremely mobile again. It was like reason had stepped outside of her body, because she saw herself reaching out and embracing him, and was in awe of her own actions, but her body wasn't responding to her apprehensions. Gary's eyes widened at her hug, and didn't quite respond to it, but froze under it, completely baffled. He went rigid and only laid gently one hand on her back when she was starting to become too painfully aware of his apprehension.

Realizing what she had done, she almost flew back, recoiling, and he stared at her in awe. She was in awe of herself, perhaps even more confused than he was, and above all, embarrassed. The beeper attached to Gary's hip ringed three times. What a timing that old man had. It was Samuel Oak who needed his assistance. Gary rolled his eyes at the beeper, as if it were the old man himself, and looked back at Misty, who bravely tried to disguise her embarrassment.

"You better go help, Gary" She cheered him on and he just chuckled, walking towards the door "Later, Red" She watched him leave and closed the door some seconds after he was gone. With a groan she threw herself on the bed, her mind spiralling around her actions. Idly wondering what May would have to say about it, she stayed up thinking about him. She had never seen him so happy, and partly took pride in thinking it had been because of her. In a way, she had helped in Gary's happiness, and that was enough for now.

The intensity of her thoughts died down, as her vision blurred, and everything faded to black, comfortably wrapped the warm blankets of her bed.

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Gratitude towards:

Maia's Pen: ha ha ha, delightful hint, my friend. I indulged it because this was a very short chapter and calm and quiet before the storm that Chapter 8 is gonna be. And because this chappie was very short, I'll update chapter 8 soon enough, don't fret. And speaking of which, update WYB! I'm dying here, slowly withering into a dark folds of longing of more WYB chapters. About Gary and the Professor's relationship, It's a thing that I have yet to resolve. Hehe. I'm in the middle of a writer's block and this times I thank goodness I'm several chapters ahead. Be seeying ya around the fandom!

Jenvaati: Ha ha, I laughed out loud at the Samuel'll. xD You're really funny, as I noted in your one shot which had me cracking up! My friends also pick on me because I drink too much coffee. They say I'm bound to loose all the calcium in my bones, But what the heck. Live fast, die young, leave a beautiful corpse behind. xD

megs626: Doesn't matter! Upload it! I'd read it! As would many other egoshippers! And I've seen your other fics, you've got a very neat, polished writing style! So it doesn't matter what you write about, I'm sure it'll be very good!

DarkAngelTorchic: It was the end? Oh wow, then it's a very open-ending! I loved your one shot, very raw and sad. -- Your birthday is in two weeks? Well, maybe just one week now. xD Give or take. You do not sound 50, If anything I think the same thing. People stop flaming everything that isn't AAML, something of what I'm very grateful of!

MagCat: Yay, I am overwhelmed by the positive response I'm getting as feedback on May's characterization! I'm glad you like her and I'm having a blast writing her!. And yes. School is a drag a very annoying nagging drag. I'm OUT! I'm finally OUT of the robot factory! Now I have to go on a marathonic studying MONTH to study for a University acceptance test, But at least no more school! Yay!

Egoflux: Hey! I remember you! And I have updated! I hope you like my fic, I'm always glad and happy when I found new reviewers browsing my fics!

Author's note: I'm going to have a wee bit more of spare time. I'm done with school, I finished my senior year, and I still can't believe it! ·· But, I will update constantly! This chapter is very short but it's kinda the peace and quiet before the storm. Chapter 8's longer, I promise and will be up shortly.

Midnight Mist

Everything faded to black and there it was; the reviews at the end of the tunnel.