Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon...and at the rate I'm going, probably never will. And I don't own "Right Time" candy bars. Maia's Pen does. So don't yell! I disclaimed!

Full Summary: Gary Oak has come to Cerulean City to see Ash's dream girl, and take her before Ash can. But when Gary is left stranded in the city, he is forced to stay with Misty, and they're at each others throats. Not long after he has stayed with her, Gary and Misty really get to understand each other, and the romance begins. Little does she know that Gary has made unknown plans to leave. Just before the cab departs, she arrives. Can she stop him from leaving, or will she fall to pieces? Egoshipping.

Dedication: Maia's Pen. I know I've already dedicated a small fic to you already, but I know you love Gary and Misty as a couple more than, like, anyone. I hope you like this!

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Falling to Pieces

By Purple Wolf Girl

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Day One: Stranded

Pkm

"So, why are you going to see Miss Waterflower?"

"Don't call her that. Her name is Misty. And...she's not a 'Miss'. She's a pain in the butt."

"Oh. Terribly sorry, Mr. Oak."

"Seriously, don't call me that."

"Ah...yes. Then what shall I call you?"

"Gary."

"Well then, Gary, why are you going to see this 'Misty' girl?"

"Because Ash said she's cute now."

"..."

"..."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

Gary sighed as he stroked his Eevee's fur. "Because Ash says he likes her now, and I don't really think she's his type."

"And she's yours?"

Gary shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe...only if she's hot. But ever since we were kids, I always got what Ash wanted, and he wants her."

"So you're going to take the lady away?"

"Sure. Why not."

"I'm sorry, Sir, but taking advantage of a lady doesn't seem-"

"I'm not doing anything wrong, George. I'm actually interested in what she's like now." he retorted. "She was always a brat before, but maybe she's actually worth dating." The British man rolled his eyes.

"If you say so, Mr. Oak."

"Don't call me that."

A red car zoomed down the streets of Cerulean City. Girls shrieked excitedly, knowing who was riding in the elegant looking transportation. Men just rolled their eyes and pryed their girlfriends as far away from Gary Oaks presence as possible. He was known to be dating one woman one day, and then dumping her and going out with another one the next. So, obviously everyone tried not to get near him. But little did the people know that there was one special girl who could change all that, and that was the girl he was going to meet.

Gary Oak had become quite accomplished over the years. He had written numerous books on Pokemon and had made a good amount of money; enough to afford a cherry red sports car and a British driver, anyway. Ever since his big break, and even before that, girls had been chasing after him, desperate for any possible amount of attention he would give. And that wasn't much. It was only certain girls that he would pay any mind whatsoever to. Misty Waterflower just happened to be getting that attention today. Gary had liked Misty at one point. True. But he wasn't really sure if he liked her that way anymore. Matter of fact, he wasn't really sure if he liked her at all. She had always been a bit stuck up, a slight ego maniac, hot-tempered, argumentative, and...wait. He was describing himself. And perhaps being around someone like him would be quite amusing. Maybe this trip wouldn't be so bad after all...

"This is the place." Gary said dully. The car skidded to a stop, throwing Gary's head backwards and forwards a few times. Eevee whimpered as he stepped out of the door and slammed it with a final word. "See ya in a few days. Just park next door. There's a hotel there." Gary glared at the driver. "And you better not drive it anywhere without me in it." The over-priced vehicle drove off quickly, leaving Gary at Misty Waterflower's doorstep with a small pokemon growling in his ear a bit.

"Here goes nothing" he breathed, knocking on the door lightly. Not long after, a petite girl with fiery red hair appeared in the doorway. She had a light blue T-shirt with a Squritle print on it, faded blue jeans, and a simple pair of white sneakers. But her most fascinating feature was a pair of piercing emerald eyes that traced his every feature, and they widened after finally recognizing the man.

"Oak!" Misty shrieked. "What on Earth are you doing here?"

He flaunted a toothy grin. "You missed me, huh?"

She snorted, followed by a laugh. "Yeah, right!" She shut the door in his face, leaving him absolutely dumb struck. Had he just been...rejected? And by Misty Waterflower of all people? Well, he surely wasn't going to take this.

Gary pounded his fist on the door with irritation. "Waterflower," he sing-sang. Misty pressed her back against the door.

"Get lost."

"Look," he began. "I didn't come all the way down here so you could shut this door in my face."

"Could have fooled me." Misty droned.

Gary cursed to himself.

"What do you want?"

"I just wanted to see you..."

"Nice try, but I'm not as stupid as Ash says."

"Oh, really?" he mused. "Well, if you really were smart, you'd be taking this opportunity to talk to-"

The door creaked open, revealing Misty's face again. "Just tell me why you came here."

Gary pouted like a sad Vulpix. "Aw, Misty. You're not gonna even invite me in?" he teased. Misty's face fell.

"Shut-up, Gary."

"Oh! You remembered my name. I'm touched."

"And you forgot your common sense."

He stiffened. "Cute."

"Good-bye." she stated bluntly, about ready to slam the door again. He slipped inside her living room just before the door shut completely. "Hey!"

Gary whistled with little enthusiasm, placing his Eevee down on the shag carpet. "Wow. This isn't bad for someone who tagged along with Ashy-boy."

"Thank you." she said, drowning her voice in sarcasm. "Now, leave and get some manners before they run out." She paused. "You need all you can get."

"Is that so?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

"I'm not the only one in need of manners, Misty. Slamming the door in your guest's face doesn't seem too polite."

"Yes, well, invading my privacy doesn't seem to polite either." Misty grunted. "Oh look: there's the door. Go through it."

"Hmm...no."

"No?"

"Yeah. No."

"And why not?"

"Because I don't think you've given me a chance to say anything."

"You've said enough. And I still don't get why you came out here just to see me."

"You don't believe my reason?"

"Not really. I don't even know you." Gary grew a smug grin and put his finger under her chin.

"I'm not such a bad guy once you get to know me."

Misty batted her eye-lashes. "Not according to Ash." Gary stepped in front of Misty, towering over her dangerously.

"Ashy doesn't know his foot from his hand." he smirked. Misty got up on her toes.

"What's your problem, Oak?" He shrugged in response and waltzed over to her couch, crossing his legs and laying his muddy boots on the coffee table. Misty's scowl grew. "Hey! I just cleaned that!" She shoved his legs off the table, and he just put them right back again. Her ears would have puffed steam out if they could. How dare he barge into her house like this! She didn't even know him! She knew the guy who fed the Pidgies at the park better than this moron! Misty clenched her fists. If she hadn't learned to control her temper, he'd be in for it big time. Just because he had a cheerleading squad full of bimbos...well, that wasn't impressive anyway. Misty certainly was not one of the pathetic excuses for cheerleaders, and she would not fall for someone as self-centered and spoiled rotten and Gary Oak...would she?

Misty rocked onto one hip as Gary spat a few apple seeds onto the previously clean and well vacuumed carpet. Her messy citrus hair bounced off her forehead as she let out a large huff of air. Gary's Eevee sniffed the carpet and chairs curiously, searching for pokeblocks, most likely. Its large ears turned in different directions as a red sports car flew by. It was...Gary's car...without Gary. Misty's jaw dropped, but a satisfied feeling welled up inside of her. She snickered to herself as she observed his hunk of metal zoom through the streets recklessly. He'd be getting plenty of tickets in the mail for sure...

Gary peered over his magazine with a small trickle of fury in his crystal eyes. His brows furrowed at her cruelly amused face. Eevee picked up a rather large ball of lint out of the corner of the room and rolled over numerous times, chasing the fuzz. Misty slapped her hand over her lips, shutting herself up. Gary threw the magizine down and marched over to her with a demanding expression. Misty cringed as she felt his hand land on her shoulder and turn her around. She just cackled more at his puzzled, angry face.

"What's so funny, Waterflower?" he demanded. Misty pointed out the window at the run away car jacker, and Gary nearly dropped dead. "MY CAR!" Gary pushed Misty aside gently and dashed out the door without second thought. Misty ran right behind him and locked the door as he exited it, laughing hysterically. His Eevee cooed as it caught the dirty ball of lint in its jaws. Misty picked the pokemon up in her arms and watched out the window as Gary kept avoiding car after car on the highway to get to his own. The driver only gave the car more gas until a large cloud of smoke obstructed his vision completely, and the vehicle was nowhere to be seen. Gary Oak had finally met his match; a retired man who had nothing better to do than rip him off. Oh well. He'd just have to turn to the only person who could help him in his time of need...

Gary's mouth hung open as if he was a rotting zombie. His thousand-dollar blazer suit was now covered with soot and a vicious Snubble chewing on the right leg. In other words: the once charming and filthy rich Gary Oak looked worse than Ash when he first gets out of bed. He surely wouldn't attract any woman in this peculiar condition...especially not Misty. He probably wouldn't even win the slightest amount of her sympathy. Well, at least he'd be able to give her a good chuckle or two. Gary sucked in a deep breath as he pushed the doorbell with his tan finger. A Togepi chirping sound echoed throughout the street a few seconds after he pushed the button. He received a few dirty looks from various neighbors as the noticed the hyper-active Snubble gnawing on his flesh. Gary pounded his finger on the doorbell a many times, growling.

"Come on...come on..." he snarled at the door. "...open up, princess."

He continued to press the doorbell...or...that is, until some sparks whizzed past his face. A small shriek of suprise escaped his mouth. He carefully pushed the bell one more time, but nothing happened at all. He pressed it again. Nothing. He frowned and hit his head against the side of the house.

"Oh, crap." he whined. "What else could go wrong?" A small flame lit on the end of one of his spikes. His face turned blank. "Great."

"Hmm. That's not a bad look for you. The Snubble really brings out your eyes."

Gary raised an eyebrow at Misty, standing in the doorway with his Eevee cradled in her arms. "Shut-up." he barked.

"I wouldn't be the one talking if I were you, Oak." she snapped curtly. "You have no car, no dignity, no manners," She counted on her fingers. "And dare I mention that you might not have any hair if you don't put that flame out?"

He licked his thumb and forefinger, pinching his strands of cinnamon. "Thanks, Chuckles."

"Wow. Now I see how you attract all those girls."

"Cut the sarcasm, Misty."

Misty pressed the doorbell out of curiousity. "Um...why isn't it dinging?"

Gary smiled sheepishly. "I can pay for that..."

"Okay. Here's another question: why are you still here?"

"I need a place to stay and I'm stayin' with you!"

Misty tapped her finger on her chin. "Thinking...thinking..." Gary looked hopeful. "...no."

"Why not?"

Misty ruffled his hair playfully. "Do you really want me to answer that?" He slapped her hand away.

"Look, I don't have anywhere to go," he began.

"You have a ton of money. Why should I help you?"

Gary sweat-dropped. "Because its the right thing to do?" he offered. Misty didn't buy it.

"No, seriously, why?" she persisted.

He sighed. "Because George, the driver, has my..."

"Your what? Common sense?"

"No. My...my bank...account number and...bank book." he replied slowly. Misty burst into a fit of laughter. "Its not funny."

"Fr-from this p-point of view it i-is!"

"Oh, come on!" Gary wailed. "He's probably taken every penny I ever made!"

"Like I care."

"MISTY! You've gotta help me! I have nowhere to go and I don't have any money or clean clothes because he took them all into the car because I forgot them! He-he took my BABY!"

"You have a kid?"

Gary opened his mouth and exhaled. "Uh...no. I mean my car." Misty scoffed.

"Men..."

He fell onto his back.

"Why can't you just stay in that hotel next door?"

Gary looked insane. "Are you kidding me? That place has no chocolates on the pillows and most importantly: no hot girls in the lobby." he twitched. "Only a dirt poor moron would-"

"Like you?"

"Excuse me?"

Misty tugged at the Snubble that was still attached to Gary's leg. "Well, let's see: you're now dirt poor, and you're a total and utter moron. God, you're even worse than Ash."

"Ashy-boy isn't better than me."

"At this point he is." Misty finally got the Snubble off him and handed him a few dollars. "Now, get a doughnut and get out of my life."

She slammed the door in his face, leaving him sitting on her doorstep with a crazed Snubble rolling around on the green lawn and about ready to be thrown off a cliff by a very, very angry man. Misty had just turned him down, though, and it looked like this was one battle that Ash had won. Gary couldn't get Misty to cling onto him like every other girl did, and he really didn't want to stick around to be dumped again. But...he'd wait a little longer just in case she decided to take him in.

The door creaked open, Misty's smug face practically mocking at him. Gary stared up at her joyfully...yet as smug as Misty's face was.

"I see that you finally came to your senses." Gary cackled. Misty shook her head and held Eevee out in front of his face. The puppy-like creature liked the end of his nose.

"Nope." Misty eeped. "You just forgot your pet." She plopped the Eevee into his lap. "Have fun."

The door slammed once again, and Gary shook his fist in the air. "Yeah, well, you're the last person I would ever want to stay with anyway!"

"I wouldn't want you in my house either! You're the biggest pain in history!"

"Oh, really? I thought you already took that title!"

"Shut your fat mouth."

"My mouth isn't the fat one."

"You must be the sorriest excuse for I man I've ever seen in my life, Oak. You lost your car to an old guy. Phht!"

"Misty, ha! You should talk!"

"Gary, you shouldn't."

"Look who's talking."

Misty walked over to her couch, Gary still sitting outside. "You told me to, Professor."

"Hey, my Grandpa is the Professor. I'm going to be-"

"Let me take a wild guess: a male model?"

"NO! I'm too handsome for that."

"Hmmph. They'd fire all the other guys and focus the whole calendar on you, eh?"

"Yes!"

"That was sarcasm."

"No, that was your real feelings."

"Sarcasm."

"Feelings."

"Sarcasm."

"Feelings."

"Sarc..."

"ings..."

Misty kicked the door. "I wouldn't love you if you were the last nerd on the planet!"

"I am so not a nerd! You totally are...or were, anyway." Misty let out a sudden holler.

"WHAT NERVE YOU HAVE COMING TO ME JUST SO YOU CAN MAKE FUN OF ME!"

"I told you that I just wanted to-"

"What?"

"See you." The door opened, only showing one of Misty's eyes.

"You didn't want to just see me. Nobody just wants to see me."

Gary displayed his best grin. "Then I guess I'm a nobody?" Misty smiled maliciously.

"Yeah, I guess you are." The door began to shut again. He stood up and held the door open, then examining the inside of his wallet. "I still have some money on me,"

"I don't want your money!" Misty stated gruffly. Gary waved quite a few dollar bills in her face.

"I've got a hundred bucks...and three cents."

Misty took the bills away quickly. "This is it?"

"Um...I'll get you a sports car when I'm rich again."

"Welcome." she said greedily, giving him a small glare. "But if you even think of eating my Right Time candy bars or going near my room, well, don't! One wrong move and you're out!"

Gary raised his hand.

"What?"

"I thought it was three strikes."

"Not in my house."

Gary's nostrils flared. He hadn't even been there a hour and she had already earned the title of his number one pain in the butt. And he thought Ash was annoying; but this was just torture. Pure torture from a five-foot-four girl in her twenties. Okay. He could handle it. It...was just...not going to be that easy, is all. Yeah, that was it. He could do it!

Misty swatted him out of the way. "Move it or lose it."

Or maybe he couldn't...

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A/N: Well, that's chapter one. This story was originally going to be a oneshot, but I thought it would be better as a chapter fic. I know that Misty would be the last person on Earth (besides Ash) that Gary would ever want to stay with, but he has nowhere else to go, and remember that he's trying to get Misty's affection before Ash can. But...he'll probably drive her insane first. I haven't seen the show in years, literally, so I apologize if they're OOC. Anywhoo, please review! Oh, and the fic will probably get a bit angsty in later chappys.

-PWG

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