A lone man wandered through a field of gravestones, he wore dark black trousers, and a black vest hoodie over a long white sleeved t-shirt. The man had pulled the hood over his face to protect him from the sharp wind that was making its way across the cemetery.
The man's destination was obvious to him, he could spot it a mile off, whereas most of the headstones had been untouched and left to deteriorate and crust over, the one he was heading to looked sparkly clean and almost new, when in reality, it was almost seven years old.
The man reached the headstone and smiled to himself slightly.
"Hey dad," the man said quietly, still smiling to himself, he leant down and kissed his fingertips before placing them onto the headstone.
"Here lies Giovanni Ketchum, cherished by all who loved him," the headstone said, followed underneath by; "A loving husband and son, will be missed by all, 28/9/1970-14/2/2013,"
Ash stood back up and stared at the grave for a few moments.
"Well… where do I start?" Ash asked rhetorically, a small smile still etched onto his face.
"For starters, May's pregnant… Again," Ash said, grinning a bit more, before his face turned serious, "We're just hoping that this one will go a lot smoother than her pregnancy with Liam… But you know all about that, and how stressful and eventful that was."
Ash smiled again.
"But he's our ray of sunshine, mum adores him, spoils him like mad," Ash chuckled, "He's already started talking… A bit father-like-son, if you will," Ash grinned, "He asks about you, you know? Two years old and he notices."
"He's seemed to make the connection that May is his mum, I'm his dad, but then we both have mums and dads, he's figured out that Norman and Caroline are May's parents, and mum is mine, but he asks where my dad is… In a way."
"He knows… somehow, he'll call Norman 'mum-dad,' Caroline 'mum-mum,' he'll call… Delia, I'll call mum to make it clearer, he calls her 'dad-mum,' and he asks where 'dad-dad,' is," Ash explained, rubbing the back of his neck as he spoke.
"We tell him you're in a special place, but you're looking over all of us," Ash said, "And he just giggles to himself in response," Ash smiled again.
"But yeah, we're praying that this pregnancy is smoother, not that we don't love Liam, he's our whole world, but after his pregnancy, I doubt May could take the strain again…" Ash said frowning slightly.
"We're looking forward to the challenge, and Liam's very excited, he keeps running up to May and cuddling up to her belly, asking when he's going to meet his sibling," Ash added, a little grin spreading across his face once more.
Ash ran his right hand through his hair, but making sure that his hood stayed up to protect him from the cold.
"Other big news," Ash said, his smile growing even wider, "The Kanto Pokémon Association called back the other day."
"I'm all set to replace Koga, who's retiring after this year's Regional League; obviously I'll start at the lowest rank… But hopefully I can build my way up," Ash said, looking up at the sky as he spoke.
"I'm gonna be a member of the Elite Four!" Ash exclaimed proudly, grinning up to the sky.
"I still hold the record as a Frontier Brain… Youngest ever and only one to remain unbeaten," Ash said with a slight chuckle, "I followed in your footsteps and look where it's brought me," Ash added, a big smile making its way onto Ash's face.
"Ohh, and alongside that, Gary's persistent in me taking up a larger role at the lab, but he doesn't understand that I won't be able to with my new roles as member of the Kanto Elite Four!" Ash exclaimed, grinning to himself, "They've lined up Norman to replace me as the Pallet Town Frontier Brain," Ash added.
Ash chuckled again.
"Seems like just yesterday I was battling Norman to win my eighth Kanto Gym Badge… And obviously you know what happened at the regionals and the… 'Aftermath'," Ash said, making an air quotation gesture with his fingers, another grin on his face.
Ash's face darkened slightly.
"I haven't told May yet, because I don't want her worrying, but there's rumours of Teams Aqua and Magma, the ones I told you about from Hoenn, trying to resurrect Team Rocket, we don't need those idiots back trying to take over the world again," Ash said gloomily, putting his head in his hands.
"Especially after what happened when May was pregnant with Liam…" Ash muttered through his hands, "I still haven't forgiven myself for putting her, and him, in danger like that…" Ash added darkly, turning his gaze up to the heavens.
"I almost lost the love of my life and my future son in one go… But you know about that, so I won't linger on it too long," Ash added, shifting his attentions back to the grave in front of him.
"Obviously, neither of us knew for certain she was pregnant, but May had her suspicions," Ash said, running his hand through his hair once more, "otherwise I never would've let May out of my sights, never would've let her get involved."
Ash frowned.
"I'm scared, dad," Ash muttered, looking down at the grave, "I'm so, so scared."
"I almost failed her and Liam once before… plus, I've hardly spent any time with him because of my duties… What if I can't be there for May in a time when she needs me the most?" Ash asked rhetorically, rubbing his face with both his hands.
Ash growled in frustration.
"She loves me, so much," Ash mumbled through his hands, "I can tell just by the way she looks at me… Even though I've failed her time and time again, she still looks at me the same way… The same adorable loving way."
"And it hurts sometimes," Ash said darkly, lowering his hands and staring at Giovanni's grave, "Because even though I know I've let her down, and she knows I've let her down, she still looks at me that way."
Ash fell onto has backside, and lifted his knees slightly so he could rest his elbows on them, whilst still being able to look at Giovanni's grave.
"How did you do it, dad?" Ash asked, "You made it look so easy, being a parent, being a Gym Leader, being an amazing role model… How did you manage it all?" Ash asked rhetorically, once more craning his neck to look at the sky as he spoke.
"Liam is two, two," Ash said, saying the word twice for emphasis (EMPHASIS – get the reference?), "Two years old and I… I've hardly been there for him!" Ash shouted, punching the floor in anger.
Ash breathed heavily, almost panting.
"I wanted to be just like you," Ash said quietly, his voice cracking slightly.
"I wanted to be the perfect father, follow your footsteps," Ash lowered his head as he spoke, "I want to turn back time and rectify all the mistakes I've made with Liam, and May… But she still treats me as if I've done nothing wrong…" Ash mumbled, again, placing his head in his hands.
"I need to make it up to the both of them, and not make the same mistakes with the new-born," Ash said, determinedly, looking back at Giovanni's grave, the tone of his voice was echoed by the look on his face.
"I'm going to be like you, I've always wanted to be, and I'm going to make sure I do."
"For Liam and for May, and of course, for our second child," Ash said, clenching a fist, once more, as a show of determination.
As small smile crossed his lips, and swiftly widened into a huge grin.
"I almost forgot to tell you! It's mine and May's fifth wedding anniversary this year…" Ash drifted off, as happy memories of his and May's relationship floated across his mind, and the smile only widened.
"I can still remember that first official date; it was a magical night, the dinner, the walk along the beach, and then the shiny Luvdisc leaping out of the water! Ohhh… She's so amazing!" Ash gushed slightly, his face reddening.
"I managed to get that Luvdisc for her as well, for our two year anniversary, funnily enough, just before she told me she was pregnant," Ash chuckled slightly.
"I worked so hard to find it too," Ash said, smirking, "It did help that that specific school of Luvdisc happened to migrate past Pallet Town every year, but even then I had to pinpoint it down to a specific day," Ash explained, still smirking slightly.
He shifted his weight so he was sitting cross-legged on the floor, directly in front of Giovanni's grave.
"I can't believe we've been married five years now… five," Ash emphasised, smiling widely, "It really doesn't feel that long, I really hope I can make this anniversary special for her, she deserves it."
"She's been there for me when I've had my funny turns," Ash said, frowning slightly, "She just seems to have everything sussed out… How to be a parent, a wife and a Top Coordinator…"
"May's not just managing it at a normal level, she's exceptional with everything she does," Ash said, looking up at the gravestone, "She's the Giovanni Ketchum of my family," Ash whispered with a small smile.
"Right, well, I best be getting back now, May's got a scan today, we could possibly find out the gender if we wanted to," Ash explained, standing up, "But we might leave it this time, have a little bit of a surprise, but May and I haven't had much time to discuss it," Ash added, a smile creeping onto his face.
"I love you, dad," Ash said quietly, once more kissing his fingers and placing them on the gravestone.
Ash stood upright, and with one last, lingering look, walked out of the graveyard and into the car park on the other side of the big black gates.
Once on the other side of the gate, Ash turned back and stared at the shining gravestone in the middle of the cemetery, standing out head and shoulders above the rest.
Giovanni Ketchum, the same in death as he was in life, shining above all else.
Ash smiled to himself.
"I'm going to be like you in the end… I promise," Ash said determinedly, clenching a fist as he tore his gaze away, and turned to his car, so he could go and pick May up for her scan.
-IYCSMN-
"Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Ketchum, it's a beautiful baby girl!" the midwife exclaimed, holding the new-born gently in her arms.
Ash smiled down at May, who looked exhausted, but delighted.
"A beautiful baby girl…" May mumbled, in somewhat of a daze, but she still wore a bright smile.
"Like mother, like daughter," Ash said proudly, planting a kiss on May's forehead, and shifting his body position so that May could lean on his shoulder, whilst still holding his hand.
"Would you like to hold her, Mr Ketchum?" the midwife asked politely, having cleaned and wrapped up the baby.
"I think May would like to first," Ash replied politely, smiling at May once more.
May shook her head.
"I had that privilege with Liam, it's your turn, Ashy," May replied, smiling back weakly.
The two parents shared a quick kiss, before Ash stood up and walked over to the midwife.
"Here you go, Mr. Ketchum," the midwife said, smiling at Ash as she passed over the new-born.
"Thank you," Ash said quietly, holding the baby protectively in his arms.
She blinked back it him with glowing sapphire eyes, a small tuft of brown hair on the top of her head, and instantaneously, Ash could see the resemblance to May.
Ash turned to his wife, and walked over so he was beside her again.
"She's got your looks," Ash said, smiling brightly at May.
May's smile widened.
"Like mother, like daughter," May whispered before she drifted off to sleep.
Ash leant over and kissed her forehead once more.
"Sleep tight, my angel," Ash whispered, before he sat down in an armchair next to the bed, his gaze firmly fixed onto the new-born in his arms.
I'm always with you, watching over you.
Ash jumped slightly as his father's voice rang in his head.
Ash looked out of the hospital window and watched in awe as Ho-Oh flew past the window, gold rays seeming to emanate from the Legendary bird.
The gold rays seemed to drift into the hospital room, and touch May's, Ash's and the baby's hearts.
Ash smiled as a warmth spread through his entire body.
May's eyes crept open slightly.
"Hey gorgeous, how are you feeling?" Ash asked gently, smiling over at May.
"Tired, but I'll be fine," May replied sleepily, smiling back at Ash.
"Do you wanna hold her?" Ash asked, lifting the baby slightly in his arms, so May knew who he was talking about.
"Yes please, Ashy," May replied, shifting her body slightly so she was in a more upright position.
Ash stood up, and walked over to the bed that May was laying in, and gently slipped the baby into May's arms.
Tears of joy started to build in May's eyes as she looked down at her daughter.
"Ash… You know we gave Liam your father's name as his middle name?" May asked, still slightly dazed and tired from the labour.
"Yes honey, why?" Ash queried, sitting on the edge of the bed and slipping an arm around May's shoulder.
"We should call her Georgia," May said smiling up at Ash.
Ash smiled back, both the parents' eyes shining brightly with love.
"That's a gorgeous name, May," Ash replied, shifting his body position once more, so the three were enveloped in a family hug.
"Liam Giovanni Ketchum and Georgia Ketchum," May said pride evident in her tone of voice.
"I've been thinking, May, what if we put all our parents' names as the kids official middle names?" Ash suggested, planting another kiss on May's forehead.
May looked up at Ash with confusion written on her face.
"What do you mean, Ashy?" She asked.
"Liam Giovanni Norman Ketchum, Georgia Caroline Delia Ketchum," Ash replied, smiling brightly at May and the newly named Georgia.
A few tears slipped out of May's eyes as she smiled back at Ash.
"Sounds very good to me," May replied, leaning up and kissing Ash.
The kiss was interrupted by the door flinging wide open, and a blur rushing in towards the bed.
"Daddy! Mummy!" Liam shouted, latching himself onto Ash's leg and jumping up and down excitedly.
"Hey, trouble, want to see your sister?" Ash asked, smiling, leaning down and picking Liam up, before resting the young child on his left arm, so that Liam could see both May and Georgia.
Liam smiled brightly at May, before turning his gaze to Georgia and frowning slightly, he looked up at Ash with confusion obvious on his face.
"Why is she so little?" Liam asked, cocking his head a little as he gazed up at Ash.
Ash and May looked at each other for a second before they both started to laugh.
"She's only just been born, Liam, you were that little once," Ash replied, smiling down at the little boy in his arms.
Liam's jaw dropped as he looked back and forth between Georgia and Ash.
"How could I have been that little? I'm too big!" Liam exclaimed, still looking between Ash and Georgia as he spoke.
Ash and May laughed again.
"It's true, sweetie, even your father and I were that size once," May said through giggles, winking at Liam and Ash as she spoke.
Liam's jaw almost hit the floor.
"But… But… You and mummy are huge!" Liam squealed, pointing at May and Ash, "you must be lying!" Liam added, crossing his arms and pouting. By this point, Ash and May were in stitches, and their laughter seemed to pass into Georgia as well, the newborn had a smile on her face.
"Ash, look, Georgia is smiling," May pointed out, smiling down at her daughter, rubbing her face with one of her fingers.
"Mummy, can I cuddle with you and sissy?" Liam asked, smiling at his mother.
"Of course, Liam," May said, as Ash leant over May and placed Liam down on May's right hand side, "her name is Georgia, sweetie," May added, shifting the aforementioned newborn onto her left hand side, and putting her arm round Liam, who laid his head on May's belly.
Ash sat on the edge of the bed, looking at the three, a big smile on his face.
"Liam, are both nannies and granddad outside?" Ash asked.
Liam lifted his head off May's stomach and looked up at Ash.
"Of course, daddy, how else do you think I got here from nursery?" Liam asked, giggling as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
Ash smiled to himself as he turned and went to leave the room.
"Where you going, honey?" May asked, grabbing Ash's attention.
Ash turned to look at his family.
"Just going to tell our parents that everything's okay."
"Make sure you're quick, Ashy," May said, winking, and Ash smiled back at her.
"I will."
Ash turned and slipped out of the door as quietly as he could.
He took a moment to let everything sink in, on the other side of the door he had just exited, was his family, his family, a little nuclear family.
Ash's smile grew even bigger.
"Ashy!" the call snapped Ash out of his momentary daze, he raised his head to see his mother, with Pikachu on her lap, Caroline, Norman and Max, sat on metal chairs in the waiting room.
Ash walked over and caught Pikachu, who had leapt towards him.
"Hey buddy," Ash greeted his longest companion, before letting the electric mouse shift onto his shoulder.
Ash turned his gaze to his mother and in-laws sat in front of him, who all had their eyebrows raised expectantly, Ash shot a quick glance at Pikachu, who also shared the look.
"Ohh right!" Ash exclaimed to himself, "She's absolutely fine, both of them," Ash exclaimed, smiling brightly, "My little girls," he added, the smile growing even further.
"Congratulations!" the four in front of him exclaimed as one, all jumping up in unison and converging around Ash.
"Have you decided on a name?" Caroline asked, drawing Ash's attention to her.
"Well actually, we've decided on names for both of them," Ash answered cryptically, causing confusion amongst all five of them, even Pikachu was confused by his trainer's words.
"Well, the newborn we've decided to name Georgia Caroline Delia Ketchum."
At this, both grandmothers started to tear up, and they embraced each other in a hug.
"Ash, that's wonderful," Delia said to her son, as the two women pulled apart slightly, so that they could look at Ash.
"But what did you mean by both of them? It wasn't twins, right?" Norman asked, shifting everyone's attentions to him.
Ash smiled again.
"No, no, but we've made an alteration to Liam's name," Ash said, smiling directly at Norman, who realised exactly where Ash was going, and even he started to tear up.
"Liam Giovanni Norman Ketchum," Ash said, still smiling brightly at his father-in-law.
"Ash… thank you," Norman said sincerely, which made Ash reach out a hand.
Norman gripped Ash's hand, before pulling the young man into a tight hug.
The two pulled back and turned slightly to see Delia and Caroline in tears again.
"Congratulations, bro," Max said, smiling at Ash, who returned the smile.
"Don't think you get away with it!" Ash exclaimed, pulling Max into a hug as well. After a few seconds the two pulled apart, and Ash took a step back, Pikachu still perched on his shoulder.
"Well, I best get back to my family," Ash said, a huge smile stretching across his face, "Mum, are you alright to make the calls to everyone to let them know?" Ash asked, looking at his mother, the smile not fading.
"Of course, Ashy, now off you go!" Delia said, physically turning Ash around and pushing him back towards the door.
"Thanks, mum!" Ash exclaimed as he opened the door and slipped inside, smiling back at the four – who where still standing up – in the waiting room.
Pikachu leapt off his shoulder and ran on ahead.
That smile grew as big as it possibly could be, when he looked at the bed and saw his wife, his two children and his most faithful Pokémon, cuddled up together on the bed.
May looked up from Pikachu – who she had been speaking to – to Ash, and she blinded Ash with one of her dazzling smiles.
"Hey, honey, how you feeling?" Ash asked, walking over to the bed and sitting down on the left hand side of May, once again.
"Still a bit tired, but who wouldn't be?" May said, smiling up at Ash as she spoke, "Did you tell our parents about the names?" she asked.
Ash nodded, before he swung his legs onto the bed, and slipped down so he was laying on the bed in an identical fashion to May.
"They loved the idea, my mums going to call everyone to let them know," Ash answered, before he placed his right arm around May, and onto Liam's back, who had started to doze off on his mother's stomach.
"Good," May replied, looking directly at Ash.
The two seemed to search each other's eyes, before Ash gently put his left hand onto May's cheek, and pulled her in for a passionate kiss.
"Pika!" Pikachu complained, covering his eyes with his paws, causing Ash and May to pull apart, only slightly, so that when they turned to look at the electric mouse, their cheeks were still touching.
They glanced at each other and simultaneously burst out laughing at Pikachu's antics, before they looked back into each other's eyes.
"I love you, Ash," May said, passion clearly evident in her voice.
"I love you too, May," Ash replied, equalling, if not bettering, the level of passion in his voice.
The parents shared another kiss, before they pulled apart from each other, and laid down properly, May giving Georgia to Ash, before gently lifting the sleeping Liam in between her and Ash.
Ash and May then shifted their bodies, so they were facing each other with both their children laying in the space in between them on the bed.
Ash reached his right arm out, high on the bed, and May reached out her left in and identical way, and they interlocked their fingers.
The two locked eyes and smiled brightly at each other, and Ash started to play with May's wedding ring on her left hand.
Pikachu, who had been sat near the edge of the bed, moved himself so that he was curled up just under Ash and May's outstretched arms.
And they just laid there, all five of them, as a family.
Pikachu, Ash, May, Liam and Georgia Ketchum.
They laid there in a bubble, oblivious to the world around them.
They laid there, being watched over by a guardian angel.
Giovanni Ketchum was smiling down on the young family, feeling just about as proud as a parent possibly could.
"Ohh Ash… I can see you now…"
Aaaaand there we have it! The official ending of "If You Could See Me Now."
REVIEWS:
Ultratron562: Well, here is the epilogue, did you like it? I'm really glad I portrayed the emotions well, as that is not my strongest writing point (in my opinion), thank you for reviewing my friend!
Majormiruddin: Let me assure you it is not! ARE YOU PSYCHIC TOO?!
LegitEmi: Do you want a hug my friend? *sends virtual hug* hehe, none of my stories have never really been "popular," so when I uploaded chapter 1, I was so surprised to see the amount of response on it! To be honest, the sequel sort of depended on information that was given in the epilogue, and I REALLY wanted to write a sequel, but I'll get onto that in a moment.
TheNightIsYoung: I do agree, reading back on it, there was much more I could do with it, thank you so much!
Pikachu Used Thunderbolt: Again, dude, AWESOME NAME! I agree! It was quite bad trying to write it, personally! I will now that I have "officially" completed it.
Advanced-ZeroX: Thank you! I really wanted to have a scene for Ash's "closure" and what better than a chat with his father? One last piece of advice from the great man. Would you like me to send you some tissues my friend? Condolences about your grandfather, I lost mine when I was fairly young, and he was amazing, must be a grandfather thing!
Amalgam24: Thank you! Yeah, my recovery from depression was much longer than this, but hey, everyone is different, and once Ash had the closure from his chat with Giovanni, and then the talk with the psychiatrist, where he got everything out in the open, it helped him greatly, though I do feel I could've done more with it.
South script: YES! SOMEONE NOTICED! Hehe! Thank you!
Haveaguess: Wow… thanks! Really? The best fanfiction you've read? THANK YOU SO MUCH! I… I don't even know how to respond to that other than to thank you! It was my pleasure! I don't know the size of their fanbase, but they're not as big as they should be in my opinion! Haha, here's the epilogue and more to come on the sequel momentarily!
Justtypin0218: That's a really good idea, looking back on it, probably better than what I did with the chapter! A shame because your idea would've made that chapter a bit more angsty. Wow, thank you! Really appreciate your review!
I really would like to thank everyone who has ever read this story, who has ever reviewed, ever added it to their faves and ever followed it, your support has been greater than I could have possibly imagined and I am truly grateful!
Now the sequel!
Working title for it is: The Birth Of A Champion.
That title is open for suggestions; if you can think of a better one, please, feel free to let me know!
Picks up three years after Giovanni's death, Ash has travelled the world with his girlfriend May, battling Gyms and entering Regional tournaments, but he has finished 2nd in every single regional tournament, he is now going back to Kanto, back to his roots to try and change that at Indigo League.
Basically picks up from the anime, but taking into account the events of "If You Could See Me Now," Ash has had all his adventures, met all the same people (except Iris and Cilan – as I'm not huge fans of those characters and don't feel I could effectively include them in the sequel), and captured all the same Pokémon (with some surprise additions).
I hope all of you who have liked this story, will read that one, not sure when the first chapter will be up, but hopefully I can get a regular uploads going.
Until then my friends!
~AF~