Disclaimer: You should know this by now.. I do not own Pokemon or the chars, except I do own this fic.. and my own characters.

Author's note: Um... School is a biggy. Hmm, been hanging out at Taco Bell with a few friends, but not lately; it's been 2 weeks since the last time I went up there. Not to mention, I've been reading.. sorta. Lol, But I'm updating so yeah.

Upcomming Events:

1. School... continued

2. Updates on the following fanfiction: I've Missed You, Between Two Worlds, and Last Time.

3. New site type thing. . It's on "Br-Brock. The doctor called." He said while stuttering. Brock put his hand down, and turned to Misty, and then decided to drag her with them. "Let's go then." Brock said. And then they left to go to the Hospital.

Chapter 23: Breaking Down

On the way over to the hospital no one spoke. Untill Tracey coughed a few times, to abrupt the silence. Brock peered at him from the corner of his eye through the mirror as he droved in the direction of the hospital, and opened his mouth to speak, but May had interjected. "So.. Tracey, what were you about to ask me.. me before you got the call?"

Tracey looked up and stared at May kinda dumbfounded. He hadn't had a clue as to what she was talking about at that current moment. So, he just said the first thing that came to mind "I'm not sure."

Brock then spoke up after Tracey went quiet, while May had just hitten him over the head with her fist. "So, Tracey.. What hospital did the doctor say it was?" He asked still having the irritated tone in his voice.

Tracey looked up, thinking for a sec. "Umm.. Let see.."

"We don't have all day, now." Brock said.

"Oh right. I remember now, it was Clefy Hospital. Right over there." He said while pointing towards it.

While Tracey was giving the directions, Misty just sat there. Her eyes were swollen up, and it looked as if she was about to just start bawling then and there. But she held back and told herself It wasn't my fault... It wasn't... But she kept keeping herself from the truth.

Eventually they had gotten to Clefy Hospital. Once they were there, they ran inside. Misty being pulled by Brock into the hospital. They got the room number as to where Ash was being held. And they ran towards it, as fast as they could. The first one to reach the door was May. She had been a sprint runner in her days. The next was Tracey-He coughed alot after reaching the door. Brock and Misty were the only two left to reach the door. Brock swung the door open. And there laying in a white hospital bed; was Ash. But they weren't the first ones into the room. There was the doctor and nurses.

They all stepped in and closed the door behind them. The doctor stepped in and told them to get out. But they did not listen and walked straight on over to Ash. May looked over at the monitor and noticed that the line for the heartrate was doing normal; or so she thought. She sighed in relief. Tracey sat down in a chair near Ash, and just began to pray. While Brock spoke to the doctor and told him the reason they were there. After a few moments the doctor and nurses left them alone with the boy.

Brock walked over to Ash, after releasing Misty's wrist. He looked down at Ash, and the bandages the were slightly tainted with blood. He turned to Misty, and noticed she was staring directly at Ash's body-at the wounds she had caused. He saw that her eyes were swollen and puffy.

As Misty stared at Ash and his wounds, she glanced up to Brock at the feeling someone was looking at her; and it was Brock. She turned her face immediately after noticing. She continued to whisper in her head.. It wasn't my fault... I didn't want too.. But I had too.. There was no other option for me.. But while in her own thoughts, Brock stared at her intensly in his own thoughts.

Why? Why Misty? You knew him better than all of us. He was your best friend, and you loved him. What made you do such a thing like this. What made you into such a jerk? These were just a few questions going through his mind at that moment.

A few moments later they all heard some mumbling, and they all immediately turned away from their own personal thoughts and looked at Ash. All did except Misty. She was just standing there infront of the bed he was lying on. She did not look at him, she did not want to be there. But she had to, she had no choice.

Ash's eyes slowly began to open. The first thing he saw was the bright hospital lights beaming down on him. He slowly got to his elbows, and slowly sat up. He had closed his eyes so he wouldn't get dizzy, once he knew he was sitting up, he opened his eyes once again. He looked around the room. The first person he saw was Brock, then May, then Tracey, and then he regretted seeing her... Misty.

"Her." He said in a hurtful and displeased voice. While he was looking at Misty.

She felt his eyes lock on her, and she heard the word 'her' as if it were just a thing, or someone he did not care for. She couldn't look at him, not when she was about to break down crying and confessing.

"What is she doing here?" Ash asked looking at Brock, as if he would hold the answer.

"I brought her here." He stated.

"Why?" He continued to question.

"Because, I thought that if she saw what she had done, it might of brought some sense to her." Brock put simply.

May looked at Misty, and walked over to her. She was still her friend, though she did not know why. May saw that she was about to cry. (All basically noticed except Tracey and Ash)

Misty turned away and mumbled something "Get away from me."

May didn't look shocked at what she said. "Don't give me that, I'm still your friend. After what you just did. I mean c'mon it wasn't your fault." All eyes, except Misty's-were on May. Everyone just shocked at what she just said.

Misty turned to her. "I don't need your sympathy. And it was.." Misty's eyes began to tear up. Before she managed to even shed a tear, she turned away.

"Brock, will you excuse Misty and myself. We need to talk." He explained to Brock.

"But.." Brock attempted to argue.

"Just go!" With that, Brock and the rest followed him out. And closed the door behind him. Ash sat in his bed, and then slowly got to his feet. And walked over to Misty. He looked so serious, and that he was.

"Misty." He said, but with a demanding voice, as if she were to just turn automatically and look at him. She didn't. She just stood there looking away. He went for her, he pinned her againest the and forced her to look at him.

She pushed him back, and turned to him and glared at him. "What! What do you want me to do, crawl on my knees and obey you-like some love sick puppy. Well, you have another thing coming, cause I don't plan one doing that!" She snapped. But her voice was a bit cracky, but she had meant it.

He stood there; a few feet away. He looked at her, not suprised by her attitude and the tone in her voice. He let her have her space and spoke up "Well, excuse me. I didn't plan on you trying to kill me, when we found you! It's your effing fault I have to bullet hole scars on my body now!" He screamed back.

She looked at the bandages. She just grinned and looked away. "Whatever."

"Don't you dare turn your head when I'm speaking to you!"

"I'm not you're fucking dog! So, stop treating me like I am!" She barked back.

"You might as well be." He said with a grin. He knew that this comment would get her full attention.

As she heard that, sparks of anger started forming around her (anime style). She immediately turned her head and punched him in the face for that comment. "How dare you.." She stood back and looked at what she had just done.

He wasn't expecting her to punch at him for that. After the hit, he went crashing into the bed. And he sat on the cold floor looking at her; shocked and once again displeased.

Meanwhile outside the door

Brock and everyone elses' ears were tightly up againest the door listening on Ash and Misty's conversation. They heard the pounding and the screaming. And Brock went to grab the door handle-when May held him back. "Don't."

He looked at her strangely, and obyed. He then went back to listening, but now May was by the handle so that neither Brock nor Tracey or anyone else could get in. May knew what she was doing.

Back inside the room

After about five minutes of them argueing and Misty re-injuring Ash, they stopped. They huffed a bit and stared at each other intensly. "Why'd you have to come back?"

"I had a mission. And you just happened to be in the way. So, I had to find a way to eliminate you from the picture." Misty said while sitting on the bed and Ash stood over by a chair and table.

"Standing in your way? In your way from what?" He asked.

"That's confidential. That is between my father and I." She snickered.

"Your father?" He asked puzzled at her statement. "Since when?"

She glared at him. "After his clan members kidnapped me so long ago." She seemed to not care about that moment in time. All she cared about now, was unknown at that time.

"So, your father was behind it all? Did he brainwash you into joining him? What did he do?" He questioned and stepped forward.

She looked at him "he did nothing to me, in order for me to join him and his clan." She said simply as harsh memories came to her.

He looked at her, he was no longer mad at her, but concerned. "Misty.." His voice was still harsh, but it had some sencirity too. No, she betrayed us. I can't hold back just because she was my best friend. He fought with himself about the situation occuring. Before he knew it, Misty was no longer there. She was gone and out the door. He walked towards the door, only to see that Brock and Tracey were standing by the door. And May was no where to be seen.

"Where's May? And Misty for that matter." Ash asked them.

They looked at each other. Tracey said where May was "She left. Following Misty." He then looked away from Ash. He didn't want to tell him. But eventually he and Brock would have to.

Ash went back into the room and changed into his clothes (the clothes he wore before he wore a tux to the ball. Ya know they appear to be there when ever he needs them in the show. Lol.) And he walked out, when he realized he still had some patches on, he yanked them off and threw them in the room and closed the door.

Meanwhile with Misty and May

Misty walked out of the hospital and towards a near by forest and she had May following her. May was her only actual friend through the whole situation. Misty continued on her walk, her strides were strong but wobbly. Soon, she was far enough away from the hospital, she collapsed and pounded the ground hard with her fist. When she lifted it-it had a cut along the side and dirt smudges too. She had tears streaming down her cheeks.

May came around a tree, and just stood there behind her friend. She looked down at Misty. She knew she didn't mean to, but she had to. For her life. May was second or third in commanding. She knew what was to happen to Misty if she did not obey. May stepped forward while doing so she stepped on a twig, which caused Misty to starttle and throw a near by rock at May. May caught it, and tossed it up and down, and then off to the side.

"Misty.."

"Leave me along. God damnit! Just leave me alone!" She shouted.

"Misty.. I-... I know you didn't want to-" May tried explaining, but Misty shot up and turned towards May.

"I don't want you damn explainations! You have no fucking idea what I did, how bad this would hurt! You have no clue what I had to go through. I did not want to join, I tried getting away with almost every chance I had. But no, I was forced for my life..." She trailed off, and then turned away and walked off once again.

May stood there, she wanted to comfort her friend. But instead she turned behind her to find the guys standing right there. She glared at them.

"Did you get that, Ash? Are you bloody fucking happy now!" May said, and walked off in the direction of where Misty had gone.

Ash just stood there, shocked at the words Misty and May had just spoken before them. And before he knew it he was alone. Brock and Tracey had gone with May. Somethings not right.. Why would they follow Misty? Ash thought about this for awhile before following silently behind.

Misty came to a clearing and there before her stood a figure. A tall man, bulky too. He was slightly bald; almost. He stood before her in this feild of flowers. "Misty.. My child."

"What do you want? You've made my life worse than it was before. Just pretend I died." Misty exclaimed through tears.

"Oh, I wont have to pretend when you are." He smirked, and his clan members appeared by his side. Even her sisters.

"Wha- What do you mean!" She questioned, now her tears were gone and her anger was rising. She stepped foward and glared at her father and searching him for an answer.

"Dear child. Since I have three lovely daughters already, why would I need a fourth? You were never my child. You were just a pawn in my sick little game." He laughed.

Misty's anger rose to a breaking point. She ran at him, "your lying!" She yelled. And swung at him, but he had moved away while Violet took his place. Misty stopped her punch and stepped back. I- I can't they're my only family. My only family... She was torn from her thoughts when she was shot down to the ground by her sister.

May and the others stood in the forest and with Ash slowly trailing behind he did not hear what was going on. He was just thinking about things that could not be, but is in reality.

- To be continued...

Thank you so much for reading. I hope you enjoyed it. It took me forever to do. X.x Oh and remember review. Next Chapter coming soon

Chapter 24: Can No Longer Be

-Nikki- Chapter completed: 1-30-05