The sun shined bright the next morning. A flock of Spearow weaved their way in and out of the clouds. Brock sighed. What a morning, he thought as he sat up awake in his sleeping bag. He rubbed his face as he stood up. But two empty sleeping bags caught his eye.

Hmm. Now where did they go off to? Brock wondered. He started searching their campsite. He didn't have to look far. He spotted Ash and Misty curled up next to one another sleeping under a large oak tree. Brock smiled.

Well.. isn't this something. He thought to himself smiling. Where's a Poloroid when you need one? I could blackmail Ash with this. He laughed to himself. He knew his best friend had been in love with the red haired girl slumbering next to him. Dense as Ash may sometimes be, Brock wasn't blind. He was almost positive Misty felt the same too. Growing up with those two, he caught onto their habits. He knows love when he sees it. He should know, considering how many times he's been shot down. For once he'd like to see a relationship happen. If not his own, then at least for his two best friends. He would always tell Ash to get a move on it and tell Misty what was really going on. Ash refused to though. Oh sure, Ash knew that Brock had figured out his feelings toward Misty. But he made him swear not to let it slip of course. Brock agreed.

He smiled and shook his head at the two and quietly stepped away leaving the them alone.

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Misty's eyes fluttered open. She looked to her left only to discover a shirtless, sleeping Ash next to her. She smiled. And blushed. Ah, she was wondering when that was going to happen. She had never slept so peacefully before. And.. wait.. was that Ash's arm around her?? Misty turned her head slowly to the right.

Oh my god it was.

His arm was draped over her, his fingers dangling off her shoulder. Misty was almost shivering now, under the sun no less. He started to stir. She flinched and snapped her eyes shut. Misty couldn't see it, but Ash smiled down at her. He began to unwrap his arm from around her and stand up.

Damn.

Not wanting to pretend to be asleep anymore since Ash was up, she fake-stirred. "Morning Mist, I didn't wake you did I?" He asked with a hand behind his head. "Oh.. morning Ash, no you didn't." She replied softly deciding to play it cool. She chose to keep her eyes averted however.

"Sorry we ended up sleeping out here last night," Ash continued.

Why? I'm not. Misty thought trying to hold back a smile.

"No worries. If I get a kink though, I'm hitting you up for a massage!" She said laughing. Ash laughed too. And with immense satisfaction, she saw him blush.

"Where's Brock?" Misty questioned after a minute, noticing he wasn't there. Ash looked around when something caught his eye. He kneeled down and saw shapes in the ground. It looked like footprints. Hm. Misty noticed this too. "Do you think maybe he went for a walk or something?" She asked. Ash just squinted his eyes. "I don't know. Let's check the campsite." He replied. They stood up and walked in the opposite direction. There was Brock, he was sorting his Pokemon antidotes in order. "Morning Brock!" Said Misty cheerfully as she took a seat. He looked up trying to hold back a smile. "Morning kids," He replied jokingly. Misty laughed. But Ash just sat down looking pensieve.

Misty stopped laughing as she noticed this. "Something wrong Ash?" She asked. He looked at her, then to Brock. "Did you go for a walk today by any chance?" Ash asked. Brock shook his head. "No, been right here." He answered.

I'm losing it. Ash thought. "Huh. Nevermind." He shook it off. Brock nodded and went back to work, but Ash noticed Misty still looking at him as if she wasn't sure about something. Ash smiled at her. "I'm fine. I guess I'm not all the way awake yet." Misty smiled back and nodded, Ash's smile having stopped her ability to speak.

After a few moments passed, Brock and Ash were letting the Pokemon try some of the antidotes to cure minor injuries that they haven't had time to heal at a Pokemon center. Misty watched from a distance with a daydreamy look on her face. Then she pulled out an electronical device that held music in it. It came with earplugs that she slipped in. She flipped it on and Protecting Me by Aly & Aj could be heard softly through the wires. She smiled letting her thoughts sink into Ash. She slowly started to fall asleep.

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"Do we grab her now?" Came the soft hiss from James. "Not now you numbskull, we're in broad daylight! And Jessie said to wait till she was done masking the windows at dat place we was stayin' at!" Meowth retorted.

"Well how many chances do you think we'll get with her away from them and sleeping no less??" James snared. "Jessie would kill you if you acted now!" Said the feline Pokemon. "That's not such a threat when you hear it everyday!" He said. "Jessie would kill you!" Meowth repeated.

"They're seperated, broad daylight or not, and she's sleeping- I'm going for it!" "James--!" Meowth started, but too late.

James had reached an arm out and snaked it around Misty's wrist forcing her backward waking her right up. Her earplugs slipped out. At first she thought she tipped over while she was sleeping, but something was definitely grabbing her. Forcefully. A high pitch scream filled the air as Misty struggled to get free. Ash and Brock whipped around with their hearts pounding seeing it came from Misty.

"MISTY!" Ash cried, tearing into a run directly toward her with Brock at his heels. The Pokemon stopped their activites and followed close behind as well. "Pika!!" Pikachu cried out worredly.

"You idiot! Stop!" Meowth hissed. James ignored him and kept tugging Misty back.

She was screaming in such a terrified way that just broke Ash's heart. He was almost there but felt like he couldn't get there quick enough. Brock was yelling something too, but Ash couldn't comprehend what.

"Misty please hang on!" He cried desperatly. Then he had an idea. "Bulbasaur! Vine whip now, get Misty out of there!!" He commanded. "Bulba!" Bulbasaur replied. It heeded Ash's command and two vines reached from it wrapping themselves around her.

Finally, he reached her.

Meowth took action and swiped James across the face with his claws stopping him so they wouldn't get caught. Well it certainly worked. And James was PO'ed. "You almost ruined everything! We're going- now!" The cat replied before James could do or say anything. They fled.

"Misty! It'll be alright, I've got you!" Ash bent down and gathered her in his arms. She looked terrified. But she was okay. The relief that she wasn't hurt was so strong it nearly knocked him off his feet. Bulbasaur's vine whip had worked. Bulbasaur released Misty once Ash had fully dislodged her from the entanglement of her almost-kidnapper.

"Get out here right now you damn animal!!" Brock shouted behind the bushes at whatever tried taking away Misty.

Misty. Ash thought. Oh god, she was nearly taken from them. From him.

He shook his head and kneeled down to her. She was trembling. "Oh God Misty, Misty are you alright?" His voice quivered.

She nodded. But his heart continued to pound against his chest. "Please say something Mist," He quietly pleaded. "I..I'm okay, that.. it just.. scared me and.. " She trailed off mumbling non coherent words shaking her head. She was still in shock. Ash held her and gently rocked her in his arms.

Misty was indeed shocked. "I can't.. can't believe.. off guard.. I wasn't.. " She trailed off again.
She saw Ash look down at her. "Shh Misty.. it's okay.. I've got you, I'm here, I'm here. I'm not leaving you." He held her even more tightly to him.
She clung to him. Her heart was racing. From almost being kidnapped or from being this close to Ash, Misty didn't know.
"Pika Pi!" Pikachu faintly called from a distance as it and Brock approached them.

Brock had an intense look on his face. Pikachu bounded up on it's trainers shoulder and placed a paw on Misty in concern. She smiled softly at the yellow pokemon.
Before Ash could ask, Brock spoke. And his words sent a chill down Ash's back.
"I don't know who the hell that was, or what... but it meant business."

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Keep an eye out for chapter three! =] Please review!