The next chapter is here. I hope you enjoy it. Only two more left.

I do not own pokemon. Only a fair amount of pokemon cards… Which are currently misplaced. So, that should tell, if I owned anything, it'd probably be misplaced


Silence. Nothing more than their feet crunching against the grass and leaves that littered the forest floor. It was nearing the end of the second day, and they were almost out of the Viridian Forest. They should easily make it to Pallet by the end of the next day. And, Brock didn't think they could get there soon enough. Since last night, Ash and Misty had refused to speak at all and both picked an opposite side of Brock and didn't even look at each other. Even Pikachu decided to take refuge on Brock's back, escaping some of the tension radiating off of Ash.

"Well, this seems like a good place to stop. Plus, it's getting dark. We don't need to get lost in here," Brock told his two friends, setting down his backpack. He looked at Pikachu, "How does firewood sound?"

"Chu!" Pikachu responded almost a little too excited about the prospect of getting away from the camp and all the tension. He started towards the forest not even waiting for Brock to start. Brock quickly started to follow, careful not to get lost.

The silence hug over them for a while, neither one really wanting to be alone with the other and both silently fuming at Brock for leaving them in this situation. Ash was the one to break the silence, "I was jealous, you know."

This took Misty by surprise and she glanced up at him quickly, not expecting him to speak, "What?"

"I was jealous," he repeated. "I was jealous that you had a kid and it wasn't mine. I was jealous that Brock knew and she seems to love him so much. And, that she called him Uncle Brock and I'm just plain old Ash."

Misty's breath caught in her throat before she could finally find something to say to him, "She… she knows. That's why she looked so dang confused when I said that you were just my friend. She probably didn't make the connection between those old photos of you and how you look now. But, she remembered your name, so when I just called you a friend, she probably didn't know what to think."

"Oh," he responded quietly, sitting down cross legged.

She sat down as well, on her knees in front of him, "I was scared you'd hate me… Which, turns out to be true. Because you do."

"I don't hate you, Misty. I'm just hurt. Even more than I before. I mean I'm ecstatic that she's mine. She's such a beautiful child and I thought the father would be the luckiest person in the world. I'm just hurt that you didn't tell me. But, I guess if I think about it, you were doing it for me," he admitted, rubbing a hand across his face.

"I should have told you and let you make that choice. It was yours to make. But, you were still too young with such big dreams. Admit it Ash, I was never as dedicated to my dream as you were to yours. And, you accomplished it, more or less. You're known pretty much everywhere now. And, I think back and I know that I made the right choice. Plus, mine dreams weren't really given up. I had always wanted to run the Cerulean City Gym and that's what I ended up doing, and I'm still getting better. My sister still let me travel to some islands and to coasts so that I can catch more pokemon. So, it wasn't completely given up. Yours would have had to stop completely. You'd have had to stop traveling finding all the different types of pokemon and trying to catch as many as you could. I couldn't do that to you," she told him with a small smile.

"I still wish I could have gotten to know her. To be her hero, I guess," he said.

She giggled lightly, "You are. She looks up to you. I told you that you are well known, even to a four year. You are as much to her as Ditto the Explorer is to other four years olds."

"I've just been related back to a kid's TV show," he sighed dramatically and then let out laugh which made Misty laugh. Soon, both of them were laughing harder than they have in a long time.

Brock walked back up to the campsite then and stopped in his tracks, Pikachu right by his heals, both staring at the site in front of them. Brock looked down at Pikachu, "Guess they made up…"

"Chu?" Pikachu looked confused before slowly making his way towards Ash and Misty. He gently poked them both. Neither responded. He looked up and Brock and shrugged, "Pi."

"Are you two okay?" Brock asked cautiously. He walked away and it was deathly silence, he comes back and they are rolling around on the floor laughing. He had no idea what it was he missed, but apparently it was pretty funny.

Misty sat up still giggling softly, "Yeah, just fine. Ash just made a funny comment."

"Oh," Brock responded still slightly confused. "So, you two have made up? You're friends again?"

"Mhmm," Ash answered, standing up and taking the sticks that Brock as still holding. "But, we still have a lot to talk about."

Misty thought for a second, "You know, we have extra rooms up at the gym. You're free to stay up there anytime that you want to. So, you can be with Serenity and all that."

"Thanks Misty," Ash's smile grew even larger. "So, we can talk to her when we get to Pallet, right?"

"Sure. Delia's been waiting for this. Yes, Ash, she's known. Tracey told her," Misty explained. "Don't be mad about her not telling you. She had very strict directions."

"I understand," Ash responded somberly. He guessed he really was the only one who hadn't known.

A couple hours later, and they were all lying down ready to sleep.

"Night Brock."

"Night, Misty."

"Night Brock."

"Night, Ash."

"Night, Misty."

"Night, Ash."

"Pikachu!"

"Goodnight, Pikachu," they all responded together.


"There's Pallet!" Ash called excitedly as he saw his hometown come into few. He started to run up ahead, "Come on you guys! Let's go!"

"Pikachu!" Pikachu responded, running at his heels.

Misty and Brock look at each other and smiled as they took off after him. He was obviously ready to get back home. Which made sense; he hadn't been there in about two and a half years.

"MOM!" he yelled as soon as he entered the front door of his house. "Hey Mom, I'm home!"

"Ash, honey!" Delia shuffled in and threw arms around his neck tightly. "Oh and Misty and Brock. How are you two doing?"

"Very good," Brock replied.

"Has Serenity made it here yet?" Misty asked.

Just as she said this, a small figure ran from the kitchen and straight into her arms. She lifted the small body into her arms, hugging her, "MOMMY!"

"Hey, Serenity. Were you good for your aunt?" Misty asked her seriously. She was wearing her normal outfit with her normal pigtails, except a white and red hat now adorned her head. Ash's hat.

"Yes, ma'am. They said I was really good. Even Grandma called me a little angle. Didn't ya, Grandma?" Serenity turned towards Delia who instantly froze.

"It's okay, Delia," Misty reassured and looked over at Ash who had been staring at Serenity.

Serenity looked at Ash and then back at her mother with questioning eyes. Misty nodded to her daughter, "Say hi to Daddy."

"Daddy?" Serenity threw herself towards Ash how caught her lightweight easily and held her close to him. She buried herself into his chest and the hat slipped off and fell soundlessly to the floor.

"Yes," her whispered softly and she held onto him. He wasn't paying any attention to anyone else in the room. If he had, he would have seen the happily sad look on his mothers face, a loving look on Misty's, and Brock's simple smile.

"Why don't we go eat that delicious dinner that we made?" Delia eventually asked that small girl, laying a hand on her back.

"My daddy," she mumbled, her gripe not loosening.

"You can eat with me, how about that?" Ash asked her.

Serenity peeked up and nodded, "Okay."

They went into the kitchen to eat, Serenity was still firmly planted in her father's lap. She was telling him all kinds of random things, half of which was mumbled and jumbled together so that he couldn't understand.

"So, everyone else a nickname for you, I think you should get one from me. How about Rini?" Ash asked her.

She looked up at him and nodded, "Yes but only you and Mommy are allowed to call me that, ever."

"Deal," he responded and the rest of the table laughed.


Well, there you go. Next chapter is the party and then maybe one after that. What do ya think? I couldn't resist a whole goodnight thing. I was thinking like the Waltons or something xD

And, that sequel is still up for vote…