Howdy all! Wow, already on the third chapter, I'm doing well! I have no idea how long this story will be but I have the plot mapped out and I can promise you one thing, it's going to be full of fluffyness! Who doesn't love soppy stuff?

Anyway, in this chapter it is still mainly about Ash and his Mother in hospital, but an interesting proposal is brought up in this chapter, I wonder what it will be? Just wait and see!

I now present you with the next chapter of Fire and Ice, and once again thank you all sooooo freaking much for all the reviews! They make me so happy!

Also if your wondering why it's called Fire and Ice you will find out later :)

Chapter Three: You saved my world and guided me.

I sat beside her bed, silently watching the monitor. The soft beeping noise to indicate that her heart was still with us lingered in my ears and offered a subtle comfort. Another obvious presence that surprisingly was offering me comfort was the fact Gary was here, sitting beside me and supporting me.

He had no idea how much I valued him being here.

"Hey Mom," I mumbled weakly, taking one of her pale fragile hands into mine and bringing it to my lips. Pressing a soft tender kiss on it my eyes continued to watch her face. She was struggling to breath peacefully as she continued to wheeze and whistle through her nose.

It pained me to witness this.

Pikachu sat on the bed, ears drooped. He obviously hated this as much as I did.

"Chu..." He whined, looking at her colourless face. The illness was almost sucking the life out of her.

"I'm here now," I choked out, fighting back the urge to cry. It was horrible, seeing her so devoid of life, and that sparkle she once had was now not visible any more.

I watched with bated breath as she weakly opened her eyes, her breathing still raspy as she beheld my breaking image. I could see she was trying to smile, but she did not have the strength to manage it.

"Ash... my... sweetheart..." She muttered in a whisper, struggling to form any words.

"Don't talk Mom, it's okay. We are all here, look, Pikachu, Gary and me. We all want you to get better," I consoled, keeping my grip on her weak and fragile hand like it was the only life line I had in this world.

Gary nodded in unison with Pikachu.

She tried to smile, but it was obviously draining her of energy and so refrained from doing so.

"Don't worry Delia, I'll make sure that Ashy-boy is looked after while your in here," Gary teased, making me give him a stern glance.

This was so not the time for this! Stupid Gary, and what does he mean looked after? Is he going to take on the motherly role or something crazy like that? Urgh, the thought is making me want to vomit.

I watched as she gave a weak nod, obviously trying to speak to us, but her voice failing on her countless times. Her raspy breathing seemed to be getting worse the longer we stayed in her presence and it made me feel guilty.

She did need all the rest she could get and while we were here she would not be able to do so.

"You never change do you," I growled quietly at the emerald eyed boy, who just smiled at me.

"Well come on Ash, your Mom basically does everything for you. With her not being around you are going to need some-one there for you,"

I continued to hold her fragile hand in mine as I looked at Gary's face.

Well, he wasn't teasing this time, in fact I was almost sure he meant this.

"So what are you going to do? Move in with me?" I joked, chuckling after my words. I watched as Pikachu snickered too, obviously feeling a little better after seeing my Mom.

"Well, I was going to propose that," He returned, making me tense up immediately.

Whoa, whoa back up! Gary just said that he WANTS to move into MY house while Mom is away? What the hell is wrong with him? I mean, come on, this is Gary. Ex rival Gary who always winds me up and teases me to no end. God, I would end up killing him if we lived together. Even so, why does the thought make me feel incredibly nervous at the same time?

I felt my hands clam up with sweat while holding my Mother's and swallowed hard. It seemed too weird to be living in a house with another guy while everyone was away. Even Pikachu looked worried.

"Well, I... Ummm..."

I struggled to think of a reasonable excuse that would not make me sound pathetic. A part of me wanted Gary to stay with me, I mean it would be better than sitting at home in silence, but another part wanted anything but that.

I wondered why.

"Truth is, I don't really want to stay at Gramp's and have him sniffing around me, asking me to do everything for him. I thought if I stay with you there is a less chance that will happen,"

I looked at him and once again he was telling the truth. His eyes looked slightly sorrowful as they turned their gaze from mine and his hands rested uncomfortably in his lap.

So, he wanted to stay with me not only to make sure I had a friend, but so Professor Oak would not harass him?

It was starting to make more sense in my mind now.

"I don't mind if you want to stay, but I think you better ask my Mom, it is her house after all," I informed, continuing to smile at my old childhood companion. He nodded and turned his attention to the frail woman lying deathly still in the pure white bed, hooked up to various machines that beeped occasionally.

"Delia, if it is alright with you, can I stay with Ash at your place until you get better? I think it would be good if he had a friend to talk to right now,"

Suddenly I felt my hands let go of my Mother's out of sheer shock of the words he just said. They made him sound like he genuinely cared about me. The more my mind started to dwell on the words the more I felt my face begin to burn up.

Blushing again? Seriously? God damn it why? Why won't my body function normally around him?

Cursing mentally at myself I watched with bated breath as she once again weakly opened her eyes and gave a weak nod at his question.

Gary smiled in return and looked across to me. I hoped my blush was now not visible, that would not be good if he saw me blushing like crazy.

"Pika!" Pikachu called out, trying to get my attention. I turned to my little yellow companion who was pointing to himself then back at my Mom. I smiled;

"Yes Pikachu, you can stay here with Mom,"

"Pika Pika!" He called out in joy, his face beaming with the biggest smile I had seen for a while.

"It seems Pikachu is really attached to your Mom huh?" Gary stated, looking from Pikachu to me. I gave an indecisive nod.

"He is just worried about her, and wants to be here for company," I returned.

After a few more minutes in the company of my beloved Mother, the lady who had shown us the way here entered the room quietly. All eyes burned into her small slim figure as she gave us a warm smile.

"Alright boys, she really needs to rest now. You can visit her tomorrow if you like,"

A part of me felt as if it had just died.

We had to leave now?

We had not spent that long in here, about 20 minutes and already we were being told to leave.

"Alright, thank you," Gary issued to the lady who once again left the room, quietly closing the room behind her.

Grumbling to myself I stood up, moving the chair I had sat on to the side so I could get round the bed easier. At least Pikachu could stay here, luckily for him this hospital had no queries about Pokemon being with the sick at all times. It would be more of a comfort than a burden.

"We have to go already? So not fair," I grumbled angrily, watching as Gary stood up also, moving his chair to the side.

"Your Mom needs her rest Ash, you have got to understand, and besides, we can see her tomorrow,"

I thought about it.

It was true, there was always tomorrow, and tomorrow was a new day which would bring a change of events. She might be feeling better tomorrow.

That was a positive thought.

I looked at Gary and nodded. Of course he was right as usual. I walked over to Pikachu and gently stroked his head;

"Now you be good and look after Mom, if anything bad happens come get me," I informed.

"Pi, Pikachu!" He replied, making a salute gesture in response. Again I stroked his head before turning to leave the room. It seemed more difficult than I had ever anticipated, turning my back on my Mother and leaving her to the abuse of the machines seemed inhumane. I had no choice though, after all, she needed her rest.

Quietly I waved a goodbye to my Mom, who by now had drifted off into an uneasy slumber and left the room, with Gary hot on my heels.

Once we left the white washed room and made our journey down the narrow corridors I shoved my hands in my pockets. They had started to clam up again and I did not want Gary to see it. The thought of him taunting me right now did not seem favourable.

"So looks like you're stuck with me, Ashy Boy," Gary teased, putting his arm around my neck and squeezing me hard against him. I flinched at the contact and the thought he had teased me yet again, just like the old days.

"Yeah, unfortunately," I mumbled.

Gary still had me pulled against his side as we walked, but it was in an uncomfortable embrace. He was taller than I was so walking like this was a handicap, and we looked like drunken idiots.

Weirdly enough Gary did not seem to care about the weird glances we were given, and the foul gossip that was rife in the hospital reception. Myself, on the other hand could feel the negative impulses from the gossipers draining my life energy away and I hoped the ground would just open up and take me away from this nightmare.

"So, what do you want to do later?" Gary asked me, allowing me free from his grip. I adjusted my shirt on my shoulder and rubbed my arm as I responded;

"I have no idea, as long as you don't do that again then I am sure anything will be fine,"

He chuckled and I scowled. Spending all this time with Gary was now slightly daunting, however a side of me wanted nothing more.

Great, stuck with Gary for God knows how long. How am I going to cope? I mean yeah, It will be great having someone to talk to, but I don't think I am going to enjoy the constant aggravation he causes me. Even so, I cant help but get flustered thinking about it. Is it because it feels so wrong? I don't know, I don't even understand myself let alone Gary.

As we stepped outside of the hospital the cold rush of wind immediately attacked my body, causing a violent shiver to cascade through me.

Man, I forgot how cold it would be at this time of night.

My eyes looked at the sky. As expected, it was devoid of a single cloud so the temperature was going to be cold, if there were clouds it probably wouldn't of been that bad.

"Are you cold?" Gary enquired curiously as I turned to face him.

Was my uncontrollable shivering that obvious?

I rubbed my bare arms briskly and shook my head;

"No, I'll be fine,"

He raised an eyebrow at my words;

"Come on Ash, you don't have to lie to me,"

Mentally I cursed myself for being so obvious around him. It was like he knew everything about me, what I was feeling, if I was upset or happy, what I wanted in life and how I would react to situations.

Oddly enough Gary probably knew me better than I knew myself.

I stood motionless, continuing to shiver violently as the wind refused to give up it's constant assault on my body.

"I think we should get a taxi back to Pallet Town, it is late after all, and I don't like the idea of us walking back in the freeing cold," Gary mused, trying his best to locate a nearby taxi rank. I weakly nodded, trying my best to keep as warm as I could.

I really should have brought my coat with me.

After a few seconds of constant shivering I felt something being wrapped around my shoulders to keep the onslaught of the wind off my back. Staring at this new object it revealed itself to be Gary's lab coat.

He had just willingly gave it to me!

"But, Gary you'll freeze to death!" I protested, even though I continued to pull the coat over my body to gain some warmth.

"Don't worry about me, I'm a lot tougher than you are," He jeered, bobbing his tongue out at me.

At that moment I really wanted to rip it out of his throat. See, this is what I don't get with Gary, one minute he is really kind and comforting and the next he reverts back to his usual cocky self. Urgh, it drives me insane!

Glaring at my Ex rival I decided against starting World War Three and so settled into the soft warmth of his coat. It even had Gary's distinctive scent plastered all over it so whenever I inhaled all I could smell was him. It actually felt as if he was the one holding me, protecting me from the cold.

I bit the inside of my lip in annoyance.

I needed to stop thinking about things like that, it wasn't doing any good for my health right now.

Gary seemed to have found a taxi rank and started to dial the number into his phone. I just watched him the entire time, not knowing what else I could do. He waited a few seconds before obviously some-one had answered;

"Hello, can I order a taxi please?"

Again another pause.

"To Pallet Town,"

Hang on, who was paying for this taxi? Well, I can't, I have hardly any money on me as it is. Great, we are just going to have to runaway when we leave and hope we don't get caught. Now why does that thought feel kind of exciting?

I yelped a little which made Gary turn to face me. He rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to the phone.

Subconsciously I cursed.

How could I actually yelp like a dog in front of him? I thought I only did that in my mind!

This situation was bound to get a hundred times worse.

"Ten minutes? Alright, thank you," Gary said politely and hung up the phone. He glared at me through narrowed emerald eyes.

"What is up with you?"

I turned away, feeling like a prize idiot. Coming up with any excuse I lied;

"I stumped my toe,"

He blinked curiously, and then started to chuckle;

"How do you find it possible to injure yourself when you are standing still?"

My stomach started to knot and it felt like Butterfrees were flying riot, causing a tingly sensation to consume my body.

His laugh, it made me feel strange and not in a bad way.

It was hard to explain.

"I'm an idiot I know," I mumbled, pulling the coat further over my shoulders as time lingered on. Gary smiled and gently nudged my arm playfully;

"Yeah, you said it,"

This time I didn't feel like pummelling him into oblivion, even though he had mocked me for the millionth time tonight I just started to laugh. My own laughing caused him to laugh too and soon enough we were in fits of hysterics outside the hospital, laughing until our sides ached.

Maybe living with Gary won't be so bad, perhaps we could get along and learn to live together. Even so, the thought of being ALONE with him in my house still makes me feel a little uneasy. Is it because I subconsciously seek comfort from others? I suppose that the thought of seeking comfort from Gary is a little nerve racking. Still, he was the one who suggested staying with me so I'll just let things go it's course. But one thing I was almost certain about, I think I was starting to like Gary more than I ever expected.

Awww! Again I want to say thank you so much to everyone who has reviewed and faved this story! Everyone keeps asking me who will be dominant? Well, as Ash is the more vulnerable one in this story I'm sure you guys can figure that out?

Anyway, I put in some fluff as I adore fluffyness to the max! I didn't want to make the story all about sex and hardcore stuff, I wanted it to be natural, and to show that it is possible to fall in love with someone who you used to despise. There is a fine line between love and hate after all.

There will be the odd lemon or two but not until way into the plot, after all, this is a love story and not a sex story. So now, i'll leave to write the next thrilling instalment and keep the reviews coming! Thank you and ciao for now!