In My Heart: Live For Today

By: TheFifthCharmedOne

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Summary: Third and final part of In My Heart trilogy. The road of love never did run smooth, but it seems things may finally be going the way they were meant to go. Though as the old saying goes, everything is not what it seems. Poke and Contest ships.

-X-X-X-

Chapter 2: Can't Breathe Without You

And we know it's never simple, never easy
Never a clean break, no one here to save me
You're the only thing I know like the back of my hand

And I can't breathe
Without you, but I have to
Breathe
Without you, but I have to

Never wanted this, never want to see you hurt
Every little bump in the road I tried to swerve
People are people and sometimes it doesn't work out
Nothing we say is gonna save us from the fall out

Breathe, Taylor Swift

-X-X-X-

MISTY POV

"Are you in a lot of trouble?" I asked him, and I looked at the clock. 10:57.

"With my mom, or you?" he said, and my eyebrows furrowed. He stood up, and I realized how tall he was now. Taller than me. It was a weird feeling. For some reason, having to look up at him made me slightly flustered.

"What do you mean with me?" I said, not meeting his eyes. He took my chin into his hands and turned me to face him.

"I mean that there are still things we need to figure out, things you've been running from. What are we Misty? Just teenage parents? Or," he ran his thumb down my cheek, making me gasp and blush. "…Something more?" he finished, noticing my blush with a small smile. "All these years later and I still make you nervous."

I scowled.

"I'm not nervous. It's called hormones." I said. "And mine are very active around you." I added with a tiny smirk. "Guess I do love you." He grinned.

"You guess?" he asked, tilting his head to the side, which made his hair fall into his eyes. And damn it all, I blushed.

"Look," I sighed. "We need to talk, about everything, but right now I want to sleep and get ready for the trip to Petalburg that I'm apparently taking tomorrow."

"You're really going back?" he asked softly. I stiffened.

"I have to. I won't let Daisy and the others control my life." I said with a slight growl. I went over and started to throw things into a suitcase. Ash put his hand on mine. I looked at him.

"Mist," he said quietly, and I shivered from the sensitivity in his voice, and the use of my nickname. "You know I can't come with you. I have to stay in Kanto for the League."

I felt my heart sink. He was right; but I didn't have a choice. "You could come stay with me." he said. "We could talk and I could get to know the twins better."

As tempting as that sounded, and as much as I truly and sincerely wanted to stay with him, I couldn't.

"I have a life in Petalburg Ash. A job, a family. Caroline, Norman, Max, May, Drew. They're my family. Alex and Jake too. I never planned on seeing you again." his shoulders slumped. "But that doesn't mean I didn't think about you every day. Wondering how you were doing, wondering…if you still…" I stopped and looked away.

"Still what?" he asked, walking closer to me. I could feel his body heat radiating on my back. It gave me chills.

"Still cared." I replied. "If you still loved me. You seemed so happy with Dawn that…in some ways, I hated you. It seemed that you didn't even care that we had gone so far; that Dawn was more important then me. As superficial as that sounds, don't I have the right on some level? We made love Ash, that's as far as two people can go in a relationship, other then marriage. And you gave me the two most amazing gifts that I could have ever hoped for. Of course you didn't know that, but I guess…I guess that doesn't matter. You're still with her, aren't you?"

"No. We broke up months ago. Right after I came to Hoenn, we broke up."

My heart soared, but I tried not to let it show. "The truth is Mist," he rested his hand on my waist, turning me around to face him. "I only dated Dawn because I was trying to forget you."

I looked at him with my eyes wide. "Clearly, it didn't work." he put his hand on the back on my neck, pulling me forward. My eyes closed as he kissed me.

-X-X-X-

MAY POV

I sat in the room Drew and I had been staying in while we were visiting in Cerulean. Ash was back; but I wasn't sure how good or bad that was. I knew Misty and Ash still love each other, and probably always will, but Ash was gone for a lot of Jake and Alex's major milestones. Their first words, their first steps. Granted, if he had even known they existed, he would have been there, but still. Part of me was angry with him. Did I really have the right?

I heard a tapping on the window and looked out. There was Drew, floating on Flygon's back. I smiled and went over.

"Fly with me?" he said, and he offered his hand like a true gentleman. I took it and settled on Flygon's back. The Mystic Pokemon took off and flew around the night sky. "So, are you going to tell me what's on your mind or not?" I sighed and looked at my hands. The ring caught in the moonlight; and it brought a smile to my face.

"I'm worried about Misty, Drew. I know she and Ash love each other, but is that enough to fix their problems?"

"I've been wondering the same thing." Drew said thoughtfully. "It doesn't help that Misty and Daisy got into a fight."

"Yeah, we're going back to Petalburg tomorrow." I said. "Daisy basically kicked Misty out because Misty would never let Daisy control her life. She's too independent and fiery."

"I think that's something you two have in common." Drew said to me with a wink. I glared at him, blushed, and pouted. "Aw come on, I was just kidding." He turned toward me; he had been sitting closer to Flygon's head to direct the Pokemon, and came closer, bringing his hand to my face. I smiled.

"I knew that."

"Of course you did." he kissed me, and I felt the world swirl around me.

-X-X-X-

MISTY POV

When we broke apart, I paled and turned away.

"I have to pack." I said, turning around and grabbing my clothes from my drawers. "Y-You should go. It's late."

"Misty." he said my name so softly, I almost didn't hear him. "You're leaving tomorrow, aren't you?"

"Yeah." I said softly. I turned back to him. "I guess this is goodbye then."

"It doesn't have to be," he said, tracing his thumb across my jawline lovingly. I bit my lip and tried to maintain control.

"Yes it does. You have to stay with the League, and I have to go back to Petalburg City."

"The offer to stay with me still stands." he said offhandedly. I shook my head no. He looked upset; and I felt a pang of guilt run through me. "Can I at least say goodbye to the twins?" he asked me. I hadn't thought about that.

"O-Of course." I stammered. I looked at the clock. 11:15.

We went into the room next to mine, and the twins were sound asleep.

Ash walked in quietly, and I watched from the door. He went to Jake first; and kissed him on the head. The more I watched, the guiltier I felt. But I had to leave; my sisters would not control me. I wouldn't let them. And Ash has to stay. He's the Kanto Pokemon League Regional Master. He can't go live in another region without giving that up; and I would never ask him to do that for me. That was the whole reason I never told him I was pregnant to begin with.

He came back, and I closed the door quietly. "I'm sorry." I said.

"Don't be. I'll come visit you in Petalburg, okay?" he asked me. "I'd like to get to know them."

"I'd like that." I said with a small smile. "Maybe I can convince May to invite you to the wedding."

He grinned. "She's pretty mad at you, you know."

"She'll get over it." he shrugged. Then his face turned serious. His brown eyes met with mine. I knew he wanted a kiss goodbye, but if that happened, I wasn't sure I'd be able to let him go.

"Don't." I said, putting my hand up. He took my hand in his and kissed my fingers. I bit my lip and looked away.

"Bye," he said, and he went downstairs and I heard the door close. I wanted to cry, but I forced the tears away. Crying wouldn't fix it. Crying would only make it worse.

I went to my room to pack.

-X-X-X-

MAY POV

As Flygon flew us back toward the Gym, I saw Ash walking away.

"Drew, tell Flygon to stop down there. I need to talk to Ash." Drew nodded and Flygon maneuvered down in Ash's path. I jumped off and Ash looked at me. Drew stood beside me, and returned Flygon.

"May, Drew," he said, sounding depressed. I had a feeling his reunion with Misty hadn't gone the way he wanted it too. "Congrats on the engagement. Misty told me." he sighed and continued to walk away.

"Ash, wait." I said, putting my hand on his shoulder. He stopped and turned his head halfway to face me. "Things can be fixed between you two. You just have to try." Drew gave me a halfway glance. I had been thinking about it; and the more I remembered how much Misty had been hurting without Ash, the more I understood that I had no right to get in the way of what was really meant to be.

"She doesn't want to." Ash said, frowning. "I asked her to come live with me, but she said she had to go back to Petalburg with you guys. I don't blame her; I should have been there for her. She doesn't trust me anymore."

"But she does still love you." I said. "I watched her suffer through her heartbreak when she saw the picture of you and Dawn kissing. I watched her try to live without you. It wasn't a pretty sight. She tried to be strong for the twins; but I could see she was hurting. All she's doing now by rejecting you is trying to protect herself and be strong."

"But why?" Ash asked me.

"I don't know exactly." I said. "But if I can find that out; will you promise not to give up?"

He smiled.

"You should know me better then that May. I never give anything, or anyone, up without a fight."

I smiled.

"That's the way to do it." said Drew, and they shook hands. "Don't give up man."

"I won't." Ash said. "But I have to go back to the Plateau. They probably already put out an AWOL on me, which was why my mom showed up."

"Guess it makes sense, because there was really no other way to get her here from Pallet Town so fast." I said thoughtfully.

He nodded.

"I should get back. Thanks for the advice guys." he smiled and waved, disappearing into the night.

"Come on," said Drew. "We should go to sleep. It's late."

I nodded, and we went into the Gym, locking the doors behind us.

-X-X-X-

ASH POV

I came back to the Gym around midnight. I had something to give to Misty, and I forgot to give it to her when I saw her.

"I love you Misty. And I'm not going to give up on you." I said, and I dropped my present into the mailbox.

-X-X-X-

MISTY POV

When I woke up in the morning, I went out to check the mail and found this.

ONE WAY TICKET

LEAVING CERULEAN CITY, KANTO

DESTINATION: PETALBURG CITY, HOENN

TIME: 12:30 IN THE AFTERNOON

There were five of them. One for me, Jake, Alex, (even if they didn't really need tickets because they were under ten), May, and Drew. Blimp tickets. But who…?

Ash. Only he would do this, only he would go this far.

I looked at my watch. 9:30 AM.

I looked into the sky, and a cool breeze blew my way.

I know leaving is the right thing for me and my babies.

But then…why does it feel so wrong?

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A/N: Slightly longer for you this time. Hope you enjoyed the meaningless Contestshipping and Pokeshipping fluff. XP

"Titans Go!"

~Robin

XD

TT=Love

Please review!

~Charmed