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 8: Believe In What Your Heart Is Saying

Believe in what your heart is saying
Hear the melody that's playing
There's no time to waste
There's so much to celebrate
Believe in what you feel inside
And give your dreams the wings to fly
You have everything you need
If you just believe

Believe, Josh Groban

-X-X-X-

MISTY POV

On Christmas Eve, I caught Jake trying to open his presents early.

"Jake, you know you have to wait until tomorrow." I said, trying to be stern.

"Mama…" he whined, looking at the presents mournfully. "Pwease?" he put on his cutest face, the same one Ash used when he wanted something.

"No," I laughed, picking him up and putting him with his sister by the television. Alex was engrossed in a contest battle, so Christmas presents were the furthest thing from her mind.

"Aw come on Mist, let him open one present early." Ash walked in and went to the tree.

"No." I said defiantly, crossing my arms over my chest. "Christmas presents are for Christmas day."

"You know he won't sleep tonight if you don't let him do what he wants." Ash reminded me.

"He's way too much like his father." I said, sighing. Ash grinned proudly and went over to get Jake. He ruffled the little boy's hair, making it even messier. Jake laughed and smiled.

Alex must have heard her brother, because she snapped out of her contest-video induced trance to turn around.

"Mama! Daddy!" she said, standing up and toddling over on her four year old legs. Her black hair was getting long, I would need to get it cut soon, and her blue eyes were bright. I smiled and kneeled down to bring her into my arms.

"Do you want to open your presents early too?" I asked.

"Yes!" she said, clapping. I sighed and gave Ash a cross look.

"Just one. No more." I warned, shaking my finger like he was kid to be reprimanded.

"Fine." he said, and he took Alex from me to bring them to the tree. I smiled and shook my head.

"Misty?" I turned and there was Daisy, looking nervous and unsure. May had invited her and my other sisters for my birthday party, but we hadn't really had a chance to talk to her since then. "Can I talk to you?"

I thought about being snappy and rude, but then I decided against it. Yelling and being angry wouldn't fix the problems and tension between us. I nodded and we walked out to the deck.

It was a chilly evening, and snow was drifting gracefully. I leaned against the edge of the deck, and Daisy stood in front of me. "Look, Misty, I'm sorry for what I said to you when you were in Cerulean. I know you're your own person, and I know I should respect that, but you're my baby sister. I didn't, I still don't, want to lose you."

I smiled softly.

"You wouldn't lose me. I'm not going anywhere. I just want to live in Hoenn now. The twins were born here, they'll begin their journey here, and I want to watch them grow up here. I'll come visit you, but I can't be the Gym Leader anymore."

"Yeah, I've been thinking about that." Daisy said. She had grown out of saying 'like' at the end of every word. Lily was the only one who really did it anymore. Even Violet had stopped. "How would you feel if we sold the Gym? I've already spoken to the League about it…"

I bit my lip. That Gym was Mom's pride and joy, her whole world other than us. She was strong enough to be a mother and a Gym Leader. I don't think I would ever want that job. Being a mother is hard enough.

"Can I think about it?" I asked softly after a few minutes of consideration.

"Of course," she said, but she didn't sound so sure. "C-Can we go back inside? It's cold out here."

I chuckled.

"Sure."

We went back into the house and Jake ran over to me.

"Mama, look!" He pointed to his head, and I saw a faded, old hat that I used to see on Ash all the time sitting on his head. It was practically falling off of his head but he still looked adorable. My eyes widened. I looked at Ash.

'You didn't.' I mouthed. He smiled and nodded.

"That hat looks very nice on you Jake." I said aloud, taking it off and messing up his hair. "But it's a little big yet."

"Aw, but Mama!" he complained, reaching for it. I laughed.

"Not yet baby boy." I said, and I walked back over to the tree, where Alex was playing with a fake Pokeball. Jake followed and the twins played catch with the plastic ball, having a blast. Daisy sat on the sofa and stared out the window. I bit my lip again, and Ash touched my shoulder.

"What's wrong?" he asked me. I pointed upstairs so we could talk away from the twins' ears. Daisy could watch them for a few minutes.

"Daisy wants to sell the Cerulean Gym." I said after we had closed the door to my room for privacy. May was over at Drew's, all of his brothers and sisters had come to visit for the holidays, and she was meeting his family.

"Why?" Ash asked.

"Because none of us can be Gym Leader anymore. Daisy, Lily, and Violet have dreams too. I know I could argue that I gave up my dreams for them multiple times, but they're also older and didn't even have to tell me. Mom gave Daisy full ownership of the Gym when she died. She could have sold it months ago, when we weren't speaking, and she didn't. I don't want to be the Gym Leader forever, especially because of the twins and my own new gym. I can't uproot them by taking them to Cerulean for more then a vacation. I just can't." Tears clung to the inside of my throat, making it hard for me to breathe. "It's just that….the Gym was my mom's whole world. How can I let Daisy sell it? It's…all I have left."

"You've…never told me anything about your mom. Or your dad." Ash said softly.

"My dad left my mom when she was pregnant with me. My mom died when I was five. I don't know what else there is to say." I said bitterly, and those tears were welling in my eyes now. I stood up and went to the window and rubbed my hands across my biceps, as if I was cold. Ash followed me and wrapped his hands around my waist, putting his chin on my shoulder.

We were silent for a few minutes, just watching the snow fall.

"Just…do what your heart says Mist. It's all you can do." he said to me, and I looked at him.

"That actually sounded like decent advice Ketchum. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were some kind of psychic." I cracked a grin.

"Psychic? Nah. I just know my Mist." he said charmingly, and I smiled. He leaned in and kissed me, and I forgot everything for a few blissful minutes.

-X-X-X-X-

A/N: Yay for short failures! XD This was going to be way longer, because I was going to have Daisy and Misty argue, but I decided against it. I put a little character development in there, and some AAML Christmas fluff. XD

So, yeah.

Happy Holidays!

~Charmed