34

As I approach Saffron City Hospital from the sky, I can see a couple of people looking intently at me from the roof. I lower myself gently down onto the top of the building as I wave at both Sabrina and Koga. Koga has on his all black ninja uniform and Sabrina her long black dress, and to my surprise I notice they are even holding hands this time. Such an interesting couple. Sabrina steps towards me and speaks first.

"So you're back, are you ready to see her?"

"Yes, I think. I mean what are all these messages about her mood though?"

I read over some messages from Mom and Daisy explaining that Green is awake and speaking but grouchy and won't leave her room. I wonder what's wrong. Maybe the medicine in her body is wearing off or something?

"Well just know that she is vulnerable now more than ever. She has been through a lot. I did my best to help ease her mind, but it's up to her now."

"What do you mean?"

"Red," Koga says as he steps forward. "Sabrina here has been busy these last few weeks watching over Green and the two of your families. We suspected that Giovanni would retaliate when you two were injured and had trainers take turns securing the building for you against possible attacks."

"Not only that, but Green went into a coma, and we had feared that she would suffer irreparable damage to her mind," Sabrina chimes in. "I used my Psychic abilities to speak with her in her mind and reassure her. It took longer than I hoped, but at least Green has woken up with her sense of reality and memories in tact. I'm afraid that she is struggling to accept some things now that is awake though. I trust you can help her with that, right?"

"I can...I mean I will, and thanks! Thank you for everything! Both of you!"

Feeling a bit sentimental, I try to get a hug from them, and I'm surprised when they don't resist me. Some of the people I've met on my journey have become so much more than rivals. These two in particular feel more like family to me. I wouldn't be where I am right now without the two of them.

Koga motions for me to go ahead towards the fire escape and make my way downstairs. I give a wave and head to it. When I reach Green's floor, the area outside of her room is buzzing with life. I see a nurse talking with Mom and Daisy. Behind them and partially in the door are both of Green's parents. Everyone looks very concerned and panicked.

"But she can't stay in there all day!"

"Let her Emma, I mean she just woke up, it's probably overwhelming!"

"I just need for her to sign on this paper, and she's good to go."

"I don't know about that. I mean not to be difficult, but can you come back later? She's in the bathroom now. Or maybe can her mother sign?"

"I need for the patient to sign this herself if that's OK. I'll check back in a few minutes. Give us a call if you need anything, OK?"

"We can do that. Thank you!"

The nurse turns around and walks back down the hallway. Daisy notices me coming forward and runs up to me and gives me hug. Mom soon follows up with a hug as well, and I nearly smother for a second.

"Hey Red! Oh, you got my messages? Where have you been?"

"I…"

"I just want you to know, you may have to wait. She isn't in a good mood right now."

"Yes, sweety," adds my mother. "She was really distraught when she woke up. Emma got her to take a shower so that she might feel better, but I think she's just really sensitive right now."

"Daisy, Mom...come on now. Just let me see her. I'll talk to her."

I don't ask as I pass them and get in eyesight of Green's parents. They both stop talking and look at me. The Hayashi's both force a smile and give me a hug which I warmly welcome, but not without looking over their shoulders for Green. I can't see her exactly from the door, but see her shadow reflecting on the wall from the bathroom. She's doing something with her hair I think.

"Red, it's good to see you again my boy! You were right. I told Emma everything."

"Yes, he did! And of course I took him back, the big dummy. Honey, please don't ever hesitate to come home again!"

"I won't dear. I won't."

"I'm so happy for you all. How did Green take the news?"

"She…"

"She's happy I'm back, Red, but she has these scars. I don't think they look that bad, but I think it's really got her down. We tried to get her to leave this hospital, but she's being stubborn."

"Oh, Tetsuo, show some sensitivity!"

"I am, but she can't avoid this forever."

"Can I...can I talk to her then? Maybe I'll have better luck."

"Oh Red, I don't know…"

"Oh, let him see her Emma. We're all here now. Maybe if we all go in there at once, she'll open up to us."

"Actually...I'd like to speak with her alone for a moment if that's OK."

Her parents look at me then back at each other and back again then finally step out of the way. I walk into the room and turn back to grab the handle. The Hayashi's start to give me a look of protest, but I insist and whisper "five minutes" to them before I close the door with a click. I watch through the window as the group outside all take a step back and start saying something I can't make out. As I turn around, I notice how quiet it is in this room. Trickles of light leaks into the room from under the bathroom door and from the edges of the black out curtains pulled shut on the window. I hear nothing at all but the sink as it turns off then as if from a dream, I hear her voice.

"Mom? Dad?"

I don't answer at first. I'm not sure what to say. I'm totally freezing up! Relax Red!

"Is someone there?"

"Hey...it's me" I say as soft I can.

The bathroom door, barely cracked open to begin with, suddenly slams completely shut.

"Red? Is that you?"

"Hey, Green, yes it's me!"

"Oh, you're here...um...hi, sorry, I can't come out right. I'm completely naked! Can you come back in a little bit?"

I walk over to the door and stare at the knob for a minute before saying anything. I have no desire to walk in on someone in the bathroom let alone embarrass Green, and yet I feel this pull to open the door. Is it because she said she's naked? Because I'm incredibly attracted to her and now she is only inches away from me after all this time. Visions of our lovemaking start to flood my brain, but I know this pull towards her is more than lust. Tetsuo, said she had scars. I know she might have some. I saw the wounds and then the bandages. I came all this time to see her in that coma. But she doesn't remember that I guess. Maybe she learned it and it embarrassed her. I can't help thinking that I have to see her though. Maybe not look at her but I can't leave here without talking to her.

"Green, I'm right out here. It's just me. I wanted to talk to you."

"Red...I...I'm glad you came to see me, but you can't be here now...I'm...kind of a wreck...can you just come back later? That's OK right? Just wait a little bit and come back?"

"Green...babe, what's wrong? I know you only take a few minutes to get yourself dressed. You're like an expert at this sort of thing!"

I hear her laugh.

"Your father is back! Oh, he and I talked today over lunch. Aren't you happy to see him? He's been thinking about and your Mom and was so nervous about coming back to see you."

"Ha ha...he told me...yes, I'm so happy to see him. He's back to normal, better than normal. I'm so happy…"

But as I listen carefully, I hear quiet sobs from the other side of the door. What happened? She's hurting, and I feel so powerless to do anything. I decide not to open the door, not yet at least, but lean my head and and arms against the door. The oak feels cold in my hand and firm as it holds me back from her.

"Red...I can't believe I was out for so long...I made everyone worry about me...I'm such a failure…I...nearly died, and now I'll never be able to do training again."

"Green...hey, it's OK. You know that's not true. You'll recover and get back to training in no time!"

"I don't think so, Red."

"I know you've been through alot but listen to me. This isn't you. You're much too stubborn to let anything keep you from doing training."

"But Red...you and Blue are so ahead of me...I will never catch up with you two…"

"Sure you will. I honestly have been going crazy fast and need to slow down myself. And Blue, well don't get me started on him. He's gotten in way over his head. No one should try to catch up with him. But you'll get your strength back and get back out there. I know it!"

"And what if I don't want to?"

"I know you! You want this. I mean, come on, Green hiding out in the bathroom? You'd kick my butt if I told someone about that."

"But Red...they tried to fix my...these scars...I have so many...they couldn't get rid of them…I...look so terrible!"

I try to make sense of her words, but they're too muffled between tears. I listen in for a minute, but her crying only gets deeper and louder. OK, Red, you better go in there! I try to turn the knob and let out a sigh as the knob turns, and the door starts to open back towards Green allowing me to barely see the sink when…

BAAAAAAAAAM!

"Ahhhhhhhhhhh!"

In a jerk reaction, Green tries to shut the door back and slams the corner of the door into my face and popping me in the square of the jaw. The thought "serves you right" flashes across my brain as I recoil and grab my mouth and step back. The door doesn't shut however and immediately opens back up revealing Green with a damp head of hair with one hand holding the door and the other firmly pressing a towel up to her body. Her teary eyes paint a picture of the afternoon, a dance with determination and depression, shock and acceptance. She tries to step forward but keeping her arms strategically placed. I notice that she has put foundation on her face in an attempt to cover up a small "X" on her cheek. Both of her arms have similar grooves on them from the drill that nearly killed her weeks ago. Is this what she was hiding?

"Oh my gosh, Red! I'm sorry. You can't...what were you thinking?"

"It's OK…" I say clutching my jaw one last time then trying my best to act like it doesn't hurt. Am I tasting blood in my mouth? No, I can deal then. Green tries to step back and pull the door shut, but I throw out an arm and hold it in place while grabbing the door frame with the other. I could easily overpower her, but this isn't a wrestling match I just want her to know I'm not going anywhere.

"Red...please...I didn't want you to see me like this," she says looking as if she just admitted her guilt in some crime.

"See you like what? I want to see you Green. I've missed you. I've worried about you, and here you are...you're alive and well. I don't care about these little scars. Just please, let me touch your face. Let me hold you."

But Green doesn't want me to touch her for some reason and tries again to push the door shut. I try my best not to apply much pressure but hold the door in place. She struggles for a minute and then at the last moment, before I can think to form the words, I see her step into a small puddle of water on the floor. She stumbles and falls forward but swings the door out and falls back. I dive forward to break her fall and nearly hit my head on the commode in the process. She lands on top of me and the towel lands a few feet away. As we both sit back up, I can't help but feel Green's warm body against mine. She looks down to her body and for just a second so do I, soaking in all of Green's body, her bosom, her bare torso, and legs. Every inch of her body is so perfect to me and completely natural save the Skillfinder still attached to her left wrist and...what's that? Green crosses her legs and takes one arm to cover her chest while the other hand she uses to cover a dark place on her side.

Looking at her face, I can tell she is embarrassed. She is taking shallow breaths and if I'm not imagining it, I can see her chest heaving back and forth. II sit her comfortably on my lap as I lean forward and grab the towel and wrap her up up in it. I can still feel the warmth of her body, the tension in the room is smothering me, but I pull her in close to me and feel her wrap her arms around me and let out take a deep breath.

"I...you saw...I'm so…"

"Shhh...I'm sorry for startling you. Breathe baby, please relax and breathe."

"Red…" She takes another deep breath. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry. I didn't want to lie to you, but you see now. What he did to me...I...can't fix that scar...I can hide it, but it looks so bad. The doctor said I may have to wait a few more weeks before I fight seriously again, and I heard that you're basically done."

"You really that much about being caught up with me?"

"No, not really. But the doctor, he said that I...the wound was near my...I might have trouble having children now."

"Oh, Green," I squeeze her in my arms and kiss her hair then rubs my arms all over her back. "I'm sorry. I didn't know it was that bad."

"It's humiliating. I care so much about family, and I did what? I went on this crazy journey and now I may never have kids now. 'Hey Dad, great to see you, oh by the way, while you were gone, I ran away from home and nearly got myself killed and oh, you may never have grandchildren now.' 'Gee, daughter that was a very stupid idea of yours!' What was I thinking?"

"Green, we all were pretty immature about this journey. None of us knew that Oak was the Champion or that he wanted us to train and fight Team Rocket, that he knew about them all along."

"What? He's the Champion? He knew…"

"It's a long story, and I'll fill you in, but right now, I need you to snap out of this. Please, can you look at me."

"No…"

"Kyomi, please!"

She leans back and looks at me in the eyes. I can see her pain so clearly now. Whatever I say now, I pray I can say it right and also delicately.

"Why, why is it you can call me Kyomi? Why call me that? If anyone else calls me that, I let them have it. They know I want to respect my father's service, but you...when you say Kyomi, I feel something else."

"Do you feel...peace?"

"I...yes, how do you know?"

"Peace is how you make me feel when I'm with you. When you called me Satoshi I felt the same way you just described. Though I have to be honest, my journey has been very confusing, and I feel like I can't keep on going like this anymore."

"What do you mean?"

"I can't go on being Red. I can't go on being the kid from Pallet Town. I can't be the TV hero or whatever the news makes of me. I want to be Satoshi, if not to the world, to someone, and I want that someone to be you, Kyomi."

"You do?"

"I don't just want to fight or sight see on my own. I need a partner. I need you. Not because you are the most beautiful woman I know and you are…"

"Satoshi…"

"Not because you're the toughest woman I know either, and I know some tough women from Kanto, too!"

"Oh, now stop it!"

"It's true! And I don't care what you think anyone did to tarnish you. I...hurt in my heart seeing you in so much pain, I do, but no man or thing on this earth could tarnish the woman I love. You are the love of my life, and nothing will ever change that."

"Oh...my gosh...Red...I mean Satoshi…"

"I'm very burdened with responsibility these days, and I'm worried about Blue, but I honestly couldn't care less if I had to drop everything to come and be here with you one more day in that coma. It would be worth it!" I say holding her face in my hands as she lets out another tear. "Gr...Kyomi, I talked a lot with your Dad today. He's so cool!"

"He is! Why, what did you talk about?"

"You father wanted to know what intentions I had with you, for us I mean. I told him everything. What I knew for sure in words and what I felt in my heart."

"And...what was that?"

I smile at her and lean back for a second as I dig into my jeans pocket. It takes longer than I want and the whole time Kyomi holds her breath and looks at me like she will need to jump away any second. When I finally pull out the little white box, she leans back and nearly drops her towel all over again.

"What...what is that?"

I open the box and hand her the ring with three stones. The dim bathroom light is bright enough to make the little diamonds sparkle as she holds it up close to her face. I have the urge to tell her to breathe again, but instead I just smile as she turns it over in her hands.

"Kyomi...I know this probably isn't how you wanted this to happen, but…"

"...yes…"

"...I really wanted to tell you, and I don't know how to do this right."

"Yes…"

"I mean I hope you're not mad, but will you...wait, what did you say?"

"YES! Ha ha, yes, silly!" she says punching me in the arm.

"YOU'LL MARRY ME?"

"YES, OH MY GOSH, IF YOU'LL LISTEN! YES, A THOUSAND TIMES YES!"

I grab her carefully behind the head and pull her in close for a kiss. She holds me tight then begins kissing me all over my face and neck. I can't help but laugh and try to kiss her back. It's so hot in here! Did we just get engaged? We're getting married! I can't believe it. I'm going to be sick! No, I'm just excited! I'm so excited!

Suddenly the door opens and I hear voices from outside.

"Hello? Red? Green? Is everything OK?"

"Honey, where are you? Yellow just got here to see you and Red. Can you come out?"

"We're coming Mom! Just a second!" Kyomi yells.

I help her get to her feet. She has me turn around and grab her underwear from a bag on the top of the commode. I hand them to her and laugh saying "I DID touch you underwear this time!" She snatches away and puts them on, and this time I do look away for a second so as not to be rude. She isn't my wife yet anyways. She then points on the back of the bathroom door, and I reach over to the hanger and grab her black dress, the one she wore to impress everyone at the Viridian City Gym. The one that caught my eyes and I love to see her wear. She pulls it on over her head and then pops a puff of her pine perfume on her wrists and rubs it in. Now I can barely contain my joy to be so close to her that I lean forward and start kissing her all over.

"OK...OK, ha ha, let's go out there, before they come looking for us in here!"

"OK!"

We step out of the bathroom holding hands as the Hayashi's, my mother, and Yellow and Daisy all pile into the hospital room. Yellow flips on the light and we all wince for a second then I smile as they stare at Kyomi. I'm so blessed to have such a beautiful woman in my life.

"Hey guys...what's going on?" Yellow asks.

"Green...you got dressed?" her mother remarks.

"Oh, doesn't she look beautiful like her mother!" her father gloats.

"But...hey, what's that on your finger Green?" Daisy asks.

The others gasps as Kyomi holds up her right hand. I didn't even notice her put it on so quickly.

"Well everyone...I...I'm sorry for making you wait, but I'm ready to leave this hospital...and oh no big deal, but WE'RE ENGAGED! WE'RE GETTING MARRIED!"

The group cheers and dances around us. We break out into laughter and tears of joy and the room is filled with hugs and kisses. I couldn't imagine a more wonderful way to end this day.

"That a boy son," Tetsuo whispers to me. "That a boy!"