Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon. My life is sad.

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Dawn awoke the next morning to the buzz of her pokégear. She groaned and rolled to the edge of her bed, and reached to the ground for her purse, where her pokégear still was. She pulled it out of her purse and answered it.

"Hello?" Dawn said groggily.

"I don't really have all day," a voice responded impatiently. "I'll be at your door in fifteen minutes. You'd better be ready to go."

"Who is this?" Dawn asked sleepily, sitting up and pushing her sheets off her body.

"You've got to be kidding me," Paul snapped. "It's Paul. I'm not going to wait for you. Fourteen minutes, now."

He hung up. Dawn opened her eyes completely.

Shit! It'll take me more than fourteen minutes to get ready! Dawn panicked. She jumped out of bed, stripped, and ran for her shower. She scrubbed last night's makeup off of her face, washed and conditioned her hair, and got out of the shower in seven minutes. I don't think I've ever showered that quickly, Dawn thought, pleased with herself.

Dawn dried herself with a towel and went to her closet. She pulled a short light pink sundress out of her closet, a pair of black wedge sandals, and black leggings that reached her knees. She'd thought about wearing this in the shower, so it didn't take her any time to decide what to wear. She pulled on the clothes and hurried back to the bathroom. She only had four minutes to dry her hair, brush her teeth, and put on her makeup. She brushed her teeth and put on some mascara, before partially drying her hair with a blow-dryer. She heard a knock on her door, and she nearly broke her ankle sprinting to the door.

She flung the door open to see Paul standing opposite her, wearing dark jeans and a long-sleeved black shirt.

"It's going to be hot in Twinleaf," Dawn told him. Paul shrugged. "Fine, just hold on one second, 'kay?"

Paul sighed in exasperation. Dawn recalled all of her Pokémon and got her purse from her bedroom. Then she rejoined Paul and locked her apartment behind her.

"You just woke up when I called, didn't you?" Paul accused her as they walked to his car.

"So?" Dawn challenged. "I got ready, didn't I?"

"Hmm," Paul hummed as an answer. They got into his sleek black car and moments later, were speeding down the highway heading for Twinleaf Town.

Dawn pulled her pokégear out of her pocket. She hadn't charged it last night... Thank Arceus for its long battery life. She pressed a few buttons and held the device up to her ear.

"Hello?" the woman Dawn had called answered.

"Mom? Hi!"

"Dawn?" Johanna wondered. "Hi, honey! What's got you up so early?"

"Well, I decided to come down and surprise you today!" Dawn said cheerfully. Paul glared at her, and Dawn saw him mouth the words 'You didn't even tell her we are coming?,' which Dawn ignored.

"Really?" Johanna said happily. "I'm so excited, hon! What's the occasion?"

"What, I can't just drop by to see my mom?" Dawn asked, pretending to be offended.

"There's always a reason, sweetie," Johanna laughed. "When will you be here?"

"If traffic's good to us, an hour," Dawn guessed. "See ya then, Mom!"

Dawn ended the call.

"You didn't tell her we were coming," Paul said flatly.

"I just did," Dawn pointed out. Paul rolled his eyes.

"No, you told her you were going to visit," Paul corrected her. "You didn't say anything about me."

"Trust me," Dawn laughed, "she'll like the surprise better if she doesn't know you're coming, too."

"That seems backwards," Paul muttered, focusing on the road again.

"That's Mom," Dawn said for answer.

"I'll tell you when I need directions," Paul said, reaching for the radio. He turned it on, and a band Dawn didn't know started blasting through the car speakers. Dawn sighed and split her hair into pigtails and braided them. I just need to get through today, then he'll be gone, Dawn thought. The thought didn't really cheer her up.

- / - / - / -

When they arrived at Dawn's mother's house, it was eleven twenty. Traffic hadn't been too bad, and it took just over an hour to get to Twinleaf.

"Okay," Dawn said, facing Paul before they got out of the car. "My mom's not stupid, she knows what a fake relationship looks like."

"How?"

"Long story," Dawn said, waving his question away with her hand. "So, again, follow my lead. Your acting sucks. Give up on that career path now. She's not just going to let me talk, 'cause that'll look suspicious. Just... Don't screw this up. Please."

Paul rolled his eyes. "Fine."

"Okay," Dawn said, appeased. "Let's go, honey."

"That stops right now," Paul demanded. "I will not respond to pet names of any kind."

Dawn laughed. "Let's just go."

The 'couple' walked up the carefully made path to Dawn's childhood home. Dawn knocked on the door, and seconds later, Johanna flung the door open and engulfed her daughter in a hug.

"I've missed you, honey!" Johanna cried. "And I didn't get to tell you on the phone, your exhibition with Fantina was gorgeous!"

"Thanks, Mom!" Dawn squealed. Paul took a few steps back. This was very loud and very girly. Johanna and Dawn broke apart, still talking very quickly. Paul didn't understand half of what they said.

"Anyways, Mom, you were right."

"I always am," Johanna smiled.

"I had an extra reason for coming out here today."

"Oh?" Johanna's eyes left Dawn's face and found Paul. "Oh."

"Yeah," Dawn said, taking a step towards Paul and pulling him by his hand closer to them. "Mom, I'd like you to meet Paul."

"Pleasure," Johanna said, extending her hand.

Paul nodded and shook her hand.

"My boyfriend," Dawn finished.

"Honey, congratulations!" Johanna said, winking at her daughter. "He's quite handsome."

"Mom!" Dawn complained.

"Well, he is," Johanna declared. She turned back to Paul. "And, from what I've heard, a favorite to defeat Cynthia?"

Paul nodded again.

"Well, won't the two of you come in?" Johanna said, standing back to let them in. Dawn, still holding tight to Paul's hand, led him into the house. Johanna watched the two of them carefully for the rest of the day, looking for signs that Paul might hurt her daughter. Dawn didn't need more emotional train wrecks, in Johanna's opinion.

"How long have you two been seeing each other, now?" Johanna asked while they drank iced tea (water for Paul) in the back garden.

"Seven months," Paul answered.

Dawn smiled at him gratefully.

Paul inclined his head.

"Hmm," Johanna stated. "So, you two are still just getting started. Or is it more serious than that?"

Dawn and Paul exchanged a look, before Dawn said, "Mom, don't I only bring home the serious ones?"

Johanna laughed at that. "Hon, I have to ask, it's my job. Besides, the last guy you –"

"Mom, can we not talk about that?" Dawn said tersely. Paul glanced at her. "That was a long time ago."

"Yes, but sweetie –"

"I asked nicely, Mom," Dawn said stiffly. "I don't want to talk about that."

"Johanna," Paul interrupted, and two pairs of blue eyes flicked to him, "why did you decide to give up Contests?

Dawn cocked her head. Apparently, Paul was a better actor than she'd thought.

Johanna laughed, and launched into the story of her decision to stop competing in Contests. Dawn's pokégear vibrated, and she covertly read the message she'd just received from May.

Why the hell haven't you called me? I want to know how last night went!

Dawn smiled and replied quickly.

I'm not at home, May. I'll call you later.

Less than a minute later, her phone buzzed again.

Where are you?

Dawn rolled her eyes, but knew that May wouldn't leave her alone until she answered.

I'm at my mom's with Paul.

She tried to focus on her mother's story, but she'd heard it so many times, it was hardly gripping. Instead, she found herself watching Paul. He appeared to be really interested in her mother's story...

YOU'RE WITH PAUL? Go somewhere and call me. Right now. Or I will call you.

Dawn sighed. Paul's gaze flickered to her. She smiled apologetically.

"Will you excuse me?" Dawn said. She stood and left the porch. Paul's eyes followed her until she disappeared into the house.

"Paul," Johanna said quietly once Dawn was gone. Paul turned to look at her. She looked serious. "I want you to tell me if you're serious about my daughter. Because if you're not, I have to ask you to leave her now, before she gets too. . . attached. She's been through enough already. You seem like a very nice boy, but. . . I need to ask."

Paul had been expecting this.

"Well, ma'am," Paul began slowly, trying to decide how to answer this without blowing their secret or directly lying. "Dawn is different from anyone I've even known. She does things her own way. I'm still getting used to that. But I don't plan to be gone any time soon."

Johanna studied his face. He seemed honest. And she could almost always tell when someone was lying when she looked at them like this.

"Good," Johanna said, and she smiled. She'd let it go. For now... "Now, more about you... Champion of Sinnoh, hmm?"

- / - / - / -

Dawn went up to her old room and called May. The phone rang once before May picked up.

"You're with Paul?" May shrieked. Dawn blinked and held the phone away from her ear.

"Yeah. I told you yesterday that I would be," Dawn replied. She walked to the window, where she could see her mother and her fake boyfriend talking in the garden.

"You did not," May accused. Dawn rolled her eyes.

"Must have slipped my mind," Dawn said dryly. "Paul and I are at my mom's house. He's pretending to be my boyfriend for a day so Mom will quit pestering me about Kevin. Then, he's taking me back to Hearthome, and he'll be out of my life."

"Well, I told Misty about you going out with Paul last night," May began, but Dawn cut her off.

"You didn't say it was fake, right?" Dawn demanded. It was suddenly very important that only May (and probably Drew at this point) know it was a façade.

"No. I just said 'Dawn is going to dinner with Paul,'" May said. "And she thinks it's not a good idea."

"Well, just don't tell anyone it's fake," Dawn insisted. "I'm guessing you already told Drew, so just keep it quiet from now on. Okay?"

"I won't tell, sweetie, but don't you think faking this will end badly?" May asked, sounding concerned.

"We're not," Dawn said. "I mean, I don't think I'll see him again after tonight."

"I hope so...," May said. "He messed you up. You don't need that again."

"Kevin messed me up, not Paul," Dawn said, picking at her nails.

"I'm not so sure, Dawn," May said seriously. "You had a huge crush on Paul. I don't think you've been totally alright since you claimed you got over him."

"That makes no sense. I knew Paul when I was ten. I was little, and I need to go, May," Dawn said, irritated. "I don't need your puzzles right now. I'll call you later."

"'Bye," May said sadly. Dawn hung up and went back downstairs and joined Johanna and Paul, and tried to act normally for the rest of the day. But by the strange looks Paul kept shooting her, she failed.

May's insane, Dawn thought angrily. Why would Paul have messed me up? He was just a jerk I knew when I was ten. Kevin... Well, Kevin's the one that messed me up. Not Paul.

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