Merry Christmas yo! My gift came earlier than expected, but I also sacrificed length for you guys. So we are winding down on the story and the final few days are rolling in. There's only 2 more days for everyone to get ready and then the big even will start! I'm super sorry it's so short...but I really wanted to get this chapter out before I go to sleep, and I also wanted to get the snowball rolling for the final big plan. I have it all planned out of what Ash will do, but you guys will just have to wait and see to find out.

This year has been filled with so many great memories and stories that I will never forget. It was a time that I discovered my favorite shows, a time when I rekindled my love for fanfiction, and the time where my writing matured in a way that it never would have been able to had I not discovered FanFiction. I present you with your Christmas gift, one chapter of Poke Reunion, my first ever Pokemon fic! My gift also includes an Ikari/Penguin one-shot songfic to the song Last Christmas by Wham! So please feel free to check that out!

Now enough of my insistent rambling, and let's get on with the story!

Best holiday/season greetings,

~Deepika

Chapter 8: Day 5

Leaf Hana sat on her bed in the luxurious bedroom the Hayden duo had provided her, her head still spinning from seeing him. She hadn't seen him in so long, and just the thought of him being there, saying his name like she had dreamed he would, was mind boggling. Leaf didn't care that Ash had become this pompous jerk who was trying to win Misty back. She, Ash, Gary, and May Oak all used to be extremely close childhood friends, something she had never admitted to anyone except Misty. She had fallen in love with Gary and tried to tell him, but right before she was to tell him, he unconsciously rejected her, saying that he had finally found the person he loved and that this person was the one he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. She had fallen into a pit of depression, drinking anything and everything, trying to ruin her best friend and his girlfriend's relationship.

It had just so happened that at that time, Gary was with another one of his childhood friends, Misty. He and Misty had gotten together not so long ago, and Leaf was determined to go and break that up, willing to risk everything just to win Gary back. After her little failed escapade- that had resulted in a Misty rant-, she had gotten drunk and almost got herself killed had Ash not come and save her. He had told her that he was going through some rough times, but he was going to give up drinking to win Misty back. Leaf had helped him, at first so he could win Misty back and she could be with Gary; then she had started to fall in love with him, and soon, she didn't want him winning the fair ginger back.

Leaf had had to gather up all the courage she had just to go apologize to Misty, and she begged for her not to tell Gary; she didn't need her best friend and brother thinking she was some skanky girl. As far as he would know, she was just the sister who had loved him as nothing more and nothing less. This was five years ago, and Leaf still loved Ash. She honestly couldn't help it, even when he had become a jerk like he was now. The brunette sighed and bunched up her hair, planning to take a shower. Her muscles were all bunched and tense and all she could think about was his ebony black hair that was shorter but still spiky, and his doe brown eyes. She had promised herself not to fall for his charms, but it simply wasn't possible, perhaps some genetic mutation in her DNA sequence. She got up and looked at herself in the mirror. Her leaf green eyes stared right back at her, unnerving her. It made her want to just go up to Ash and just kiss him senseless, though she knew she'd never do that.

A knock on the door startled the brunette and she took a deep breath to compose herself, then opened the door. She found herself face-to-face with Gary Oak, who was looking at her in awe and wonder. A smile overtook her face and she opened the door further as to let him inside. The chestnut brunette walked in and turned around. Leaf cocked an eyebrow, waiting for her best friend to speak. "Gare, are you just going to stand there and stare at me?" Leaf snapped, getting awfully uncomfortable with the way Gary was staring at her. Gary looked at her and sighed.

"How long?" he asked and Leaf looked at him, her eyes shining bright with confusion. Gary just continued to look at her with a serious look and Leaf stamped her foot in frustration. She couldn't understand why Gary was upset with her and she honestly didn't care that she was acting like a five year old. "Leaf, how long?" Gary asked once more after a lengthy pause. Leaf rolled her eyes.

"How long what Gary?" Leaf snapped, her patience wearing thin. She was getting ready to open the door and shove the pig head out of the door if he didn't tell her what the hell he was talking about. She was already stressed out about how to not react when she saw Ash or how to avoid everyone's glance at her about how she was avoiding said ebony haired man. Gary Oak sighed once more.

"How long have you loved me and how long have you loved Ash?" he asked and Leaf froze, her eyes widening. She suddenly whipped around backwards so she didn't have to face the man whom she loved as her brother. Leaf shook her head and when she turned around, she had a small smile on her face. Her brunette hair was swung around her shoulder as she gave Gary one of her famous glares.

"What are you talking about?" she skillfully deflected and the male brunette glared at her, his forest green eyes boring into hers. Gary sighed and came closer to her, causing her to shuffle back. Leaf sighed and looked away, tucking a stray strand of brunette hair behind her ear. Tears pooled her eyes and she looked at Gary, desperately trying to avoid the topic of what she had wanted to avoid for five whole years. Everything had been perfect up until now, and she honestly didn't want anything ruining it.

"Come on Leaf, you can tell me. I'm your best friend," Gary murmured softly, dragging her to the bed and sitting her down. Leaf turned her head, still trying to avoid him, but Gary was persistent. "I'm your brother," he added and Leaf snarled in irritation. The young professor was taken aback and tried to get closer to her, but she slapped his hand away.

Tears of desperation were falling down her cheeks, all the hurt and pain coming back. She didn't know that she had bottled all this up, but with Gary asking now, all she could do was feel the pain spread through her entire body. The first man she loved had rejected her; the second man she loved was a lost case. Was there no love for her? No knight in shining armor that she deserved after everything she had ever been through? Leaf hadn't noticed it, but her main pokemon, Leafeon, had come out and was growling at Gary. Meanwhile, Gary's Umbreon was glaring right back, the two pokemon defending their respective trainer.

"Gary, if you know what's good for you, you'd stop asking. As for Ash...let's just say that he helped me through some tough times, something you couldn't help me with, and for that I am grateful. We helped each other, and you know what? I fell in love. I am not ashamed to say it so just leave me alone!" Leaf screamed the last part, her voice shaking and cracking at the same time. Gary sighed and tried to come closer, but thankfully, at that precise moment, a certain ginger haired woman decided to intervene, having heard most of the conversation from outside the door, and just in the nick of time as well; Leaf started to fall apart, and she felt painful sobs wrack her body. Her jade eyes were filled to the brim with concern and mild irritation.

"Gary Oak, you leave her alone right now!" Misty snapped and Gary looked up to see his fiancé giving him one of her world-famous glares. Gary tried protesting but she shook her head, shooing him out of the door. She looked at him, square in the face, with a look that said 'we'll talk about this later'. He nodded in resignation and Misty turned towards the sobbing brunette, who was now clutching her tear-stained duvet. "Leaf..." Misty sighed and sat on the edge of the bed, stroking her matted brunette hair. She was red-faced and her sobs were loud, but Misty didn't mind. After Leaf's apology, the two girls had become quick friends, Leaf having helped her through her dark depths of the aftermath of her and Ash's faulty relationship.

"He brought back all the pain," Leaf choked out and Misty sighed, knowing the full story of Leaf's eternal pain. Not even Gary, Ash, or May even knew about the young girl's past before moving to Pallet Town. Leaf had entrusted Misty with this top secret information, making her swear on Arceus that she wouldn't tell a soul. Misty sighed softly and ran her fingers through Leaf's brunette hair, trying to console her the best she could. "Misty, why doesn't anyone love me?" Leaf queried softly after her sobs had subsided. Misty looked at the brunette in shock.

"Are you kidding me? Practically everyone in this whole entire freaking mansion loves you. Don't you ever say that!" Misty gasped as Leaf shook her head, stray tears falling down her tear-streaked face. The pokemon trainer sighed, feeling helpless. Misty only understood a bit of what she went through. She never had someone reject her love like she did. It left gaping holes in her weary heart and she honestly couldn't take it anymore. Bringing herself back, Leaf sighed, knowing that she didn't want to go into that dark abyss once more. She shook herself into the present and focused on the conversation.

"You know what I mean. You know, maybe it was a mistake coming here," Leaf groaned into her hands and the ginger rubbed her back once more before standing up. Leaf looked up, her leaf green eyes trained on the retreating figure of the ginger haired girl. "Where are you going?" she asked, hating herself even more for sounding so vulnerable. Misty sighed and shot her a small yet weary smile, her eyes brimming with tiredness.

"I have a certain talk with a certain someone," she sighed, knowing how the night would end up. She just hoped that she could convince Gary that he shouldn't have to worry about the past and just focus on the present and just leave Leaf alone for awhile. Leaf nodded with defeat and Misty bit her lip, debating on whether or not she should stay a bit longer. Finally noting that she had spent enough time with the brunette, Misty opened the door and was halfway through it before she stuck her head back in the door. "I'll check on you later," Misty warned and Leaf shook her head, flopping onto her bed. Leafeon came out of its pokeball and nuzzled its trainer, trying to make her feel better. Leaf smiled at her counterpart pokemon, sniffling a bit, and the ginger walked out of the room and into the impending doom that was her fiancé, knowing that things were going to be ok.

Meanwhile, Misty was walking down the hallway and was regretting trying to talk to a pissed Gary because she knew the only way he would take his anger out would be to beat up something, most likely an innocent vanity or mirror. She hurried her pace, hoping that she could save the room from destruction though when she reached the actual door, she froze in place when she heard glass break. There was no doubt that everyone could hear what was going on upstairs and Misty knew that it was her duty to stop things from escalating further. "Gary?" she called through the door as loud as she could. The ginger head cringed when she heard something collide with the oak door, but she wasn't deterred. She knew that the only reason that Gary was upset was because he thought he had something to do with Leaf's depression, which was partially true, but a fact he didn't need to know.

"Gary Oak, you open this door right now, or else I'm forcing it open!" Misty yelled, her eyes beginning to flame. The noise suddenly quieted down and the door opened, revealing a half destroyed guest room and a sweating Gary Oak. Misty felt her breath catch in her throat and couldn't help but follow a bead of sweat that dripped down from his forehead to his cheek to his neck and finally into the white tank beater that he was wearing. She had the strange urge to find out where that little bead of perspiration had went, but shook her head. "I'm coming in," she curtly stated and barged her way through, shouldering Gary as hard as she could. Gary sighed and closed the door, his back facing the wood, and slid down, cradling his head in his palms.

"Mist, please, just leave me alone. I don't need any of your sage advice," Gary bit and Misty tried not to cringe, but Gary had already noticed. His forest green eyes softened and he ran a hand through his disheveled chestnut brown hair, the strands falling back and then flopping and sticking onto his sweaty forehead. "Babe, you know I love you, but please, for yours and for my sake, just go away?" he tried again, but Misty was just as stubborn, if not more, as him and he knew she would leave. Just as predicted, she shook her head and slid down the wall to sit next to him.

"Gary, what happened to Leaf...how she acted, none of that was your fault. Just trust me when I say this, Leaf had her own problems before you and there is nothing to feel guilty about it," Misty sighed, shifting closer to her lover and running her hand lovingly through his spikes. "Please, just let it go. Don't upset Leaf anymore; she's dealt with enough pain in her lifetime," Misty whispered and Gary let out a shaky breath. Misty felt special because of how he allowed himself to become undone, just for her.

"I can't help it...she was in love with me. I-I never got to tell her the chance that I had loved her at one point as well," Gary whispered, then regretted it as soon as he felt Misty tense. The hand in his hair paused momentarily and he let out another dangerously shaky breath. This woman was too good for him, and he honestly didn't deserve her. At that moment, Gary knew that Misty would always stick by his side, for better or for worse.

"Gary, just stop it. Yes, Leaf was in love with you, and yes, you rejected her by accident, but it wasn't your fault! Leaf has had a rough life, and she wanted to release the pain in some way. She just turned on the wrong path and she had a momentary lapse in her life. Please, please don't ever feel guilty. Besides, it was Ash who helped her, so I guess that man as at least an inkling of some form of conscience left inside of him. Now, come one. Let's get this room cleaned up and then head downstairs. There's only a few more days before the actual reunion and I want to spend a day with you," Misty grinned, lacing her fingers through his larger ones. A smile appeared on the young man's face as he nodded, knowing that no matter how guilty he felt, he had ultimately picked the right woman to spend the rest of his life with.

Ash sat in his room, which was located in the far hall where no one really talked to him; not that he minded, anyway. He ran his hand through his ebony spikes, trying to concentrate on a way that would bring Misty back to him forever. He knew that she hated when Gary acted jealous or acted out of jealousy. So if he could just make her think that Gary did something to him, she could possibly break up with that moron of a guy and come back into his arms. His lips were pursed into a thin line and his fist resided on the bottom of his chin, his expression cold and contemplating.

Pikachu looked at his beloved trainer of countless years in undisguised worry. He understood his master's love for Misty; frankly, the little mouse pokemon loved the red head fireball as well. However, this kind of love was reckless and dangerous, something the yellow pokemon could not understand. It was obvious how the brunette haired Gary looked at Misty- even a blind man could see it. They had a connection of undying love and the ever-so-observant yellow mouse could clearly see that Gary had changed. This was a man who had been changed for the better and would clearly do anything for Misty.

"Pi, pika, pika." The cooing of his best friend shook Ash out of his devious thoughts. The yellow mouse regarded him worriedly and Ash shook his head, a small smile appearing on his face as he stroked the static filled yet soft fur of his beloved first pokemon. His time to win Misty's heart back once more was withering and becoming narrower and narrower and he needed to think of a plan, fast. Suddenly a plan came. It was a devious, conniving plan that would perhaps make everyone hate him even more, but if it got him Misty, he didn't care. It was a dangerous plan alright, but Ash knew he could pull it off. He would finally Misty that Gary was no good to her.

Soledad Tanaka stood outside on the balcony of the giant Hayden mansion. It was night time and the stars were out and shining but the senior coordinator's face was quite clear in the dim moonlight sky. Her expression was neutral but her sea blue eyes were full of worry. She watched the pokemon flutter about and run on the ground but wasn't really paying attention. It was no wonder she jumped when Harley Tanaka put his hand on her shoulder, effectively sending a jolt of panic through her body. The amethyst haired man regarded her worriedly and stood next to her, following her vacant gaze to the pokemon roaming freely. Soledad's peach hair rustled in the autumn wind and Harley sighed, knowing that something was deeply troubling his wife.

"Sol, is everything ok?" Harley finally asked the elephant in the room and Soledad sighed, tearing her eyes away from the peaceful habitat of pokemon to her husband's worried gaze. Harley's hand reached for his counterpart's and squeezed it, reassuring her that he was here for her and she had nothing to worry about. Soledad smiled and looked off in the distance once more.

"I'm worried about Ash. He seems...withdrawn," Soledad finally commented. "And it's not like the regular Ash withdrawal; it's more of an 'I'm going to shut myself up in a secret lair and come up with a plan to ruin Gary and Misty' kind of withdrawal. I'm really worried that something bad is going to happen, Harley; I can feel it in my guts," Soledad agitatedly admitted and walked towards the giant French doors that lead to their room. Harley caught her pale hand and pulled her in to an embrace, rocking her from side to side.

"We'll keep them safe, all of them. They're family Soledad, and you know that we'll never let anything bad happen to them. Now come on; let's go inside and try to get some sleep. It's getting late and we need to start getting ready for the big day. I'm sure that everyone will be fine for now."