May had been standing next to Ash for one moment; the next had her lying on the floor with the entire place shaking as if it was struck by an earthquake. She curled up in a fetal position and fought the urge to scream.

"We have to go NOW!" Ash yanked her to her feet and took off down the corridor. He never took his hand off hers.

The explosion had caused the entire staircase to collapse and that was his primary exit.

"There's no way out from topside, this place is going to be gone in minutes."

"Is there another way out?" May asked worriedly.

"Better hope so. I can hear the lower part of the place flooding already."

Hammond and Jewell had taken over flying the helo as Zack Arron tended to Avery's wound. Two rounds had went through his chest cavity and he was beginning to lose a lot of blood. The bright red fluid stained his hands as he continued to apply dressings and try to close off the breach in his artery.

Instead of attempting to fly back to base, they made headway towards the corvette Lawgiver who was already informed by the new pilots about the injured. They already had a medical team on standby and the helipad clear for landing.

Ash had told them not to wait for him and the last hostage. At least he could play in the survival of them both, but extraction by air was now not possible.

"This way." He tugged her arm and moved back into the room where he rescued her.

"What are you doing?" She asked, a bit curious to see him rummaging through the pockets of the man that had the rifle.

Ash smiled with satisfaction and held an extra box magazine of rounds. He checked the weapon over, also having a full magazine. "Perfect."

"What's that?" Although she knew it clearly was a gun, he might have interpreted it differently.

"Our ticket out of here."

He motioned for her to stand back and then began to strike the wall with the stock. The stock easily demolished the rotting wood and revealed a plastered metallic covering.

May felt something wet on her foot and turned around. The water had reached their deck and had already begun to grow deeper. It climbed up to her ankles within a few seconds.

"Water's coming up!"

"Stand back," He raised the weapon and fired, fully automatic against the metal. The gunshots echoed in the small confines of the room and caused May to cover her ears. Much to his delight, the bullets punched straight through in a full circle about a foot and a half in diameter.

He slapped the second magazine inside, yanked the arming handle and repeated the process. By now, the level had risen just below their knees.

"Come on," He reared back his foot and kicked at the part. The bullet holes had pierced straight through, weakening that section of the wall so that his foot could gouge an opening big enough for them to squeeze through. He could see the outside deck on the other side and the water beginning to rise there as well.

The third time he struck out at it, a large part finally gave through and he used the unloaded gun to smash away additional sections. By now it looked just large enough for him to go through. The girl was smaller than him and with his help, she would be out easily.

"Alright, you're going to have to squeeze your way through."

He was impressed at how she had somewhat kept from panicking after her assailants were dead, but she still was breathing shallow and rapidly and well aware that they were not out of the woods yet.

"Okay." She whispered.

Ash knelt down on one knee and used his propped one to give her a boost up since it was a little taller than him. She nearly scraped her hands on the sharp edges of the side, but found a smoother one almost immediately. With that, she pulled herself through and landed on the other side. Her back was going to be bruised, but she was still alive and out of the more dangerous section.

Moments later, Ash gripped the edge of the hole before hauling himself across. His land on the ground was much more graceful, being able to move his feet so he stayed on balance.

"What now?" May asked.

"We gotta get off this sinking tub," Ash went over the railing. "Can you swim?"

"Yes, but there's a lot of Sharpedos here"

"Okay, I know it's going to be tough, but you need to remain strong got it? Just don't splash and if you see a Sharpedo, don't provoke or draw its attention. They'll leave you alone if you do the same." Ash tried his best to soothe her, but she was right. This part of Hoenn was a frequent hangout place for hungry Sharpedos. He let go of the railing and did a perfect dive into the water that would've made any Olympian swimmer proud. Upon emerging, he winced, feeling a familiar stinging as the salt water attacked his open cut.

May nodded before she jumped down to meet him. She emerged, coughing a bit of seawater up before she realized that her clothes were inducing a lot of drag on her. It felt as if she was submerged in jelly and she knew that trying to stay above the water level would only sap more strength.

A powerful arm wrapped around her waist, "Don't struggle." Ash calmly said, treading water. "Just relax and let me swim us." Using his free hand and legs, he eased away from the sinking platform.

The water felt lukewarm as the two continued to slowly gain some distance from the ocean's newest victim.

"Where are we headed?"

"I see a sandbar with some trees about a quarter mile away. The faster we can get on dry land, the better." He looked down at her, "You never told me your name."

"May. May Maple."

"Well it's a pleasure to meet you May, I'm Ash Ketchum."

Ash finally gripped the sand at the bottom of his feet after about ten minutes of swimming and he stood up. May continued to relax in his arms. As much as he wanted to enjoy the peaceful sight of the girl in his arms, he noticed more swells incoming.

"C'mon, we gotta get up on dry land. Another wave could wash was back in the water."

They both waded onto the beach and looked up. Craggy cliffs jutted just above the sand, roughly ten feet in height. If they wanted to get rescued, both would have to get to as much high ground as possible.

"Okay," He took a deep breath, "I'm going to take a look around and see if we can find an easy way up."

"No!" May protested, grabbing his arm, "Please. You said you wouldn't leave me."

"I won't ever leave you." Ash began to see the effects of what had happened in the past few hours. They had seriously taken their toll on her. "I'm a soldier, so therefore it's my duty not to leave someone behind. Look, I'll be just within earshot. If something happens, just call for me and I'll be back here within five seconds."

May couldn't argue, so she silently agreed.

"I will be right back," Ash tried to smile to ease the tension, but the ordeal had taken its toll on him as well. He turned around to begin looking, but not before May noticed him examining the cut on his side.

A minute later Ash returned, "There's a leveled part of the cliffs just around that bend. We can get up there, but you're going to need to partially pull yourself up."

When May didn't respond, he knelt down next to her, "May, I know you're tired. I know you're hungry; it's something I know very well. However if we're both going to return home, we have to do this."

"Will you be able to carry me?"

"I once had to carry our team's sniper, who is almost double my weight for two miles through enemy territory." Ash beckoned for her and squatted down, "You probably won't be much heavier than the backpacks I had to carry during training."

May headed over and wrapped her legs around his backside. He felt warm and wet at the same time.

"Loop your arms through mine," Ash instructed, "You feel yourself slipping, tighten your leg grip around my waist."

She felt him start to move and looked over his shoulder; his height was easily six foot three, a full head above her and it was a bit odd seeing the world just from a little higher up. This stranger was able to effortlessly carry her, yet his strength also felt..gentle.

He stopped at the rock wall for a moment before starting up the side. May felt his arm muscles tighten and his body shift frequently. She continued to hold on, not daring to look down and quietly thanking Arceus that he was unable to see her blushing face.

"Do you live in Petalburg May?" Ash asked, using small talk to help keep her mind off the situation, as he reached out to grab a large outcropping to haul the two of them up. May was surprised to hear that he was not panting at all, his breathing was still regular.

"Yes, I was born there."

"Okay, that's good. You doing okay?"

"I should be asking you that." May replied, "You're not even tired?"

"Well, maybe a little."

"Really? Are you in the Hoenn Army?"

Ash shook his head as they now were about ten feet off the ground with maybe five left. "Actually I'm a Commando from the Kanto-Johto Federation."

May's heart skipped a beat. Her thoughts went to her project in International Relations, but also to Commandos. From what she had read about them, they were one of the most feared and respected soldiers to ever enter the battlefield. There was an old legend associated with them that one Commando was tough enough to take on almost any platoon of other soldiers from anywhere else on the globe. That meant he was a hardened veteran on a warfront and possessed enough skill and power to effortlessly bring down just about any foe.

The two of them had finally made it to the top. Ash had given her a boost so that she wouldn't be a burden on his drive before he scrambled up the side. She was amazed at his swift and nimble movements; not only was he strong, he was practically a Greninja.

He smiled to himself, more than confident that he was still more than capable of carrying Brock for those two miles. "You doing okay?"

"Yeah," She breathed, sitting down and putting her knees to her chest. "Kind of cold."

"Let me see if I can get a fire going." Ash started towards the thicket of trees when May stopped him. She placed her face right in his chest and hugged him tightly.

"Thank you…for not leaving me. I would not be the same had you come to my rescue. My father will pay you handsomely for my return."

Ash had experienced close relationships with women, save for his mother, but looking at May, he found her to be quite attractive. At first, he expected her to be, but not in the way she actually came out to be. Her wet long brown hair clung to her neck, she had deep blue eyes and a flawless complexion. There was no doubt had they been at a dance, she would be able to level just about any man.

Over the course of a few minutes, he began to gather several sticks and cleared a small area.

"Are you going to rub two sticks together?"

He chuckled, "Nah, I have a flint knife. Haven't had to rub them together in years."

Striking the edge rapidly with his folding knife, the tinder caught with a couple glowing embers. He grabbed it and lifted it above his head, blowing onto them. They glowed brightly and smoke began to curl from the top.

Ash held out in front of him as the smoke began to get thicker. Within five seconds, the entire ball of tinder was starting to burn, with a tiny orange flame. Working quickly, he shoved it in the middle of the wood pile. The dead branches ignited quickly, as if they had been doused with gasoline.

"Oh my!" May gasped at how quickly and skillfully he made it, "You are a Commando after all."

"That was a lesson from wilderness survival one oh one."

They both laughed at his joke. For a moment, May felt herself much more relaxed, a lot ever since before she had went to the concert.

"How long do you think we will be here?" She scooted closer to him as he sat on a rock, folding his knife back into his gear.

"Rest of my team's out there looking for me and we have a Navy ship nearby. I'll be surprised if we're here for another couple hours."

May knew that could be completely false, but judging by his expression, he was rather confident. Ash definitely had a way of putting people at ease. On the other hand, he couldn't get the nagging feeling that she was seeing someone. She wasn't married, as there was no ring on her finger, but then again while being abducted by the Syndicate, they could have taken it from her possession.

"Do you have a family May?"

"I live with my father and little brother Max. My mother and father separated when I was twelve."

"Do you keep in touch with her."

"When I have time. She lives in Littleroot."

"Anyone else?"

"Drew…sort of. He's my boyfriend and works a lot with my dad."

The fact she was already dating wasn't a surprise to him. On the other hand, he thought whoever this Drew guy might be, got very lucky or was blessed. "Well, think of how happy both your family and Drew will be to hear that you're safe again."

May almost groaned, "They're probably hysterical out of their minds." Both her father and Drew were like helicopters, hovering nearby, keeping watch over her as if they were the only things guarding her from threats. They felt as if she needed safety and protection, when that's all she had ever experienced. Max wasn't raised like that. He was a boy and found interest in football, something that her father disapproved of, but also felt like he was more capable of taking care of himself.

"You make it sound like a burden,"

"That's because it is," May suddenly got a little defensive, "My father is quite protective of me and Drew pretty much follows by example. For all these years, it gets repetitive. I'm tired of living in this strange world."

"Then change your world." Ash flatly stated.

"Easy for you to say. My father can be hard to separate from."

"No," He said, "Both your dad and Drew can't run your life for you. It could be the money that is hard to break away from."

"Really?!" She was getting angry, "My brother doesn't even need my father's protectiveness. It's always with me! Everybody else sees me like I'm a spoiled rich child who needs protection from everything! It's not a disability!"

"Then why do you treat it like one?"

"You don't know my life! It might be easy for you to grow up and judge, but you live like how I do and then judge me!"

Ash sighed, "May, I'm not judging you. I fully believe that anyone can do whatever they want as long as they have the correct mindset. Even if it's a completely absurd or obsolete idea, it's the thought that counts. I also believe you that in the terms of your father and Drew hold you back, but they're not completely to blame."

"What?" She had calmed considerably and looked over at him. Ash felt a stab of regret when tears began to brim in her eyes.

"I hear about how you want to break away from your father and his money, but I think that you are your own worst enemy. You tell me how much you dislike how they control you, but then I give you encouragement and advice, you then come up with excuses on how it won't work. Are you free from them here?" He pointed to her before tapping two fingers on his temple, "But I think you're actually trapped here. You're not a slave May, he can't dictate what you can and can't do."

May let the tears fall. Her mother had been always supportive of her and fending for herself, but her father was always the protective one and he brought Drew onto the bandwagon. Ever since, she had seldom voiced her opinion since he had final say in matters, but her stance on May's well-being had never changed, even after they separated.

Nobody else saw her in that type of light except Dawn and now this strange Commando from the Federation.

"Listen," Ash leaned forward, casting a dull orange glow from the fire on his front, "I'm really sorry about that. I had no right to do that to you."

"Don't be. You sounded just like my mother and those are words that I have never heard for in a long time. I-"

He had cut her off by holding up a hand, "Hear that?"

"Hear what?"

The sound of rotors began to grow stronger. As he squinted in the distance, he saw one of the stars begin to move and another light blink, "It's a helo!"

Excitement began to flow through May as Ash grabbed a few more sticks and threw them onto the fire. The wood hit the flames and sent a big spray of embers into the sky. Whoever was piloting the chopper saw the fire and homed right in their direction.

Both Ash and May cheered as it moved closer to them. She was unable to contain the relief and excitement not only of their rescue, but the fact that maybe this Commando had finally decided to spur a brand new chapter into her life. Out of pure joy, she flung her arms around him and hugged as tightly as she could.

Ash waved as he was bathed in the spotlight, "It's the Navy! You did great May! You're gonna go home!"

Wow, this chapter was hella fun to write. I know all you Advanceshippers were anxiously waiting for the two of them to finally meet and talk to one another and it's happened! Hope y'all enjoyed it and there is plenty more to come!

Thanks for reading and reviewing, you give my writing purpose.