There was something wrong. Ash could sense it, he could feel it. Something just couldn't be right. He didn't know how or why, but he had the worst feeling he ever had in his life. Suddenly he just started feeling desperate, and he couldn't understand why. He analyzed every single thing that had happened in his life recently, and tried to put into his head that everything was just fine. But it wasn't. He knew something wasn't right.

He threw himself out of the bed, giving up after having tossed around the sheets for nearly five hours straight. He was tired, damn straight he was, but nothing would put him to sleep. He looked at his surroundings, spotting the little yellow Pokémon snoring lightly at the end of the bed and his older and best friend sleeping on the other side of the room, mumbling something that sounded like a 'Nurse Joy' to him.

There was nothing for him to do, nowhere for him to go. He considered going down to the lobby and calling every goddamned phone number he had on his agenda; making sure everything and everyone was ok. Actually, he had stopped himself from doing it nearly four times since he had layed his head in the pillow.

The first person he thought about calling was his mom; but deep inside he knew it had nothing to do with her. First, because he had talked to her minutes before he went to sleep, and second, because that annoying voice inside his head was screaming 'it isn't about her.' Still, he wanted to call her. Maybe for her to give him some security, that kind that only mothers could give. But he wasn't going to call her at five in the morning, even though he was sure she wouldn't mind. It just wouldn't be fair to the poor woman.

He looked at his friend once again, considering waking him. But it would also be unfair. He didn't want to wake Brock from whatever awesome dream he seemed to be having, just to tell him he was feeling weird about something he didn't even know how to explain.

That was it. He was out of options. He laid his head on the pillow again, waiting for the hours to pass so he could finally get up without people questioning him what got him up so early – he was Ash after all, and that meant not a morning person.

He didn't say anything for the rest of the day, and tried to act normal the best he could; so when his friends asked him about his abnormally lack of appetite in the breakfast and lunch, he just waved them off with the lame excuse of feeling a bit sick. It had worked pretty well until the training time. Dawn and May - who happened to be around the region and decided to stop and travel with them for some days - were distracted with their own plans for the next contest, but even they had noticed the complete disaster his training was. He couldn't focus, couldn't even pay attention at whatever the hell he was doing. They seriously doubt he even knew what the hell he was doing. Brock was starting to get worried, but knew better than to try to talk to him in front of everyone. After exhausting two hours, he just gave up, giving his friends the same excuse when questioned: 'I'm just not feeling very well'.

By the dinner, Brock was already tired of that excuse. He knew Ash very well, too well to believe in this crap. The guy had been his friend for nearly eight years now, and he had been with Ash almost every day. The guy was more of his brother than his own brothers, and he couldn't let him torture himself like this. He looked at this friend, who was holding his head between his hands, not paying any attention to the food in front of him.

''Ash, are you ok?''

The trainer lifted his head a little, and tried to give his friend his best fake smile.

''I'm alright, Brock. I'm just...''

'''Just feeling a bit sick', right.'' He cut the boy, sarcastically. ''Ash, you haven't even touched the food. And come on, it's you. And for God's sake, don't even get started with this excuse again. I know you, man. I know when you're lying.''

Ash sighed, putting his head between his hands again.

''You don't understand.''

''Well, I'm trying to, Ash. It would help if you said something, you know.''

He raised his head, looking at the girls in front of them to make sure they weren't paying attention. And they weren't. It's not like they didn't care, of course they did. But after traveling with trainer boys for so long, it was more than awesome to have a female companion to chat with. Especially when these companions also happened to be awesome coordinators that had been into completely different contests.

It was not like Ash didn't trust them, either. Don't get him wrong. They were his friends; very close friends who he cared a lot about and considered to be his sisters. But this was something he didn't feel like telling everyone. He wasn't even sure he felt like telling Brock, but he needed to talk to someone. He tried to talk to Pikachu, but as helpful as the little Pokémon was, he needed a second opinion. And if he needed someone, well, better be his best friend then.

''I'm not feeling ok.'' Brock gave him a glare, but he cut the breeder out before he could say anything. ''Not 'sick' not ok; 'there's some crap going on and I can feel it' not ok.''

Brock looked at him, confused.

''I don't know Brock. I just have a really bad feeling. Like a really bad feeling. It's like someone is constantly punching my guts. I don't know what to do. And yes, I tried to convince myself everything is alright, but something keep telling me it isn't.''

He felt the breeder put a comforting hand into his shoulder.

''Maybe it's just the pressure. You know, with a new league coming and all the challenges. You have a lot into you right now Ash, maybe you're just panicking.''

''I don't know.'' He answered truthfully. ''It doesn't feel like it. I've never felt it, and I've been in plenty of leagues. We've been through the worst situations, and I've never felt something close to it. It's different, I don't know how to explain.''

Brock tried to reassure him the best he could.

''We're ok, man. Everything is alright, nothing bad is happening here. But if you want to, we can always call some people, make sure they're alright.''

Before Ash could say anything else, a familiar face approached the table. If he hadn't been so worried about his friend, Brock would probably be drooling all over her; but if he did something better than hitting on girls, was being a good friend.

''Ash Ketchum?''

He called, in the same sympathetically and nice voice as always. Ash immediately turned in her direction.

''Me.''

''There's a phone call for you.''

''Who would call you at this time?''

May turned towards them, paying attention at the conversation for the first time.

''Oh, it is a blond girl. I believe her name is Daisy.''

''Misty's sister?'' It was Brock's time to be confused. ''Why would she call you?''

He watched as the boy shook his head, as if to say 'I have no idea'; his eyes bulging with worry.

''Thank you, Nurse Joy, I'm picking it up.'' He answered her politely, before looking at Brock again. ''Will you come?''

The breeder recognized the tone in Ash's voice. It was his discrete and polite way of saying 'for the love of God, please come with me'. He nodded in his direction, already getting off the chair.

''Sure.''

Ash turned to the girls.

''Do you guys mind waiting for us here?''

As much as they were worried, both of them shook their heads. They may not know Ash as long as Brock, but they knew him long enough and well enough to know it would better if they stayed. It wasn't like they didn't still have plenty to talk about, anyway.

The boys marched silently to the lobby; sitting beside the green videophone Nurse Joy had pointed them. Ash hadn't said a word since they left the restaurant, and Brock didn't made him say either. Everything that had to do with Misty had always worried him, the breeder knew that. It wasn't like Ash was an open book, but after so many years of friendship, many things didn't need saying. He never needed to tell him how he felt about her; Brock just knew. And the fact that he didn't push him into vocalizing anything meant a lot to Ash. He was simply there, and that was all the trainer needed. He knew Ash well enough to know when he simply needed him to not say anything.

As soon as they sat beside the phone, however, Brock didn't know what to say. He watched as his friend's eyes bulged in horror as they spotted the girl on the screen.

''Ash!'' She cried. ''Thanks God, I tried to reach you everywhere! I called almost every Pokémon Center in Sinnoh, I didn't know what else to do!''

''Daisy, what happened?''

It was Brock who had vocalized the question. Ash was simply static, looking at the girl in terror. The usually beautiful and joyful blond was now looking like she had just come out of a war. Her clothes seemed to be torn, and she was completely covered in dirt; her beautiful hair completely disheveled.

''Team Rocket.'' She stated. ''They invaded the city last night. I was out, helping Misty to run some errands while she closed the Gym, since she always complain I don't do much. That's when I saw it. There were plenty of them. I looked just in time to see that giant thing roaming towards the Gym.''

Ash was still speechless. He wasn't even sure if could move. Brock was the one to talk once again, paying attention at her surroundings.

''My God, Daisy, where are you?''

''Cerulean.'' She watched as their eyes grew in disbelief. ''It's a chaos, everything is destroyed. The Gym fell to pieces.''

That was the part that caught Ash's attention. There was something missing. Brock was right; why would Daisy call them?

''Daisy...'' His voice sounded completely weak, full of terror. ''Where is Misty?''

His heart sunk when the girl refused to answer, simply shaking her head at them; eyes filled with tears.

''Daisy...'' He tried once again, feeling his own tears roll down his face as the fear struck him. ''Please tell me where she is.''

The girl finally dared to look at him again, trying to contain her sobs, for the sake of them both.

''The Gym fell. She couldn't get out.'' She watched as the trainer's shoulders gave in, almost making him fall from the chair; Brock hurrying to hold his friend in place. ''When she noticed what was happening, she started leading all the Pokémon out. Great part of them was in the part that had already started to ruin. She took them off, but she... she got stuck.'' The breeder hold his friend tighter, sure that he would collapse at any moment. Daisy went on. ''I ran there, tried to do something, but I couldn't. One of the guys who helps us take care of the errands of the Gym, Tom, was there, he said that she... when she was getting out, Dewgong got stuck and she came back to help. She gave the Pokémon to him, but as soon as they reached the door, he noticed she had stayed behind. There wasn't time to do anything. We couldn't even enter there anymore; when we looked back everything was down. It took some time until the rescue to come and manage to take her out of the wreckage.''

There was a killer silence. Ash was shaking, the tears just didn't stop coming down his face. It took them some several seconds before any of them could bring themselves to say something.

''She's... she's not...''

Ash couldn't bring himself to finish the phrase.

''No.'' Daisy shook her head. ''But she's hurt. Seriously hurt. I couldn't get much information; they refused to let me go with her, saying I was hurt and in shock. Who cares I was hurt or in shock, she is my sister!'' She broke down. ''I know I don't deserve the award of sister of the year, but she is my sister! How could I leave her there?'' She waited a few seconds to calm herself down before she could continue. ''They brought me here. I did everything I could to get to her; I even called Lily and Vi, but they are too far away to do anything. After hours of screaming to everyone in this goddamn city they finally took me to her. She's in the Intensive Care of Cerulean Hospital. She's not waking up, Ash, I'm powerless. You're the only one she trusts, and I know how much she loves you, so please tell me what to do. Please, tell me what I can do.''

He didn't know. He wished to heaven he knew, but he didn't. He didn't know what to do or how even to react. The only thing he knew is that he couldn't just be there watching this. She was hurt and alone, and he wouldn't leave her this way. He would never leave her this way.

''I'm... I'm going there. I'll be there as soon as I can, I promise you.''

''Ash...'' The girl called him out. ''She is not a pretty sight. I could see her when they got her out. She's really badly injured.''

He closed her eyes, trying to contain a nervous breakdown, and failing miserably.

''She is my best friend, I... I can't leave her there. I'm... I'm going there. D-Daisy, I'm...''

He couldn't say anything anymore; the words simply got stuck in his mouth. Brock gently tugged his friend away from the screen, turning towards the girl.

''I'll talk to him, Daisy. I'll ask Nurse Joy to send my number to you; I'll try to call you when we arrive. I'm sorry. We'll be there, I promise.''

She nodded.

''I'll wait. I'm sorry, Brock. I couldn't do anything.''

''It's ok. Daisy, it's ok. It was not your fault. Don't blame yourself. We'll be there. Take care of yourself.''

As soon as the screen turned off, Ash collapsed, the weight of his body giving up beneath him. Brock caught him just in time, giving him a tight hug.

''Ash... come on man, talk to me.''

He pushed away from the breeder, trying his best to stand up. His vision was blurred, and he felt incredibly sick. He turned to his friend, mumbling the first thing that came into his head.

''I need to... I need to get Pikachu...''

Truth was; he just needed to get out that lobby. He needed to be alone; he needed to let it out. And this was one of the times when Brock knew he couldn't be alone.

''Ash, it's ok, we'll tell the girls to get him for you, Nurse Joy is taking care of him. Do you think you can manage back to the restaurant? Just so we can tell the girls we're not going to have dinner with them? Then I'll take you to our room.''

He nodded slowly. The breeder carefully helped him out, guiding him back to where their friends were waiting.

''My God Ash, what happened? You look like you've seen a ghost!''

Dawn almost fell of the chair when she spotted her friend. She never, in all the time they had been friends, have seen him look this miserable. The breeder looked at them, quickly answering her so he could spare Ash of any questions.

''I'm taking him to the room; can you guys get Pikachu from Nurse Joy for us?''

Brock's words were quickly followed by a look that read 'don't ask.' They nodded, understanding what he meant. They were clearly worried, but did as Brock said – or implied – anyway. He mouthed them a silently 'thank you' before going back at guiding his friend; something telling him it was going to be a long night.

Well, what can I say, I just love Brock. I see him is the best friend ever and a brother to Ash, and no one will convince me otherwise. I love writing him as such. Again, in my universe characters age, so you can imagine Ash being around 18, just because I think it would be more interesting to the story. It gives him a little more maturity.

I really hope you guys liked it. I don't know when I'll be able to upload the next chapter, but I'll promise I'll try to put it up as soon as I can. Thank you very very much for all the reviews and opinions too, it is awesome and helps me improve my writing. Thank you so much!

Hope you are enjoying, till next time! :D