A/N: Hey guys, sorry for the delay in getting this chapter out there. I've had a lot on my plate the past couple of weeks. I started my summer job, so this is the period in time where the two overlap (so I am working every single day until July basically), so I don't have as much time on the weekends to work on this. Also, sadly, my oldest cat went into sudden kidney failure, and we had to put her down three days ago. There is a moment later in this chapter where I pay a little tribute to her.

Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. The next one coming up is going to be really good. I'm probably going to plan it out tonight and start writing it tomorrow.

Until next time,

Sarah

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon.

Chapter Three: Intervention

Two days later, Misty was with Daisy on the beach behind the hotel. The two were going over the lay out of the wedding and the reception. Daisy had a tide chart in her hand, looking it over. Her Maid of Honor followed her along the shore, Clefairy and Vaporeon at her heels. Pikachu, who seemed to have this infatuation with Clefairy, was with them as well. Daisy paused at the edge of the beach, where the hotel's terrace began.

"I can't decide where we should stand for the ceremony," she said.

"Anywhere would be fine, Daisy, as long as it's not in the ocean," Misty replied.

"I'm worried that I'm not using this tide chart correctly."

"Oh give it here," Misty said, snatching the piece of paper. "I don't know what you're so worried about. It's high tide right now. You can't go wrong with trying the set up in these conditions because we won't end up in several feet of water that way."

"Poreon!"

The water Pokemon nodded in agreement, wagging its tail. Its trainer grinned brightly. She couldn't contain her excitement. She loved it so much, although she hadn't had Vaporeon long. She had always wanted one. Her parents had given her a stuffed one for Christmas—the absolute last gift they had given her. She never was able to say thank-you, considering her sisters found the gifts hidden among their parent's possessions when they were sorting through them. Misty had been on a quest to find one of her own ever since that year. Ash giving her one made it sweeter.

"Vaporeon is a real cutie," Daisy commented as she observed Misty.

"Yeah. Of course all of my Pokemon are cute!"

"Even Gyarados?"

"Especially Gyarados."

The walked up to the patio, Daisy switching papers, replacing the tide chart with the seating chart. There would be over one hundred guests, and she was trying to figure out if she could avoid putting some tables on the edge of the beach. Misty pointed out that they could put the DJ on the beach instead so people could dance in the sand. Daisy sighed, and reluctantly agreed, disappointed at the amount of sand that would collect in her shoes. Taking a break, they sat down on the beach and watched Clefairy, Pikachu, and Vaporeon prance in the waves.

"I can't believe Ash went out of his way to catch you a Pokemon," Daisy said.

"What do you mean?" Misty asked.

"That's not something someone does for just a friend."

"Daisy, it's not like that," Misty retorted. "We've been best friends for nearly thirteen years now."

"I still say that he would like something more than friendship."

"He'll never see me like that," Misty said, a quiver in her voice. "He's always seen Pokemon, and that's all."

"But Misty—"

"I have to start getting things ready for tonight," Misty said, getting up. "Be at my suit at eight tonight, okay?"

"Sure thing."

"C'mon you guys," she said to the Pokemon as she headed in the direction of the hotel. Although they wanted to stay in the water, they had no choice but to follow her because they loved her more.

It was nearly eight later that night. Misty had placed a dozen shot glasses on the coffee table in the sitting area. The girls would be there any minute for Daisy's Bachelorette party. They were going to a nearby club for dancing that night, but before they did, they were going to have drinks and hang out in Misty's suite. As she was laying a couple bottles of vodka on the table, next to the glasses, there was a knock on the door.

She went to answer it, expecting it to be some of the girls. When she opened the door, to her surprise, it was Ash instead. As soon as she saw him, a blush crept upon her face. She was a sleeveless dress, the hem ending around her mid-thigh, showing off her long legs, which ended at a pair of black high heels. Her hair was halfway put up in a ponytail, her locks cascading like a waterfall down her shoulders and back. Ash gaped at her, nearly forgetting the reason why he came.

"H-hi Misty," he stammered.

"Ash, what are you doing here?"

"Um," he said, distracted by her outfit. Did she have to show so much skin?

"Well?"

"Have you seen Pikachu?' he asked, finally getting the words out.

"Pikapi!"

Pikachu had come through the door at the sound of his name. The little mouse leapt up into the arms of his owner, delighted to see him. Ash was startled, but relieved, nonetheless. He snuggled Pikachu close.

"He's been with me all day," Misty commented.

"Was he following around Clefairy again?"

"Yeah," she said. "But I think it's cute that Pikachu has a little crush on Clefairy."

"Pika…" Pikachu said, a blush etched across his face.

"So, you're getting ready for the bachelorette party then?"

"Uh yeah," Misty replied, feeling a little self-conscious about her dress for the first time. "We're going dancing at the Espeon Club tonight."

Ash had a desire to go with the ladies instead, one that came on so suddenly that the feeling overwhelmed him. Somehow, spending time somewhere without Misty did not seem fun.

"That sounds better than what we're doing."

"What?" Misty asked with a mischievous grin. "No strippers?"

"No, nothing like that," he said, shuffling his feet. "We're going to a bar for drinks."

"Oh good," Misty replied. "Because Daisy would've killed you if you had done that."

"I know. Brock's really disappointed, though."

"He would be."

"I'll see you later, then?"

"Yeah, of course. Bye, Ash."

Ash left without another word, Pikachu still in his arms. As much as Misty was looking forward to having fun with her friends, she'd rather spend the night with Ash. Thinking of him, she smiled, closing the door and finishing her preparations.

"To the bride!" shouted May with a giggle.

Each of the eight women took a shot glass and pressed it against her lips. The warm liquid went smoothly down their throats, but left a burning sensation in their throats. A few of them scrunched up their faces. One or two of them immediately took another shot.

Iris and Dawn had arrived at the hotel earlier that day. The two of them were excited to be there, already drunk as it seemed, holding onto each other as they sat on the floor, swaying slightly.

"I never expected you to be so pretty, Misty," Dawn said.

"Yeah," Iris commented. "Ash never mentioned it…Although, I should have guessed it from how much he used to talk about you."

"Ash talked about me?"

"Yeah," Dawn said. "He talked about all of his friends, but he mentioned you the most. It got annoying to be honest."

"Oh." Misty's cheeks grew a little pink, but it wasn't from the alcohol.

"Are we going to the club yet or what?" Violet complained.

"I guess we could make our way over there," Misty said, turning to Daisy Oak. "What do you think?"

"Let's go get out dance on!"

"Another round of drinks, please," Ash said, leaning against the bar. The bartender, a stout man with a balding head, grunted in response before filling steins with amber-colored beer. Ash carried as man as he could in his arms, completing a second trip for the rest. There were fewer men at Tracey's bachelor party, but that didn't stop them from having a good time.

Brock had tried to order a stripper, but Ash swiftly stopped him. As interesting as it might have been, Ash feared Daisy's reaction. Growing up with her, he knew not to get on her bad side.

The guys started playing poker, using snacks to bet instead of money. Brock sulked for the next hour, picking his head up when the occasional woman passed their table. Ash ordered another drink, trying to forget about the red-headed beauty and the arms that she might be wrapped in.

The girls danced to a techno song as the lights on the dance floor flashed around. Misty's sisters were surrounded by a horde of attractive men. She watched as her sisters flirted with them and rolled her eyes. Even out here, they got all of the attention. Misty sighed, leaving everyone to get another drink. She was in the mood for something sweeter, so she ordered a cosmo. The bartender, a decent-looking man himself, handed her the drink with a wink. Flustered, Misty snatched the drink and turned to retreat. She smacked into someone, sloshing her drink over the sides of the glass slightly. Once she had steadied her body, she turned her head up to see Rudy.

"Hey Misty," he said. "Fancy seeing you here. Are you stalking me now or something?"

"You wish," she teased. "I'm at my friend's bachelorette party right now. If you'll excuse me, I need to get back to my friends."

She shifted away from him and towards the dance floor. Her motions were cut short by his hand resting on her arm. His fingers tightened on her limb, causing her to stop. He let go as he moved closer to her.

"Where's your hurry?" he asked. She took a sip of her drink. The sugar and the alcohol went instantly to her head, giving her a buzz.

"Rudy, I'm here to have fun with my friends. I'll talk to you later," she said, moving to leave once more.

Rudy cut in front of her. "Come dance with me," he said, holding out his hand.

"Um." Misty was hesitant, unsure of where this was headed.

"Why don't you want to? It's only dancing, you know. I want to spend time with you…I don't think that is something so wrong, do you?"

"Well no. I understand that."

"Then what's the problem?"

"Nothing. I'll see you later." She turned to walk away once more, but this time it was his words that stopped her.

"It's because of Ash isn't it?" She did not look at him, but he continued anyway. "You can't wait for him forever."

She shifted her body towards him, locking eyes with him. There was intensity in his countenance, almost challenging her. Rudy was different than she remembered. Instead of showering her with compliments and affection, he was more straightforward, almost to the point of being over demanding. She had to wonder if her rejection had a lasting effect on him.

He was right, however. She could not hang onto the hope that Ash would come to his senses until she was frail and grey. She had been missing out on opportunities to move her life forward ever since he had come back home. Perhaps it was time that she moved on without him. Giving Rudy a chance could be the beginning of that.

"All right," she said. "I'll dance with you."

"I knew that you would," he said with a smirk, taking her hand.

She giggled as the two made their way to the dance floor. There were many groups and couples moving to an upbeat, techno song. Misty danced with Rudy, her cares fluttering away. It was not as if she were looking for a relationship with him, however. It would have been difficult to date him, anyway. She wanted a little fun. There was nothing to feel guilty about, yet somehow there was a twinge of it there. Letting the music take her over, she pushed the thoughts of Ash out of her mind.

May, who had been taking a break to the side, noticed the pair. She was flabbergasted to see Misty giving into this guy. With a plan formulated, May marched over, determined to break up the two. She tapped Misty on the shoulder, causing the gym leader to jump slightly.

"Misty, can I speak with you? Alone?"

"Can't you see that I'm a bit busy?" she snapped.

"Please," May begged. "It's about Drew."

Misty sighed. "Fine. I'll be right back, Rudy. Okay?"

"I'll be here waiting for you," he said flirtatiously.

May snatched Misty's arm and dragged her across the room towards one of the booths. Misty came grudgingly. As the reached the booth, May released her friend. They both sat down. There was anticipation in the air.

"So what's this about Drew?"

"Oh nothing," May admitted. "I only said that to get you away from that guy."

"May!"

"What do you think you are doing?"

"I'm just having some fun."

"With Rudy?"

Misty looked cross. "I don't see the problem with it. I'm young and single, so why not?"

"What about Ash?" There was a blazing fire in May's eyes. Every time Misty glanced at her, they scorched her soul.

"What about him? It's not like I am getting any where with him. As Rudy said, I can't wait for him forever."

May pondered her words for a moment. "You know, he's right."

"He is?" Misty asked, shocked to hear her agreeing with the idea.

"Yes," May said. "You can't wait for Ash forever. You need to tell him how you feel."

"But May—"

"No, Misty. You can't keep going on wondering what if. You need to tell him. If he doesn't want you the same way, then you know for sure and can move on. You're never going to know if you sit around and wait for him. This is Ash we're talking about here."

May's words sunk in, causing Misty to feel guilty once again. Like years ago, she had been swept up by Hurricane Rudy. She had to tell Ash. If he saw her platonically, then she would know that it was where she stood. It would hurt like hell, sure, but at least she would know that she needed to give up on him. When could she do it though? If she told him now and was rejected, she might not be her best for the wedding. Not to mention, it could get awkward between them. For Daisy's sake, she would wait until the morning after. That way she could separate from him if needed.

"Fine," she said to May, who was biting her lip. "I'll tell him—but only after the wedding."

"Fair enough," said May. "What are you going to do about lover boy over there?"

She heaved a heavy sigh. "I guess I am going to have to reject him…again," she said, rising from her seat.

"Good luck."

Misty walked back to where Rudy was, her heart pounding. I was never easy to do something that would knowingly hurt someone. He smiled at her until he realized that she did not return the gesture. His face fell like the Berlin Wall.

"I can't do this," she said.

"Why not?"

"Because—" she said, inhaling sharply. "Because I'm in love with Ash Ketchum."

She was startled by how easily the words flowed out of her mouth. Rudy's countenance was unchanging. He swallowed, but allowed her to continue.

"I've always been in love with him, even from the day I met him. It took me a while to realize it, but once I did, it never went away."

Rudy kissed her on the cheek. "I understand. I hope he makes you happy."

"He does," she said, the corners of her mouth tugging upwards.

"It was nice seeing you again, Misty."

"Bye, Rudy," she said as he left. This had been the easy task. What would be more difficult was telling Ash the same thing.

"Why don't any of these girls like me?"

Brock sulked back to their table after another woman had rejected them. The poker game had ended a while ago. They started doing their own things after that point. It wasn't much of a bachelor party, to be honest. Perhaps Ash should have hired a stripper. Ash sat alone, watching Cilan and Tracey facing Drew and Gary in a game of pool when Brock joined him.

"Maybe you should stop using the pick-up lines," Ash said.

"You're starting to sound like Misty," Brock replied.

Ash rested his head in his arms. "Because she's right."

"Then what do I say to all the ladies?"

"How about you be yourself," Ash grumbled.

Brock was about to retort when she walked into the bar. The woman, who appeared to be around his age, immediately captivated Brock. She was not one of his usual types. She was beautiful, but not in an obvious way. Her dress of orange, black and white hugged tightly against her curvy body. Her skin was tan in complexion. She had medium length black hair, which she wore in a sort of bob. She had on white high heels and her ears were adorned with these earrings made of grey feathers. Brock had never felt this way about a woman.

Not even having a clue of what to say or do, Brock went over to her anyway. He watched her order a strong drink at the bar. The man brought her a shot glass full of tequila. Without hesitation, the woman pressed the glass against her lips and tipped her head back, the liquid racing down her throat. She briskly requested another when Brock finally approached.

"Hello, Miss," he said, flashing her a smile. "Is this seat taken?"

"No, not at all," she said, gesturing him to sit. He complied almost instantly.

"I'm Brock," he said.

"Millie."

"That's an interesting name."

"Well so is Brock."

"Touche," he said. "So what's your story?"

Ash watched on as the two interacted. He drank excessively, determined to get plastered that night. Brock and Millie chatted for the better part of an hour. Brock could not help but stare into her amber eyes as she talked about her job and Pokemon at home. He found her laugh to be infectious, and the greatest disappointment had befallen him the moment he learned that she had to head out. To his astonishment, she had given him her number. Elated, Brock returned to Ash.

"I'll have to admit," he said, plopping down next to his friend. "Misty was right."

"Of course s-she's right," Ash hiccupped. "She's always right."

Brock raised an eyebrow. "Since when do you think that?"

"Since always, man, since always," Ash sighed. "She's so beautiful…don't you think?"

Brock looked at Ash intently for he was not speaking like the Ash he had always known. "Are you feeling okay?"

"I can't stop thinking about her."

"Who? Misty?"

"Yeah," he replied, staring at the wall. There was nothing to look at there, however. Ash was in a daze, but after a moment of deep thought, or at least as deep as one could have under the influence of that much alcohol, he said, "I think I might be in love with her."

"You what?"

"I love Misty."

Brock frowned. He stole Ash's last mug and took the last swig of it. He had a feeling he was going to need it. Ash did not let him respond, continuing to ramble.

"It's been driving me crazy for months now. That's why I decided to stay at home and not see her the past month…to see if this would all go away, except it hasn't. I still think about her all the time."

Brock had expected this sort of thing to come from Misty, but not Ash. Although it came as a surprise, he was glad that Ash was admitting this to him. Brock knew that they both loved each other. All that was needed now was for one of them to take the leap first. He had always thought that it would have been Misty because of Ash's oblivion; however, perhaps it would truly be Ash in the end.

"Why haven't you told her any of this?"

"I thought," Ash said. He paused for a moment, attempting to gather his words so they would not escape in a jumbled mess. "I thought that it might have been because I was on the rebound from Serena, but I don't think that is it anymore."

"So why not tell her then?"

"I'm scared," he said. It was the first time he had admitted that to anyone. "What if she laughs at me? Serena dumping me was bad enough. I don't know if I could handle the rejection from Misty."

"You do realize that they are two completely different people," Brock said, causing Ash to lift his head a little. "Misty wouldn't hurt you like that. She's not like that. You should tell her. Even if she doesn't want that sort of relationship from you, it'll feel better getting it off your chest rather than bottling it up. You never know, though. She might surprise you."

Ash contemplated what he said. Maybe he was right about Misty. In all the years that Ash had known her, she had never been callous towards him. Even in the early days when they fought constantly, she made an effort to help him. Who knows? She could even feel the same way. It was worth a shot.

"All right," he said. "I'll tell her."

"You better," Brock replied.

He would. Brock was determined to make this happen. Even if Ash forgot about this conversation like he did with his make-out session with Misty months ago, Brock would remind him of every word. Even if he had yet to find happiness in love, he would make sure that the best friends he had ever had would find theirs.