Me:woah took long enough for me to get back! Might as well do the disclaimer!

Umbreon: Neither of us owns anything, all rights go to the respective owners. Now get on with the story and stop procrastinating!

Me:Alright alright let's do this!

Ash Pov.

I blink and rub my eyes, wait that can't be possible can it? You never see really any Pokémon in Unova that are regional...Where the hell did that Fearow come from? It has to be a trainer's..which means.. I feel my heart skip a beat as I jump up with excitement. "Gary!" I say way to loudly. "Um.. Ash..." I hear from behind me.

My heart stop, oh shit..how am I going to explain this. I turn around slowly, trying to be casual about everything. "Hey, Cilan!' I say, flashing him a smile. He gives me a small smile and raises an eyebrow. "Who's Gary?"

Oh shit, he heard me...I had to say something quickly otherwise it would seem like I was trying to hide something. "Oh, he's just a really old rival of mine from Kanto. I was just trying to remember his name." He nods, and his face lightens, seemingly satisfied with that answer. It was either I was just really good at lying or he was just that gullible. I think it was some combination of the two.

He wraps his arms around me and kisses me on the forehead, causing me to almost instinctively flinch and causing Cilan to frown. Shit, thinking of Gary is really sending me into THAT mindset. The one where I belong to him and no one else, and any intimate contact from anyone was like Beedrill sting.

"Ash, ash!" I pull myself out of my thoughts to hear Cilan calling my name. I look up at him and he frowns. "Are you sure you're alright. You seem out of it today..." I give him a reassuring smile. "No, why would you think that? I'm fine as always!" I say giving him a quick peck on the cheek.

"It's just that you just flinched away from my kiss." Aw, dammit. I needed to think of something and fast. I couldn't pull that dream excuse for it was pretty damn obvious I hadn't been anywhere near sleep. I look down at my feet as he brushes the hair out of my face."Ash.." he says slowly.

I don't say anything and merely bite my lip, still staring intently at my feet. Damn, I've got to say something! Just as I was about to pull out some lame excuse Cilan says something that makes me instantly tense. "Is it about Gary?" I bite my lip harder, not sure how to respond, he takes this as a yes and sit us both down with me in his lap.

"Ah, I see, did he do something to you?" I nod, not knowing what else to do. Yep! He sure as hell did something to me! Broke, my damn heart if that counts! I think to myself, mentally laughing in irony. I hadn't noticed I started crying until I felt something warm on my cheeks. Shit, I'm crying!

"Ash, he did do something to you didn't he?" I had to say something, anything at this point, "He did..he-," Cilan cuts me off, "It okay you don't have to talk about it." He says sympathetically. He pulls my face to his chest and strokes my hair, "It's okay, I'll make sure that his doesn't lay a finger on you."

My eyes widen to the size of watermelons. He can't seriously believe that... I fell my hearts stop, I had really put myself in a real deep hole on this one. I couldn't take this back, not after all this. We sat like that for so long we eventually fell asleep and Iris had to wake us up.

"Wakey, wakey sleepy love birds!" she said shaking us both. I open my eyes and grumble something that I can't even understand myself, before closing my eyes again. I hear her stomp her foot and only assume that her arms were crossed in disapproval as well. I smile, mentally laughing to myself.

It's ironic how she acts like a little kid all the time but still insist on calling me one. "Oh come on you two! I'm hungry and these berries aren't filling me up!" I groan again and feel Cilan move under me. "Come on baby, time to get up." I peep one eye open and sit up stretching, still feeling groggy.

"I'm going to make something to eat," Cilan says, rubbing his eyes. I nod, still half asleep as he is helped up by Iris who follows behind him before stopping. "You coming Ash?"

I look up at her, my vision clearing as I slowly start to wake up. "Yeah, I'll be there in a sec. I still gotta wake myself up!" I say, playfully, She nods, rolling her eyes before heading back off to camp.

I yawn and stretch again, glancing back over to the lake. I stop for a moment, I wonder where that Fearow went off too... I sigh and lay on my back staring up at the pink and orange sky before trailing a path with my eyes. Wait! I think sitting straight up. "The White Ruins!" I say, whisper screaming as I try to contain my excitement.

I smile comes to my face as I realize it. It might be a long shot, and I may not even run into Gary but still...There is still a chance. No matter how small! The very thought of seeing Gary again makes my heart race, it had been so long, over a year actually since I saw him and my heart couldn't wait any longer.

"What are you so happy about?" I glance up quickly to see Iris standing in front of me. "Uh..." I say dragging the word out. She rolls her eyes and turns away. "Nevermind, " she says losing interest. "Crazy little kid..." I hear her say under her breath as she walks off. "Oh yea, and the food's ready!" she says still walking. I nod, even though I know she can't see me and get myself up off the ground.

It was almost midnight and I still couldn't sleep, I was almost 100% sure that I would go right back to sleep after eating but I was too worried that Iris might mention something to Cilan that I couldn't relax or let my guard down for the slightest moment.

I groan quietly, trying my hardest not to wake Cilan up. I knew why I couldn't sleep, there was too much on my mind and I wasn't sure how to deal. I glance over at Cilan who was snuggled against a pillow he so strongly believed was me. I give him a soft smile, I knew he really loved me and I felt terrible that I couldn't love him back in the same way.

I sigh and sit up, feeling even more terrible for leading him on this long. I shouldn't have even got involved with this in the first place... But, I couldn't have said no when he asked me. He just looked so..desperate? Needy? No that's not the word...pitiful? I crunch my face up trying to think.

My face perks up before softening again as I think of it. Lonely. Yep, that was the word. Lonely, that's why I couldn't say no. That and the fact that I was lonely too. I hadn't gone to see Gary before going to Unova hoping to just forget about him and move on.

But, that obviously isn't going to happen. I think to myself. Finally accepting it. Gary was too big a part of my life to just sit there and forget. I bite my lip as I contemplate on an idea.

I could...I stop in the midst of my thought and bite my lip, thinking even harder. It was kind of stupid idea but for me it was now or never. I quickly slip out of the tent and slip into my clothes. I'm going to do it...no going back. I slowly move over to where Pikachu is and pick him up slowly causing him to wake up. I smile down at him, "Come on buddy let's go."

Pikachu looks at me confused at first before nodding and hopping on my shoulder. I carefully sneak pass Iris and mine's tents before letting out a breath I hadn't known I had held in. It's now or never. I move to break out in a run before a voice stops me, "Ash where are you going."

I freeze, not daring to move a muscle. "Cilan I-," I say, my voice wavering. I squeeze my eyes shut before hearing a light thump in front of me. I open my eyes slowly to see Iris staring at me seriously. I stare at her intently, trying to mentally prepare an excuse before she holds up a finger to me. "I know two things that's for sure. A. I'm no Cilan, and B. You need to go see Gary."

I feel my heart start to swell with joy as I let out a sigh, feeling relieved. She smiles, "Hey! I'm not that un-observative! Now, go on, before one of us changes our minds." I give her the biggest grin and break into a run, only to have her stop me. "One more thing Ash," I stop and look at her seriously. "I hope that when you see him, you're not wearing that same smile. You look ridiculous."

I roll my eyes playfully and keep running leaving her laughing behind me. I would probably owe her majorly later but, this time I didn't care being in debt to her. It was surely a debt that would change my life.

Me:Woah! That was looong~ hehehe

Pikachu:you had to wake me up for this escapade because?

Me:Oh you'll be happy soon just wait! I hope you guys like, oh yeah and did I tell ya? Push that next button and you'll see that chap you been waiting for!~