Hey Everybody! Once again, it's the me from back in July 19! Confusing, right? Anyway, I'm sure that by this point I have fairly standard access to the internet at least once in a while, so I want to thank you for all your comments on behalf of future TL since he's too much of a busy jerk to do it himself. You're the best, and I hope everyone enjoyed last chapter's big battle and confrontation! As for me, I'm in my final stage now, so things should be going pretty smoothly at this point and I should be starting to prepare for my graduation ceremony. Even here in July, I'm so excited thinking about it. Anyway, as always, READ AND REVIEW PLEASE! I know your thoughts and criticism have been such an encouragement while I've been going through all this. Keep it up, please!

Disclaimer:I do not own Pokemon, or any of its affiliated companies including, but not limited to, 4Kids, The Pokemon Company, Game Freaks, or Cartoon Network. The characters written within this fic are soley based upon the fictional characters created by these companies, and the story is not meant to, nor will it, receive any monetary funding.

Characters' Ages:

Ash: 17

Brock: 22

Misty: 18

Delia: 41

Oak: 56

Minutes passed in silence as the two trainers regained composure. Neither looked at the other or acknowledged the single tear they shared, but both allowed time to pass before trying to speak again.

When it had, Ash cleared his throat and blew warm air into his cupped palms.

"Lance knew who my dad was, didn't he?"

"Yes."

"Then why didn't he tell me?"

"I don't know."

"You don't have any idea? It's weird he would know my family's history, but wouldn't share it with me after we became friends."

"You'll have to ask him that yourself."

"Okay…"

He took a moment to collect his thoughts. Though most of his immediate questions had now been answered, there were still curiosities that needed to be addressed.

"When you wrote me that letter to meet you here, you said you weren't sure you'd make it to me and Misty in time. Misty asked me that day that if you were afraid of being late, then why didn't you wait until later to write it?"

"Espeon."

"Again?" Despite the difference in their ranks, Ash couldn't withhold the incredulity from his tone. "You told me that your Espeon can teleport hundreds of miles, and now you're saying it can also write letters?"

"Psychic Pokémon generally have much higher IQs than humans. I taught Espeon to use her powers to transfer my thoughts onto paper. In a matter of seconds she can transcribe a paragraph."

"Well…what? Does she use a pen?" Ash wanted to laugh at the absurd thought of an Espeon fumbling a quill between her paws.

"She simply imprints the paper with psychic marks. The words she writes aren't mine exactly, because that would take too long. She reads my mind to understand what I wish to communicate, and then forms those thoughts into a cohesive statement."

"Wow."

"…"

"So you wrote that note as you were teleporting. Why didn't you just mail it to my house?"

"I didn't know where you would go after that happened. I wanted solitude after my experience, so I left the letter there in case you didn't return to Pallet."

"Steven asked why you didn't answer their call when we left Viridian for Cerulean. I was wondering that too."

"I receive calls from the G-Men for backup all the time in their fight against Team Rocket. I think the answer shouldn't be hard to figure out."

"If you knew we were going to Cerulean, though, then why did you ask my mom to locate my Pokédex?"

"I needed to know where you were specifically."

"I thought you were already keeping track of me?"

"Never with the Pokédex. I could have, but just like I wouldn't put cameras in your mom's house, I didn't spy on you personally; only through the news and your battle ranking."

"Huh."

"…you look hurt."

"Hm?" Ash was surprised. Red had yet to make a single remark that wasn't a response to one of his questions. "Oh, yeah. Mount Silver is just as tough as everyone says."

"I have some medicine for you and your Pokémon in my room. It's a secret, hollowed cave in the mountain. Your Pikachu looks like he could use help." He pointed to where the yellow Pokémon lay, still passed out and bundled tightly against the freezing rain and snow.

"Thank you. I guess we'll need to heal up before trying to make it back down."

"…"

"If Charizard feels well enough, we may be able to fly down from here without much trouble. Flying too high was hard for both of us, but going down would mostly be gliding for him."

"I have an easier solution, if you're done with your questions."

Already? Though he was almost out of questions, Ash was still surprised – and disappointed – to realize his time with the Master was coming to a close.

"Um, well not yet, but okay. What's your idea?"

Red snapped his fingers, and a green Espeon suddenly appeared between the two trainers.

"Whoa! Where'd she come from?"

"She was watching the battle between us the entire time. I had given strict orders to teleport you or your Pokémon if you were in real danger so Charizard didn't have to hold back."

"Wait…so we weren't in danger? Those were some pretty close calls, though!"

"Espeon wouldn't have let anything happen to you. Remember, she can read minds. When you did that trick with Squirtle, she already knew your strategy and knew she didn't need to rescue you."

"So, you can teleport us back to the base of the mountain with her?"

The Master shook his head. "I can send you home with her."

"Really?! I didn't think we'd get home for another day or two, at least!"

"It's already past midnight. You wouldn't get far before morning, anyway, and your Pokémon need attention."

"Thank you!"

"…"

"Well, before I go, I do have one more question."

"…"

"Now that Giovanni's been…defeated, are you coming down the mountain too?"

"No."

Despite the lateness and cold, Ash's eyes shot open in surprise. "What?! Why not?!"

"Giovanni's father resigned, his mother died, and now he's dead. None of those things spell the end of Team Rocket."

The wind picked back up, and Ash took a step closer to make sure his weakening voice was heard over the gale. "But you finally have a chance! You know Team Rocket won't come back overnight. No one can threaten you or your family any more!"

Red looked away.

"Wait…are you scared?"

"…"

"There's nothing to worry about. You took him down. Now's your chance to have a family again!"

"…"

"You told me earlier that I was right to not quit training, because Misty and me are involved in this no matter what. You need to listen to your own advice. Even if someone did want to hurt you for what you've done, staying on this mountain isn't going to help. Somewhere out there's your family, not knowing who you are or what you've just done to protect them."

"…"

"You can't tell anyone this, but I thought about leaving Misty. I didn't really consider it more than a second, though, because I realized she was in danger whether I was near her or not. It's the same for your family. The best way we can protect the people we love isn't by getting away from them, but by keeping them close."

"Thank you, Ash Ketchum." His sincerity surprised the teenager. "You make good points, and I know you're trying to help me as you've helped so many others in your life. But for now, I'm simply not ready to face my past." He looked down, his bangs covering his eyes once again.

He's not afraid of Team Rocket…he's afraid of going back.

Despite himself, it was Ash's turn to grab Red by the arm. "You can't hide up here forever. You've sacrificed everything for years because you cared about your family, but it's time to leave the mountain. You're done sacrificing."

To his shock, Red gave a small nod.

The two stood there a moment longer, absorbing the power of the moment along with the weather's blows. Finally, Ash released his grip, and Red looked up again – a small smile on his face.

"Before you go, I have a gift for you." He reached into his back pocket and retrieved a small yellow envelope.

Opening it, Ash saw three white seeds inside. "What are these?"

"Those are the seeds from your Venusaur's plant."

"Huh?"

"I took them before destroying the warehouse. You can plant them and grow trees similar to the one that was on his back."

"Really?"

"…"

"Th-thank you, Red!" He almost wanted to hug him, but at the last moment decided it would be too much. Instead, he reached his hand to shake, and Red reciprocated.

"You have to learn to deal with losing your Pokémon if you want this job, but that doesn't mean you should ever forget about them. Little reminders like those seeds will help you remember the good times, and give you strength during the hard times that lay ahead."

"I understand. Thank you again."

"…"

Ash took one last look to the horizon, finally appreciating where he was.

"When I was a kid, I dreamed of coming here. Everyone knows this is the Pokémon Master's mountain. Getting to come here has helped me."

"…"

"To make sense of everything, I mean."

"Like I said, Mount Silver is a good place to go to when you need to think."

"I guess you would know."

Another small smile. "Are you ready?"

Ash nodded. "As ready as I can be."

"Thank you, Ash."

The teenager began to ask what he meant, but a staggering white light suddenly blinded him.

Teleportation.

He felt his body floating through space for a brief moment, and then his feet were suddenly back on solid ground. Blinking hard and fast, he looked around to find Pikachu at his feet, still knocked out and bundled in his cape. Before him stood Oak's lab.

"Why're we here?"

Looking down again, he suddenly understood. Picking up his weary battling partner, he rang the doorbell.

"Uh, yes? Hello?" a tired voice called out through the gate's intercom.

"Professor Oak? I need you to let me in!"

"What? What time is it?"

"About two in the morning."

"Huh? A guest? At this hour?"

"Professor, it's me, Ash Ketchum! I need to be let in right away!"

The old man's voice snapped to attention at the name. "Ash? You're back! Okay, here, come in. I'll meet you in the lab."

The gates instantly clicked, and Ash rushed through, sprinting up the winding dirt path that led to the lab on the hill. He was surprised at the energy he felt, but quickly rationalized it as a benefit of no longer being miles above sea level.

Walking through the door, he saw the Professor was already waiting for him in a lab coat and slippers. "My, my! We didn't expect to see you back here for a couple days, my boy!"

"I know Professor, but I was teleported here. I need you to take care of my Pokémon. They've been completely wiped out!"

"What?!" Oak hurriedly took Pikachu out of Ash's arms, and pointed to a small pokéball tray for the rest of his friends. "Did you even make it up the mountain?"

He nodded. "Yeah, I did…Red did this to my team."

Despite the hurried circumstances that surrounded them, Oak stopped cold and turned back to Ash. "You-you battled the Master?"

He nodded.

"He wanted to battle you after you made your way to the mountaintop?"

"It wasn't much of a fight. I didn't get past his first Pokémon before he wiped out all of mine. They're all still okay, but they've been knocked out. I know you have a healing station here."

"Hm," Oak turned around and walked Pikachu to the station, placing the pokéballs in their slots next to him. "Well, yes, I do have this station, but a couple of your team seem like they'll need more attention than I can give them here."

"Who?"

"Charizard, Pikachu, and Gengar. Their injuries are too serious to be treated in the lab."

His heart skipped a beat. "Is it anything permanent?"

Oak quickly shook his head. "I can see why you'd be worried about something like that, but no. You showed good judgment in calling them out of battle when you did. It looks like nothing here will be especially difficult for a skilled Nurse Joy to take care of."

Ash nodded. "I was really worried about Charizard. Before I could call him back, he tried one final attack and Red's Charizard gave him a Mega Punch that sent him flying!"

"Ah, yes. That would explain the jaw's hairline fracture."

"Fracture?!"

Oak waved his hands. "Like I said, it will be fine. Nurses have all kinds of tools for these situations. Pokémon battling wouldn't be legal if we didn't have the abilities to heal the Pokémon quickly and humanely."

"So do I need to bring them to Pallet's Pokémon Center?"

"There's no need," Oak shook his head. "I can teleport them from here…though I can't say the same for you."

"Huh?"

Oak walked over and got on one knee; lifting Ash's torn shirt. "I see your clothes and cape have been completely tattered. I noticed through the shirt your nasty bruise here. What happened?"

Ash winced as the old man lightly touched his wound. "Don't worry about that just yet. Get my Pokémon to a Center, please, and then we'll worry about me."

Oak looked up and gave the boy a confident smile and nod. Walking back to the station, he pushed a few buttons and a Nurse Joy appeared on a screen on the machine.

"Pallet Town Pokémon Center."

"Yes, Nurse Joy, I'm sending three Pokémon for emergency care. Four fractures, twelve broken ribs, decreased oxygen flow to two, and several bleeding lacerations."

"We can handle that. Send them over immediately."

"Roger." Oak turned the monitor off, and in another flash of light, the two pokéballs and Pikachu were gone.

"Now," Oak began, as his station began healing the remaining three Pokémon within their pokéballs, "let's talk about you. We need to get you to a hospital."

Ash resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He knew the Professor was looking out for him, but right now the only thing he wanted was rest.

"Um, Professor, couldn't it wait until the morning? I know it looks bad, but really, I just want to shower and get in a bed. I've slept four hours in the last thirty-six, and I'm really sore after all those battles we had."

Oak got down again and looked at Ash's cuts and bruises. "Some of these seem pretty serious, Ash. They may be able to wait until morning, but to be sure, I'm going to get my stethoscope. If I hear any irregularities in your breathing, these cracked ribs may be covering a collapsed lung. If so, you're going tonight."

Ash consented and the old man went for his medical tool.

"Just breath regularly for me."

After a few moments, Oak removed the scope and gave Ash a grin. "Well, you definitely need to see a doctor, but I think it can wait until morning. You're wheezing quite a bit and sound congested, but that's most likely due to the cold climate you were in. The lungs themselves, though, sound strong still."

"Thanks Professor. Tomorrow I'll go to the doctor, first thing."

"Then hop in my car, and I'll take you home."

"Oh, Professor, you don't need to!"

"I insist!" The old man pushed Ash to the garage door. "You can't be walking home alone at this time of night in your condition. We'll be there in just a few minutes."

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

After waving goodbye to Oak, Ash quietly unlocked the front door and shuffled inside. Though he was sad to see Pikachu have to spend the night at the Center, he was grateful in this moment that he only needed to worry about keeping himself quiet.

Taking his shoes off at the door, he climbed up the stairs with caution – skipping the third one from the top that always creaked.

Making it to his room, he prepared to carefully open the door so that its noise wouldn't awaken Brock or Misty in the other guest rooms.

I'd rather not have to talk to anyone about what happened until after I get some rest.

Despite his desire for sleep, though, he could feel the dried blood and dirt coating his body; and his small, but growing sense of maturity forced him towards the bathroom first.

Turning the faucet to its hottest setting, he practically dove into the steaming shower, and literally let out the longest sigh of his life when he did. The warm water beat its way through the accumulated muck and grime of the last forty-eight hours with every drop, and he felt as if the doubts and fears he'd conquered while collecting the dirt was flowing down the drain with it.

He washed his hair, and scrubbed his body hard. Afterward, he brushed his teeth and put on clean boxers – something he was sure his mom would have appreciated.

Feeling completely new, he tiredly trudged back to his bedroom. It was half past three, now, and he knew when everyone realized he was home, they'd force him awake.

Probably four hours till then.

Still, four was better than nothing, and as he slid beneath the covers, he passed out instantly.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

"Ash? Ash!" Misty whispered loudly while shaking her boyfriend awake.

"Hm?"

"Ash, wake up! What are you doing here?!"

"Sleeping."

The redhead resisted the urge to slap her love awake. Instead, she shook him harder. "No, what are you doing back already?"

He yawned and tried to roll away from her. He half-believed he was still dreaming – flashing back to all those times in the woods Misty forced him awake at the crack of dawn when he wanted ten more minutes of sleep.

"Ketchum, answer me!"

Unwillingly opening his eyes, he saw his clock's red light reading five-fifteen.

"Misty, what are you doing in my room?"

"Me?! I was sleeping, until I rolled over a minute ago to find you here! Why didn't you wake me up before you got in the bed?"

Rolling back to face her, he gave a tired shrug. "I must've not seen you. I guess I thought the bed was just lumpy."

"Lumpy?!"

His eyes opened a little wider. "Not that you're lumpy! Just the covers!"

The moment mercifully passed as her curiosity overcame indignation. "But what are you doing back so soon? You only left a couple days ago!"

"Only?"

"Oh, be quiet, you. You know what I mean."

"Why do you get to be sensitive when I accidentally say something wrong, but I never do?"

"Because I'm a girl, and girls are allowed to be sensitive."

"Ugh."

"So what are you doing back?"

"Red was able to teleport me back to Pallet after we talked."

"You talked to him?!" Her whispered voice momentarily cracked in her excitement. "Tell me everything!"

Rolling his eyes in the dark, he shook his head. "Mist, could this please wait a little while longer? I just got in and I'm really tired. I was wanting to wait till morning to let everyone know what happened because I'm just too exhausted to talk right now."

There was a moment of silence, and Ash suddenly felt guilty.

"I'm sorry. It's not that I mean I didn't wanna see you as soon as I got in. I did, but I just don't feel like talking about it all right now."

He heard her sigh. "It's fine. I understand." She silently rolled over away from him, and he rolled his eyes again.

"Mist, please don't be like that. You know you're the most important person to me."

"Then why didn't you wake me up as soon as you got home?"

"I told you, I'm-"

"Don't say you're tired."

"Fine…I'm exhausted, then. Ow!" A pillow smacked him in the face from above, and he heard snickering next to him. Grabbing his own pillow, he flashed a playful grin before returning the gesture.

A couple more playful pillow smacks followed, and then Ash felt a soft hand on his cheek.

"I missed you. We were worried." Her tone matched the tenderness of her palm.

He cleared his throat, a little nervous at the conversation's turn. "You were?"

He felt her head nod in his hand.

"I missed you too. I thought about you a lot."

"You did?"

In lieu of more words, the raven-haired teenager leaned in and gave his girlfriend a powerful kiss. She reciprocated, and they were soon entangled in each other's arms as flashes to three nights earlier replayed in their minds.

"Ow!"

Misty jumped. "What is it?"

"Oh, nothing. I'm just a little sore."

"Sore? Here?"

"Ow!"

"What happened to your side?!"

"I just got in trouble with a Machamp. It's no big deal."

Without warning, another pillow flew in his face.

"Hey! What was that for?"

"Don't tell me you being injured isn't a big deal! I told you to be careful."

"I'm still alive, aren't I? And Professor Oak said it's not an emergency, so I'll go to the doctor in the next couple of days."

"Go today!"

"I will…unless there's no room for me. I'm not gonna spend all day in an emergency room, you know."

"You're so immature."

"That's why you love me, though."

Laughing, Misty gave up and rested her head on his chest. For a few quiet moments, the two sat in the darkness as she listened to his labored breathing.

"So you promise to tell me everything in the morning?"

"Definitely."

She gave his chin a kiss. "I'll wait till you go to sleep, and then I'll move my stuff to the guestroom so no one gets suspicious in the morning. Can I tell them you're back if I wake up before you?"

"Please. Maybe that'll keep them from waking me up for a while."

She smiled. "You're so lazy."

"Oh, ha, ha, Mist. I just climbed a two-mile tall mountain and faced the Pokémon Master. What did you do?"

"Helped your mom at the flower shop."

"And you're calling me lazy?"

"Be careful with the words you choose to say next, Ketchum." The menacing tone was offset by another giggle. "They may be your last."

He vigorously kissed the top of her head. "Your threats aren't as scary as they used to be."

She sighed. "Yeah, I think I'm losing my touch."

"I love you, Mist."

"I love you too."

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

"Why would Red take time away from that precious mountain of his to help Misty?"

"I-I had a…bad dream."

"I noticed the subtle, but obvious changes taking place, and realized that I couldn't continue my war on the Rockets and be a family man…so I hid my family."

Ash suddenly awoke in a cold sweat. He looked to the clock.

Seven.

He tried to roll over and go back to sleep, but the thoughts continued to plague him. Misty was gone, probably in the guest room. He was alone again, just like on the mountain, and it seemed his mind was working itself into frenzy once more.

It couldn't be. What are the chances…?

He shook his head. He was crazy, right?

Maybe he should share this idea with Misty, just to be sure he was nuts for thinking it.

No! What if I'm wrong? I could get her hopes up for no reason.

That didn't mean he could just let this idea go, though. His subconscious had somehow put the pieces together while he was sleeping, and now that it was in his head, he knew there would be no rest until he was sure one way or the other.

Why didn't I think to ask this while I was up there?!

Well, he had been tired and beaten. There were more pressing issues to address at the moment. He hadn't been given enough clues to suspect anything. Etcetera.

But, though he tried to excuse his ignorance, he couldn't resist thinking back to a time when, confronted with obvious evidence, he mistook Sabrina's father for her photographer.

Maybe I'm really not that much smarter now than I was then.

Still, it was too risky to make known to anyone else at this point what he was beginning to suspect.

Flipping his pillow over and turning away from the window and clock, he resolved himself to find the answer as soon as he could.

The next time I see Red, I'm going to get the truth.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

The following afternoon was a flurry of activity. After he awoke late in the morning, Ash was greeted downstairs with a large meal and an infinite number of questions both about his climb and time with the Master. He held nothing back as he divulged all the secrets of the intricate caverns and Red's past.

Delia, predictably, wasn't surprised by much of what she heard, but Brock and Misty seemed to hang on every word, and he savored having their attention so completely.

That was the case, at least, until the conversation turned to Team Rocket's leader.

For Ash, it felt as though the air had been sucked out of the room when Misty asked what had happened. Until now, he'd been bragging on himself and his Pokémon for doing so well, and was relaying the most interesting parts of what Red told him.

Now, though, his tone grew serious. "Before I tell you, all three of you have to swear to me you won't tell anyone. Not friends, or family. This has to stay a secret."

"Uh-oh."

"Promise me."

"I promise," Misty offered, grabbing Ash's hand.

"I do too." Brock gave a thumbs-up.

"You know you can trust me."

Ash nodded, looking to each one. Here goes.

"Red…Red killed him."

Brock, who had been holding a glass of orange juice, let it slide from his grasp as all three's eyes shot wide open.

"He-he what?!"

"There's…"

Delia remained silent, as she slowly turned her gaze away from her son and focused on the table.

"Like I said, you have to promise me."

Brock and Misty nodded again.

"But…but did he say why?" Brock mustered. "Was Giovanni a threat still?"

"Well, yes and no, according to Red."

"Huh?"

Ash took a deep breath, trying to decide how much to explain. "He told me that the G-Men had brought Giovanni to court before, and nothing had ever stuck. It seems like the Rockets have bribed everyone to look the other way. So, even though Giovanni wasn't a threat when he was pushed off the mountain, he said he would still be a threat if he handed him over to the police."

"I mean," Misty piped, "it's not like I'm sad to hear what happened…"

"It's just a shock," Ash agreed sympathetically. "Believe me, I know how you all feel."

Brock and Delia remained silent as everyone processed the news.

"The good news is we don't have to worry about him anymore, at least. And Red said it would probably take a while for the Rocket gang to find a new leader, so things should be calm for now."

The other three stayed quiet a moment longer until Delia finally looked up.

"I know this was hard news to hear, but I think Red was right. This was for the best."

"I agree," Brock added, "but I can't help wondering if there isn't more to why Red did this."

"What do you mean?" Misty inquired.

"I mean, Ash just told us how he lost his family to the Rocket syndicate, and how they were the reason he couldn't see his family and was up on that mountain…"

Ash shrugged. "I thought the same thing, but I couldn't bring myself to ask. After everything he was put through, I didn't feel right accusing him of getting revenge."

"That's true," his girlfriend agreed. "I can't imagine how he felt carrying that weight for all these years. Even if he had done it for revenge, I don't think I could blame him, but at least it sounds like he was trying to do the right thing."

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

In the late afternoon, the local Joy called to let Ash know the Pokémon Oak had sent were all on their way to a speedy recovery. Asking if they could visit, she happily informed him they could until eight.

At the Center, the four continued to talk about all that had happened in his two-day absence; occasionally breaking away to dote on Pikachu, Charizard, and Gengar for how well they had held up on Mount Silver.

"Ash, you sure are lucky to have these guys on your side."

"It would have been impossible without any of them."

"I think you owe them a vacation after all that hard work!"

The Pokémon loved the attention; even Charizard, who willingly allowed Delia to pet him as she thanked him for keeping her "little boy safe."

After a few hours had passed, and visiting time had ended, the group bid the Pokémon a temporary farewell until they could visit the next day, and went to a late dinner at a local restaurant. By this point, everyone's curiosity about Ash's adventures had been sated, and the talk slowly moved to future plans.

"Well, I still have a week until my vacation's up, and Lucy doesn't expect me until then, so I'm up for anything!" Brock offered when Misty asked what they should do next.

"I still can't believe you got a girlfriend," Ash snickered for the thousandth time that day.

"Ash, it's less believable that you have one," Misty defended with a smirk. "Especially a catch like me!"

He rolled his eyes, earning a punch in the arm. "Ow! Ma!"

"You deserved it, Dear."

"That's great, Brock!" Misty exclaimed, turning the attention back to the breeder. She looked to Ash. "And Red said you'd be made Champion again, right?"

"Yeah, he did. Even though he promised it would be taken care of before I got home, and I haven't heard anything yet."

"I wouldn't worry too much, Dear."

"That's right, Ash. As scary as he seems now, it seems like Red has known what he's been doing this whole time," Brock assured. "If he was so confident he could get your job back, I'm sure he knows how to take care of it. Goodshow may just be sorting out everything before calling you."

"That's true," Misty added. "Brock and I know how slow the League can be sometimes with all the paperwork. Even if he wanted to bring you back, I'm sure there's a million things he has to take care of."

Ash smiled and thanked his friends. In his heart, he still felt a tug of despair at not hearing anything back from the President yet, especially after Red made it seem like it would be taken care of so easily, but he convinced himself not to panic.

"It might be for the best that it's not official yet, anyway," Misty noted. "I was gonna say if you were we could go to Sinnoh and get back on track for catching all your Pokémon, but Brock can't go back until his vacation's up!"

"Yeah, I'd rather not fly back to Sinnoh just to come back here for Lucy next week. I may have a job now, but I'm pretty broke."

The four laughed. "Well then, we should go to Pewter and Cerulean!"

"Really?" Misty looked to her boyfriend. "Why do you want that?"

"So you and Brock can visit your brothers and sisters!"

"Great idea!" Brock noted with a smile. "It has been a while since I've seen everyone. I hope the gym's still there…"

"Um, Ash, my sisters are in training with Wallace, remember?"

"Still?"

"It's only been two weeks. You said the program was a month."

"…wow." He suddenly sounded very tired. "I can't believe it's only been two weeks. We keep saying how much has happened lately, but I can't believe just two weeks ago I was giving my speech and they were leaving for boot camp. Do they even know what's happened?"

"I doubt it. I asked Steven and them not to tell my sisters while they're in training. I just don't think it matters if they find out now, or a couple weeks from now, since it's all over anyway."

"Well, you still probably need to go back to the gym and get some repairs taken care of. Didn't they mess up the place when Mallory broke in?"

"They may have. I'll call and have a repairman come by to inspect it. If there's anything seriously wrong, we can go there, but I'd honestly be happy just hanging out with Brock in Pewter!"

"Aw, I'm gonna miss having you three around!" Delia interjected with a frown. "It seems like you just got here!"

"Don't worry, Ma! We'll still be coming back for the holidays! And I promise to call a lot!"

"That's right, Mrs. Ketchum! I'm not gonna let Ash go a week without talking to you, and we'll be back plenty of times."

Delia's worried visage changed to one of relief at Misty's words. "Please do make sure of that. I don't want to become one of those mothers whose sons only call on their birthdays!"

"Never!"

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

That evening, Ash was falling asleep in front of the TV.

"Dear, why don't you go to bed?"

"Huh?" He jerked awake. "Why?"

"You do look pretty beat, Ash," Brock agreed. "And you still need to see the doctor in the morning. You should get some rest."

Ash glanced at Misty. They had planned to wait for everyone else to go to sleep so they could share a bed, but Ash's body seemed unwilling to uphold his end of the deal.

After a moment, she gave a slight nod.

"Okay…I guess I will." Grunting, he got off the couch and made his way to Misty for a kiss.

"In a week, we'll have all the privacy we want," she reminded in a hushed voice as he pulled away. Then, louder, she added, "I love you!"

From behind, the couple heard Brock stifle a chuckle. Misty just rolled her eyes at him as Ash turned to the stairs.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Despite his initial resistance, the second Ash's head hit the pillow, he was flooded with a peace he hadn't known in what felt like eternity.

Giovanni's gone, I'm going to be Champion, and Misty is safe.

The world made sense again, and as he drifted off, he came to a profound realization.

Things won't always be this good. I have to enjoy these days while they last.