…

Misty's heart was beating out her chest as Ash pulled up to his parents' house, you could tell someone had money when their driveway was gravel instead of tarmac. Nothing screamed upper-class like the sound of tiny rocks crunching under the wheels of a car.

She'd never been in a house like this before. Well, that wasn't technically true, she'd never been a guest in a house like this. She'd been the help plenty of times. The maid, the gardener and once worrying the cook. How everyone didn't end up with food poisoning is nothing short of a miracle.

"Do you know what? I've changed my mind, I'd like to go home." Misty said, gripping the handle as if someone was going to appear out the shadows and force her out the car.

"One day this will be home." Ash teased.

"Don't." She warned.

"Just think, we'll fill the house with lots of mini-Ketchum's." He laughed.

"I don't know what you think I am, some sort of baby vending machine?" She smiled despite herself.

"Come on, you knew it was inevitable. I'd be doing the same if your mum was still around." He said, Misty inwardly wincing at yet another lie. It was easier than exposing the truth.

"Can we just wait another week? A month perhaps?" She helpfully offered.

"We're getting married at the end of the week. Mum's beginning to think I made you up. She's probably worried that come Saturday I'll have dressed up a blow-up doll in a wedding dress!" He groaned. "I promise you, they'll love you. They have to."

"Why?"

"Because I do." He smiled, as if that answered all questions.

Without waiting for a response, Ash climbed out his seat. Misty guessed that conversation was over and whether she liked it or not she was about to meet Mr and Mrs Ketchum.

Suddenly the handle was ripped out of Misty's fingers as Ash pulled the door open, she wanted to be annoyed but she knew she'd never have made the move herself. She swallowed when she noticed two figures stood in the doorway, just how long had they been watching Misty and Ash argue?

Well, it was hardly an argument. A disagreement, a spat? A conversation at best.

"Hello." Misty's voice wobbled as she finally reached the couple at the door.

How did May do this over and over again? She'd met the parent's half a dozen times and she didn't once remember May being in such a state. She supposed it was easier when you didn't particularly care about the opinion of the parents, but Misty wanted desperately for Ash's parents to like her. She wanted the kind of in-laws where you could drop around for a cup of coffee and chat whenever you felt like it rather than the kind who visit's you dreaded.

Stop planning a future.

A voice hissed in Misty's head; it sounded suspiciously like May.

"Nice to finally meet you, Misty." Ash's mum greeted. Misty desperately searched for a hint of a sneer or any signs of distaste but she just seemed genuinely pleased to see her.

"Mum, Dad, this is Misty. Misty these are my parents Delia and Giovanni." Ash introduced.

Suddenly she felt her hand being engulfed by Giovanni's larger pair, a huge smile on his face.

"He's kept you hidden away for too long, anyone would think he's embarrassed of us!" He boomed, wrapping a strong arm around her shoulders. "Come on, let's get you a drink."

Misty let herself be guided by Giovanni; she could see how he'd made such a name for himself. He came across friendly, overly so, but underneath it all she could tell there was a man who wouldn't take no for an answer. Your best just wasn't good enough and Giovanni expected more.

"Name your poison." Giovanni said, bringing Misty out her trance.

"Just some wine will be fine." She shrugged. "Rosé."

"Nonsense!" Delia interrupted, appearing at Misty's side. "This is a celebration, crack open the champagne!"

Misty's eye widened as Giovanni grabbed a bottle that cost more than the dress Misty was wearing. He caught her eye with a wink.

"Don't worry, we have plenty stashed away for the wedding."

Even though she wasn't the one paying she was sure the guests wouldn't have minded a cheaper option. Misty had tried plenty of times to contribute to the wedding funds but Ash just brushed her off, claiming his parents were far too excited about their only son getting married to even think about splitting the bill.

"I don't think half my guests will appreciate the difference between this and a house bottle." Misty attempted to joke, she was sure that Giovanni and Delia were aware of her financial background.

"Well soon what's ours will be yours." Giovanni said with a pointed look in Ash's direction.

"Dad, leave it." He hissed.

Misty could feel the mood shift, there was an underlining tension between father and son, words not being said. And like a beacon of light, Delia saved her from the awkward atmosphere.

"Why don't I give you a tour Misty?" She offered, taking Misty by the elbow before she even got a chance to respond.

"Sure." She nodded, resisting the urge to down her champagne. Getting drunk was hardly going to help with the atmosphere, if anything it would just make it worse.

The two men stood in silence as they heard Delia's voice fading away, prattling away about the original fixtures they still had and the various places Ash had had accidents as a clumsy child.

Once Giovanni was sure the pair were far enough away, he started the conversation back up with Ash.

"Have you even asked her about…"

"No." Ash interrupted. "Because she's not signing anything."

"Come on Ash, be reasonable." Giovanni rolled his eyes; he could tell his son was very much in love with this girl but that didn't mean he needed to leave logic at the window.

"You're the one not be reasonable." He shouted. "I love Misty and I plan to be with her for the rest of my life, a pre-nup shouldn't even be on the cards."

"Ash, I understand that you love each other but it's better to be safe if the worst should happen. I'm just trying to look out for your future." He explained, he loved Delia greatly but he was sure if the roles were reversed, he would have asked her to sign.

"My future is Misty." Ash argued. "Without her I wouldn't even want the money."

"Now you're just being ridiculous." Giovanni snapped. "If you just asked her, she might be quite accommodating."

"I know Misty will be 'accommodating'." Ash scoffed, using his fingers to reiterate his point. "But I don't want to put her in a position where she thinks she needs to sign a piece of paper to marry me."

Giovanni took a large swallow of his drink; this was becoming quite a difficult conversation. He missed the times when Ash was younger and stern look from his father was enough to have him trembling and agreeing to whatever was asked of him.

…

"Where did you say you were from Misty?" Delia asked as Misty eyed up yet another baby photo of Ash, he clearly was the apple of his parent's eye. Misty could probably count on one hand the amount of photo's her mother had up of her, she supposed that's what happened when you have too many kids to cope with. You lose interest by the fourth.

"I didn't, I've never really settled in one place long enough to call it home. Always moved around a lot, even as a child." She shrugged; it was the truth. But that was because her mother was usually kicked out by the latest landlord not because the Waterflower's had any love of travelling. "I guess I'm from here now as I'm staying."

"Right, and what brought you to Pallet in the first place?" She probed.

"My cousin was recovering from a messy divorce." Misty explained, again not a lie. "She needed a fresh start to I came with her for moral support."

"Do you work Misty? Must be hard if you're constantly moving around." Misty winced at the question; she knew she was coming across as suspicious. Just roll into town with nothing to her name, find some rich boy toy to marry without needing a job. She supposed that was why she'd come in the first place but Ash just wasn't the target.

"I work for Gary Oak? I'm his assistant." Misty could see the relieved smile on Delia's face, as if Gary were a better judge of character than her own son. Although, Gary probably was less biased than Ash who was thinking with his libido when he'd first met Misty.

"Oh, so you met through Gary? Such a sweet boy." Delia gushed.

"No, funnily enough I met Ash in the hotel. I thought he was the bar tender when I first met him, didn't correct me for a while, actually." She laughed at the memory; how naïve she'd been.

"Really? I guess Ash does like to hide the fact he has all this waiting at home." She smiled, gesturing around herself.

"Exactly, I thought he was like me and living paycheque to paycheque so imagine my surprise when he tells me he's a multimillionaire. He's lucky I loved him or I might be a little cross he'd lied to me for so long." Misty said.

Delia gave her a small smile, as if Misty had passed some sort of test. She'd given the right answer for her to believe she really was good enough for her son.

"Come on, we better be getting back to the men." Delia nodded, taking Misty by the arm again and guiding her away.

As they walked back into the living room, she could tell the tension had gone from bad to worse, voices were raised and Misty was worried that crystal glasses would soon start flying if they didn't defuse the situation.

Whenever Ash spoke of his family it was always with fondness so Misty was really surprised by this animosity between the pair of them. He'd never mentioned a strained relationship with his father. But, then again, Misty hadn't mentioned lots of things so who was she to judge?

"At least let Misty look at this, she might have a different opinion to you." Giovanni said, wafting a pile of papers around in the air.

"Look at what?" Misty asked, stepping into the room.

"Dad don't." Ash warned but his father was not listening, instead handing the papers to Misty.

"Please don't take this the wrong way Misty, but I was just discussing the matter of a pre-nup with Ash." He said, still giving his best business smile.

"That seems fair." She nodded, eyes scanning the paper. "Got to protect your assets."

"Misty, you don't need to sign them." Ash said, attempting to snatch the papers from Misty but she held firm.

"Ash, at least let her think about it." Delia said, attempting to calm her son.

"She doesn't need to think about it. I love and trust you Misty, you don't need to sign if you don't want to." He whispered the last part just for her.

"Okay." She nodded, not really knowing what else to say, dropping the papers in her bag.

She knew she should just use Ash's opinion to get out of signing, she knew May had had to talk herself out of a few in the past and it had been difficult. But part of her just wanted to sign, stop any chance of getting May's hands on Ash's money. She'd soon lose interest and just let Misty live a happily ever after.

…

Misty stared at the window, she was sat at her desk and knew she should be doing her work but she just couldn't bring herself to. She could practically feel the pre-nup burning a hole in her bag just a few feet away from her.

"Right, what's eating you?" Gary asked, snapping Misty back to the moment as he abruptly sat on her desk. "You've been out of it all morning."

"Nothing." She denied, well nothing she could really discuss with Gary. As close as she had become with her boss, she knew there were some thing's she just couldn't share with him.

"Right, you know for someone who's about to get married you don't exactly look like a blushing bride." He scoffed, pausing slightly to examine her. "In fact, you look seconds away from crying."

Misty bit her lip, it was one of those situations when you can hold it all together until someone calls you out. Then the flood gates open and you can't stop yourself.

"Gary, I can't do this. I don't deserve him." She sobbed.

Gary stared at her in panic, although he'd pointed it out, he wasn't expecting her to have a breakdown. Especially in a crowded office.

"Come on, let's have a chat." He said, scooping her out of her chair and quickly depositing her in the privacy of his office.

Misty wasn't sure why, maybe it was because Gary was the first person she believed to be a friend since May, but suddenly it all came pouring out. Her dad cheating on her mum when she was still in nappies, May being there with a grand plan when her mum was ill and Misty was just jaded enough to give it a go, the whole drama surrounding Drew, the real reason she and May appeared in Gary's life in sync, falling for Ash before she knew who he was and her deep fear that May was going to take him away.

"Wow." Gary sighed. "I'll be honest, I've always been a little suspicious of May coming on so strong but never suspected you."

"I'm sorry." She whined; she knew it was pathetic but she couldn't lose Gary.

"It's fine, we've established you didn't want to do it and I don't even swing that way so you never had a chance." He laughed. Misty had never felt so relived to hear his laugh; they were okay. Sure, there would be a lack of trust for a while but it wasn't hopeless.

"I can't marry him, can I?" She asked, scared of his answer.

"Not if you plan to keep him in the dark." He shook his head.

"I can't tell him." She squeaked. "He'd never forgive me."

"I think you're underestimating how much that boy loves you." He smiled. "But you'll need to show him that he can trust you, that he is safe to love you."

"I can do that." She smiled, glancing down into her bag. Someday she'd have to thank Giovanni for being so insistent.

…

Despite the pep talk with Gary, Misty still hadn't found the confidence to tell Ash everything. Each time she tried the words died on her lips and she ended up clinging helplessly to him, professing her love over and over. Luckily, Ash just put this strange behaviour down to pre-wedding jitters.

Now, here she was, in her dress and no closer to telling Ash the truth.

Her head jerked towards the door as May let herself in, looking beautiful in her aquamarine bridesmaid's dress – even if she had complained multiple times to Misty that it simply wasn't her colour.

"You look amazing." May breathed, fussing with Misty's hem in an attempt to stop her tears from falling. She felt like a proud older sister.

"Thanks." She croaked, her stomach churning.

"You don't have to do this Misty, I know how much of a big deal it is. If you're not ready to get married, then get divorced tell me now." May said, misinterpreting her silence. "We can slip out and be gone before anyone notices."

"It's off." Misty said, staring at her reflection with determination. "I'm out."

"What do you mean?" May frowned.

"I'm going to tell Ash everything, and if by some miracle he still wants to marry me I will never let him go." She nodded, spinning towards the door.

"What? Now?" She panicked, feeling that big pay day slipping through her fingers.

"Yes, he needs to know before we get married." Misty grabbed the pre-nup out her bag. Signed, sealed and ready to be delivered.

"What's that?" May asked, already knowing the answer.

"Pre-nup." She smirked. "Nothing will break up this marriage, do you understand me?"

"Come on now, you're being ridiculous now. He's a man, he'll let you down like they always do and then you'll have nothing to show for it." May eyed the envelope nervously, everything they worked so hard for was about to be ruined.

"I couldn't care less about the money. I've never felt this way about someone before and I know that I will never forgive myself if I didn't try." Without waiting for response, she grabbed a dressing gown off the back of the door and rushed to Ash's door.

"Hello?" Misty heard Ash's voice from the other side of the door.

"Ash, it's me. Can I come in?" She asked.

"Misty, it's bad luck to see the bride before the wedding." He laughed nervously, there wasn't a good reason for a bride seeking out her groom an hour before the ceremony.

"Don't worry, I'm in a dressing gown. The dress is hidden. Please can I come in?" She begged.

She jumped slightly when the door sung open, Gary giving her a once over as if Ash were afraid, he'd see something he didn't want to.

"About time." He shook his head. "Get in there tiger."

With a smile, Misty brushed past Gary. She'd tell Ash everything and they'd be stronger for it. Then in years down the road they'd laugh at how strange circumstances brought them together. Gary slipped out the room and shut the door behind him, giving the happy couple some space.

"Everything alright?" Ash swallowed; Misty could practically see him shaking. She wanted to grab him, hold him and assure him she loved him more than life itself. Forget her past and just worry about her future, but she couldn't until he knew everything.

"I need to tell you something." She took a deep breath. "But just know, I love you more than anything and I want to marry you."

"Okay?"

"I'm not who you think I am, I'm a con artist." She flinched, never actually bringing herself to admit that was what she was until now. Part of her almost believed if she didn't say it then it wasn't true.

"A con artist?" Ash echoed.

"Yeah. May and I. We find rich men, marry them and then divorce them for a quick pay out. That was why we came here, so she could marry Gary. But that was never the case with you, remember I always thought you were the bar keeper." She reached out but Ash stepped back, her heart breaking at the simple action.

"And then when you found out the truth?" He asked, he knew Gary well enough to know that con would have gone down like a lead balloon.

"May was keen but I…" She looked up, she couldn't let any tears fall after having her makeup done, she had to believe this wedding was still going to go ahead. "I just fell in love with you."

"I… I don't know what to say." He said collapsing onto the bed behind him. "Every body warned me, some random girl floats into town and takes a sudden interest in me but I was just so blinded by love I didn't see it. I'm such an idiot."

"No Ash." She denied, dropping to her knees next to him. "It's not like that, I swear it was never about the money. We could live in a caravan for the rest of our lives and I'd still be happy, whatever it took to be with you."

"Easy to say now you know it won't happen." He ran his fingers through his hair. "God Misty, I love you so much. I thought we were happy, I thought you wanted to marry me, not my bank account."

"I do, don't you see? That's why I had to tell you so you knew I loved you and only you. I love Ash not the Roquet heir." She reached up and stroked his face, Ash smiling at the simple gesture despite himself.

"And you couldn't have told me sooner than an hour before our wedding?" He groaned.

"I'm sorry, I kept losing my nerve. But I couldn't start the rest of our lives together on a lie." She nervously licked her lips. "We are still going to spend the rest of our lives together, aren't we?"

"I… I don't know. I want to believe you but now I have this doubt that you're just…"

"I signed it." Misty blurted out.

"Signed what?"

"The pre-nup. I signed it." She said, finally handing over the envelope.

"You didn't have to do that." He shook his head.

"I did, because I need you to know all I want out of this marriage if you, nothing else."

Nervously Ash took the envelope, finally looking into Misty's eyes and seeing all the love he felt reflected right back at him.

"Whatever you decide to do I will still be walking down that aisle, I just hope you're at the end to meet me." Misty leant up and gave Ash a soft kiss before standing up.

There was so much more she wanted to stay, she wanted to beg with him, plead but she knew this was a decision Ash needed to come to on his own, not with her interference.

…

May laughed nervously at some joke a relative of Ash's was making as she swigged her free champagne. Since Misty announced she was spilling the beans she had gone missing, not a sight of the white dress. May could almost believe the pair of them had gotten eloped if she hadn't seen Ash pacing outside the patio doors, claiming he needed air but she knew the face of a man who had found out more than he ever wanted.

"Drew!" May cried as he walked past. "Won't you excuse me for a moment?"

"What's wrong?" He asked as May aggressively took his arm and lead him outside.

"She's gone." May hissed, keeping a fake smile plastered on her face as they passed Ash talking in hushed tones to Gary.

"Who's gone?" He frowned.

"Misty. She's MIA."

"What? Why?" It was only about an hour ago Drew was racing around to find her something blue, how could she have changed her mind and done a runner since then?

"I don't know." She whined. "One minute she's telling me she's going to tell Ash everything the next she's vanished."

"Wait, what? She's telling Ash everything." He blinked.

"Look, that's not important right now. We need to find her." May rolled her eyes.

Drew had to admit he was impressed; he could tell Misty and Ash genuinely loved each other but he didn't think she'd ever come clean. Too afraid of what she would lose if she did, or at least have May hissing in her ear to tell her it wasn't a good idea. But she must have known, deep down, that you can't start a marriage on a lie.

Drew jumped slightly when May suddenly screamed, pointing to a figure sat by the large lake in the middle of the grounds. With quite some impressive speed, considering she was wearing heels on grass, May ran over to her friend.

"You were right." Misty wept as Drew and May arrived at her side. "I shouldn't have said anything, I've ruined it all now."

"You don't know that." Drew denied, sitting next to her.

"You didn't see his face, I'm dead to him." She buried her head in her hands.

Ash'd get over her in no time, she was someone men thought back on and winced in regret at a foolish mistake they'd made in their youth as their current house wife put their perfect children to bed. He'd laugh with his friends over his first failed attempt at a marriage, an impulsive whirlwind romance that was doomed from the start. While Misty would wince in regret for an entirely different reason, for letting the best thing in her life slip through her fingers. She knew in that moment she would miss him for the rest of her life.

"What was the point? Shit was always going to hit the fan, I just sped the process up a little bit." She slumped against Drew.

"What are you talking about? That man adores you." He reassured her.

"It wouldn't have lasted, not really."

"It would, it will."

"Drew, it's just not me." She sighed. "All my life I've been that girl you go to for a bit of fun. An easy pull but nothing serious, definitely not wife material. That's all I will ever be. It's my lot in life, I'll just flit from man to man, never settling down because why would I need to? Always have someone to keep me company at night and strong enough to look after myself during the day."

Drew scoffed at her but Misty was not deterred. It was who she was, this fairytale she'd created with Ash was just an illusion. The type of picture that at first glance looked perfect but the longer you stared the more you found wrong with it. The more the illusion started the fade and all that was left was a grim reality.

"And is that what you want?" Drew asked her.

May watched the whole exchange, dumbfounded, Misty was the strong one, Misty didn't cry. She was the rock that kept May together, but now that rock needed her. She could finally see just how much Misty cared about Ash, this wasn't just a passing fancy that she had got herself carried away in. This was true love.

She berated herself, how could she not have seen how much her greed could have ruined her best friend.

"Of course it's not what I fucking want." She snapped. "But it's the best I'm going to get."

"Alright, you stop right there." May interrupted, taking Misty by the chin and forcing her to look in her eyes. "That is not the best you are going to get because you deserve the world do you hear me? Whether that is Ash or not I don't know, but if he is what you want then you will be marrying that man."

"But…"

"Enough! You are going to get your act together and be the Misty that I know you are. You are going to fix your makeup, you're going to put on a smile and you're going to get married." She instructed her.

"He has the choice of millions of girls, why should he choose me?"

"Why not?" May shrugged. "You're smart, funny, gorgeous, loyal to a fault, strong, confident, caring and underneath that tough girl exterior is a girl who's a helpless romantic that would give her heart happily to the man who will look after it. So, let's get you to the aisle to marry the man of your dreams."

"But what if he isn't there?"

"Then he's not there but least you'll know you did everything you could. You'll only regret it if you walk away now."

Misty nodded tearfully before throwing herself into May's arms, clutching her best friend desperately as the fight returned to her. She wasn't going to sit back and do nothing; she was going to walk down that aisle with her head held high and hope that Ash was waiting for her.

"How long have we got?" May asked over Misty's shoulder.

"Fifteen minutes." Drew replied, glancing down at his watch.

"Right, up and at 'em girl."

…

After a quick touch up to her hair and makeup, Misty found herself nervously stood by the doors. Her hands shook as May handed her the bouquet. She didn't want to have to walk outside, she didn't think her heart could take it if Ash wasn't there waiting for her.

They both jumped as the door was pulled open, Gary walking in with confidence. Misty's heart dropped, he was here to tell her to go back to her room, to drown her sorrows in all that fancy champagne Ash's parents had bought.

"We ready?" He asked, coming to a stand still besides Misty and gently took her arm.

She gave him a questioning look as he tweaked her hair slightly, ever the perfectionist.

"A little birdy told me you didn't have anyone to give you away." He winked at May. "So, I thought I better step up."

"Is he… is he going to go through with it?" Misty asked nervously.

"Honestly? I couldn't say. He was on the fence when I last spoke to him but he needed to know the truth, you did the right thing."

"Then why doesn't it feel like it?" She whispered, tears building up in her eyes again.

"Uh uh." May shook her head. "You're not crying again, I've only just managed to sort those mascara runs.

"Sorry." She laughed wetly.

"He'll be there, I know it." May reassured her, kissing her forehead.

May turned on her heel and walked out the door, Gary following after. Successfully forcing Misty to do the same whether she wanted to or not.

As they walked down the stone path to the sunken garden Misty really regretted her decision to have the wedding in such a secluded place. All the flowers and lush canopy made it impossible to sneak a look, to reassure herself that her feelings weren't one sided.

With one last glance over her shoulder, May took the last corner and disappeared into the rosebushes. Part of Misty felt envious, least May knew the truth. Whether today was going to result in Misty's heartbreak or not.

"I can't." She froze, Gary stumbling slightly at her sudden stopping. "What if he doesn't want to marry me anymore?"

"You'll never know unless you take that plunge." He said, pulling on her arm slightly but she was immovable. "It's now or never Red."

With a deep breath, she nodded and walked through the bushes. Heart beating rapidly as the ceremony came into view.

…

I know I do this every time but I am sorry it took so long to get this chapter, we will finish this story guys. Slowly but surely!