Hello :P It is Wednesday and I am back with a new update. It feels like I only just wrote this but it was about a month ago now. I had fun with it. Like the title suggests, it focuses on the relationship of Ash's parents and how they haven't been a couple since Ash was a very small baby. I enjoyed showing how Jerry is a broken man and his flaws have affected his ex and his son. I also enjoyed writing Delia with some depth and showing how much of a strong woman she is. So I hope you enjoy :3

Ages:

Delia: 37

Jerry: 39

Disclaimer: I own the story and the character of Jerry, Ash's father.

I was sat peacefully at the top of Pallet Town Hill with Delia and we were just watching the world go by. I sighed happily to myself. The weather was simply perfect. Neither too hot or cold, too sunny or too cloudy. Just right. I glanced at Delia and we shared a smile. I shut my eyes happily as the chestnut haired female reached to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear. She too sighed out contentedly and shut her eyes.

I treasured these moments with my best friend's mother. With Ash and Misty's twins on the way, the in love couple wanted to cherish some time together before their new bundles arrived shortly. Delia and I were more than happy to leave them to it and head out on a nice walk together. We had so much to talk about but it usually ended up revolving around Ash. I smirked to myself. If only he knew how often his antics popped onto our minds. I was too busy thinking about my best friend that I didn't notice what I thought was a stranger reach out and rest a hand on Delia's shoulder.

My eyes snapped open when I heard her gasp quietly and turn around, holding onto her skirt as the wind blew. I leaped around onto all fours, my ears pricked and my eyes searching for danger. I heard Delia breathe out wearily as she tucked her hair back behind her ear again.

"Jerry, what are you doing here?" she uttered calmly but her voice was still laced with some tension and hurt from the past.

I breathed out when I saw it wasn't a stranger but didn't completely relax when I realised it was Ash's father. He didn't notice and gave me a smile to which I didn't really return. He raised an eyebrow at myself and Delia's question, his hands going into his pockets.

"Do I need a reason to come see you? I mean we do share Ash together."

Delia didn't say anything and sat back down next to me, her mouth pressed into a slight line as her hand reached out to carefully stroke my back. I moved closer to her for comfort for us both, nuzzling into her side as she stroked me.

The black haired male blinked at both our aloofness but we remained calm and nonchalant. I sighed out as I nuzzled Delia further. Jerry was no longer a bad man but he wasn't necessarily welcome. He and Ash had since made up for him hardly being around when he was a kid but he still let Ash down. Maybe Ash was just more forgiving than we were. We were forgiving people but he was unpredictable. He was a man who wanted to succeed. But succeed at what exactly changed all the time.

Jerry pouted in a way that his son would and his hands moved further into his jean pockets. After receiving no reaction, he sighed out quite loudly and plonked himself on the grass next to us both. I watched him wearily and was happy to between Delia and him.

"Why are you being like this, Delia?" he blinked at the normally sweet and open lady's distance, his hand moving to run through his messy hair. His other hand reached out to stroke me and I froze mildly but I didn't bat his hand away.

Delia rolled her eyes at him and finally turned to look at her ex, her arms wrapping around herself. I wondered if it was to comfort herself or due to the wind picking up.

"Well do you expect me to be delighted to see you? At least phone first and come to the house, don't follow Pikachu and I when we're on our walk."

Jerry blinked his large, brown orbs upon hearing this before he looked away, both his hands moving away from my fur and his hair. Delia had been young and naïve when they were together. Now she was wiser and stronger. She knew the worth of herself and the people she loved.

"Okay I get this is a weird place to meet but why are you being so aloof? I thought we'd grown up and moved on. I mean, Ash has forgiven me-"

"Good for him." Delia muttered quite shortly, causing him to blink even further and shake her head. When she realised this was rude, she shook her head at herself and I rested my head on her leg. I understood her annoyance. Years of damage isn't fixed by one simple word.

The chestnut haired woman went slightly pink and decided to take a calmer approach, looking at Jerry hesitantly.

"I understand that Ash has forgiven you and you two are moving forward with your relationship. That's up to him. But I'm still wary. You have to understand that."

The black haired male sighed out again and crossed his legs, tying and untying his laces as he spoke to the mother of his son. I could tell her appreciated her honesty but like Ash, hated people being aloof or annoyed with him. Unlike his son, however, Jerry really had done some things that caused people to dislike him.

"I don't understand why you're wary. I just want to be friends."

I watched as Delia scoffed slightly and she rolled her eyes, her delicate hands going to tighten her ponytail. I looked up at her with sympathetic eyes. Jerry had pulled that trick a few times. Sometimes he could act like an enemy to her. Sometimes he could act like more than friends. There was no in-between.

Jerry's shoulders slumped upon hearing this and I could have sworn he nodded his head a fraction. At least he was beginning to see his errors.

"All I'm trying to say is that things are different. I have a girl who I love. I have a new baby girl who I love."

I glanced at Delia and saw her wince upon hearing these words. It was years and years later but when you have loved someone, it's always hard to see that they have moved on. Especially when you haven't been lucky in love yourself.

Delia remained quiet for a few minutes, clearly collecting her thoughts. After a while she swallowed and turned her head, looking at Jerry and speaking calmly and honestly.

"I'm happy that you've moved on. But if I recall, you only made up with Ash because you got your new girlfriend pregnant and wanted his advice. From where I stand – from a mother's point of view, you only began to build a relationship with your son after he was of use to you. That is how I feel."

Jerry's mouth hung open upon hearing this and mine did too. She had never uttered this feeling to anyone before but now it was clear why she was hesitant when it came to her ex. She was indeed correct on some level and I hated that. I wanted my best friend to be happy and have people love him for him, not the goodness he provides for them.

The black haired male's brow furrowed and he stood up, taking his hands out of his pockets and folding his arms. As he stood up, he looked down at Delia, his eyes filled with contempt and his voice filled with disgust.

"Well if that is how you feel-"

"That is how I feel." Delia replied quickly but calmly, giving me a shrug and stroking my fur to show that she was really in control. I was proud of her.

I watched as Jerry's disgust faded and he looked like an overgrown child standing there. It was clear that he was used to Delia backing down but now she was assertive, he didn't know what to do. It was also clear that he had problems. I just didn't want his problems causing hurt for the people I loved.

I waited to see what the older male would do. Was he going to give up? If he loved Ash and he cared about Delia, he would have stayed to make things right. I was expecting the first option. He surprised me by choosing the second. He took a deep breath to remain cool and sat back down. He looked at Delia, his eyes full of peace.

"Okay, you have every right to be wary and to think the things that you do. And I don't blame you, you are the one who has raised Ash for all these years and clearly done a wonderful job."

Delia blushed mildly upon hearing this but tried not to show it, just nodding and letting Jerry continue with what he wanted to say.

"But I am not making things right with our son because he is of use to me. Yes, he helped me out and made me realise that I had the opportunity to be a dad again and do it right this time and I am so grateful for that. He showed me wisdom that I wanted. He said he wanted to train Pokémon like me but I want to be wonderful like him. And like you. I want to have a relationship with him because it's what we both deserve. I know I haven't acted like I deserved him in the past but that has changed. Believe me, I have changed."

Jerry finished his speech by breathing out and looking at Delia for some form of reaction. She just simply nodded her head but she looked Jerry in the eye's to show she was really listening and taking on board what he was saying. Her reaction showed maturity but also wisdom to know that if she appeared too grateful or over the moon, Jerry would keep on saying sweet things to see her happy.

I watched as Jerry sighed, not as proud of her reaction as I was.

"C'mon, that was me apologising and trying to make things right. What happened to you? You once told me that if I ever needed anything, I could come to you. You said you'd be there."

Delia breathed out, her voice and eyes both filled with thoughtfulness. She shook her head slightly as she played with her hair.

"I know I said that. And I did honour that promise for a very long time. If you had needed something a few years back, I would have been there like a shot."

Jerry blinked his orbs upon hearing this, his bottom lip sticking slightly out. He really was an overgrown child.

"So what happened? What did I do to make that change?"

I was surprised when Delia laughed upon hearing this, her eyes filled with a look I'd never quite seen. She shook her head again and I wondered if it was at herself or Jerry.

"You didn't do anything. That's the thing. You didn't change but I did. And times changed, Jerry. I got older and I realised my worth. I realised that I was worth more than to do anything and to say yes to anything to the guy who did nothing for me and for my son. I focused on Ash and when he was older, he bought new people into my life. He bought good people into my life who made me see how wonderfully I deserve to be treated. These people are more my family to me than you have ever been. That's the truth, Jerry. It's the truth."

Jerry sucked in the air through his teeth and he didn't look at Delia when she finished, choosing instead to look down at his lap. He wasn't angry. Well, maybe he was. I think he was angry at himself. He had been a fool. His games had made Delia the strongest and most dependable woman ever. His antics left him riddled with guilt but her filled with a new self-worth.

When the raven haired male finally looked at Delia, he pushed his messy locks out of his eyes and he glanced at her with admiration and sincerity. He didn't say the words but I knew he was happy for her.

"So how about a new start? We've each had new starts individually so now I think we should have one together. A new start where we can be friends, we can talk, we can be honest with one and other and we can talk about how amazing our son is. And how it's down to you that he's as inspirational as he is."

Delia blushed again upon hearing this and she couldn't help but let out a small and girly giggle as she played with her hair again. After that, she shook her head and gave Jerry a small smile.

"He's amazing because he's Ash." She replied sincerely before nodding her head, holding her small hand out to her ex. "But that sounds good. A new start for us all. Where you and I shall be friends."

Jerry returned the smile at Delia and gave her a sincere beam, squeezing her hand as he held onto it.

"A new start indeed. It sounds perfect."

I breathed out as we all stayed together to watch the sun go down in a friendly manner, the two exes hands remaining linked the entire time. I couldn't help but smile to myself.

Jerry had been a waste of Ash and Delia's time for quite some time but from that moment on and many moments after, he proved that he was worthy of a second chance. Ash finally got the dad he always wanted around. He had his own father and he was also being the dad to his children that he never had around as a boy. Delia finally could be friends with her first love and share absolutely anything with him. And I mean anything. But the most important thing they shared was Ash. And believe me, the gift of having him in your life truly is one of the best you can receive.

The End.

There you go! Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed :3 I'm happy to have been writing about different characters recently and it's been so much fun coming up with their backstories and how they might act with each other. I've viewed Ash's father as an absent man who's made bad choices in the past but I wanted to give him a bit of humanity. No one is all bad. I also wanted to show that Ash is just a little bit like his father, when it comes to wanting to please people and hating seeing people mad at him :P Thanks again and I will be back on next Wednesday, the 28th, to upload Dear Darlings. See you then!

AmyBieberKetchum signing out :3