IMPORTANT INFO

For anyone who wants to know more, I have made a character spreadsheet for the characters in this story. It contains all the information already stated, some some simple traits.

Author's Note

Hey whoops, it's been a few months. My bad.

This story of mine is a slow burn, and I'm also simultaneously slow writing it. But I'm still writing it.

And I still really enjoy it.

That's all, thank you for everyone who took the time to review. I really appreciate it.

Here's a new segment I just thought of, where I post songs I love to listen to while writing.

Song of the day

(Pokémon league night-Pokémon Diamond)

Its a good listen, gets my mind thinking.

Uploaded

(05/01/2023)

Legend below

"Good morning, Darling..." = Normal Speech

''Keep your head high!'' Normal Thoughts

Chapter 10

Willing to fix this family

"So, you planning on introducing me anytime soon, Darling?" Sabrina asked, sitting down on the bed beside the man, in her hands a steaming plate of food she'd made for him.

After sneaking in a short while ago to find him out cold snuggling a little Phantump, she'd eventually woken him up to give him his food. Of course, when she'd come back into the room, she found him playing with the little Pokémon. The little ghost type had been flying around the room, giggling as she tried to hide behind random objects while he closed his eyes. Unfortunately for her, he had a keen eye, and always spotted her quickly enough.

When she had come into the room with a plate of food, she had inadvertently scared the tiny little thing half to death.

Or well, in this case, it would've been her scaring it back to life.

Nevertheless, the little thing calmed down quickly, all things considered, when Hugh called her over to him. Although her husband had just met her an hour ago, it seemed like she really trusted him.

The woman couldn't blame the little ghost. Hugh was the most important person to her, and everything about his character helped him make friends. Most of the time.

"Oh yeah, sorry Sabrina." He apologized with a little laugh, scratching at the scar across his eye out of habit. "I'm not sure of the little lady's name. I found her huddled outside my window maybe an hour ago, so I brought her in. And well, she hasn't wanted to leave since." He smiled, holding up his hand. The little ghost type cooed in delight, flying up to land on his hand.

The whole scene made the larger woman's heart melt with how cute it was, and she had to restrain herself from joining them in the bed. She instead settled for a bright smile.

"Well, you'd better take care of her. This storm isn't going away anytime soon, Darling." She said, glancing out the window to their bedroom. True to her words, the storm had only gotten worse since it had begun. She felt terrible if there was any other Pokémon caught outside in it.

"Well, if she's going to be staying here with us, I don't think she has anything to worry about." Hugh said, holding his hand out to the little Pokémon.

"Enough distractions, Darling." Sabrina waved him off, holding up her plate of food. "Your food is going to get cold if you don't eat it now." She said.

"I'm sorry." He said, taking the plate from her. His eyes widened when he fully took in what she'd made for him.

"I know your favorite dish was Basculin steak, so I went ahead and made it for you. I know it isn't much of a lunch type food, but I hope you'll enjoy it anyway." Sabrina said nervously, glancing away, suddenly feeling a little bashful.

Was she nervous?

Potentially, but she wasn't quite sure why.

Nevertheless…

"Sabrina, this is… Thank you." She turned back to find Hugh smiling, little tears forming in the corner of his eyes as he gave her his widest smile. "I'm not sure when I last had this, feels like it's been forever." He commented offhandedly.

She wanted to speak up, tell him it had only been a month. Of course, she stopped herself, knowing that he would have no knowledge of that anyway.

He took his first bite, and she found her eyes glued to his face, eagerly awaiting his reaction to the food. His eyes lit up, color returning to them, making them sparkle in the dimly lit room. "Oh wow, is your cooking always this amazing?" He asked excitedly, blown away by how great it tasted.

Sabrina blushed, pressing her hands to her quickly warming cheeks. "Y-You know, you don't have to brownnose, Darling. I am your wife, after all." She said with a little pout.

If possible, Hugh almost looked hurt by her words. But, his expression was quickly replaced with a small genuine smile. He set the food aside, resting the plate on his nightstand as he instead leaned forward.

Sabrina found herself blushing as his hand came to rest on her inner thigh, his duo colored eyes gazing up at her with the most genuine expression she'd ever seen. "I don't think I've ever done such a thing with you. I've always meant it when I say you're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. And I'm genuine now, your cooking is amazing." He said, truth leaking out from his every word.

She found her breath taken away by his sudden forwardness, and the genuine sincerity behind his words. And then that little smile he did when thinking of what he was going to say next. "And besides, if you made it, anything in the world could be amazing." He declared softly, leaning up to match her height, placing a quick but gentle kiss on her lips.

For the first time since he'd awoken to this strange new world, the roles had been reversed. He'd throughly stunned her with his words and actions, and had turned her into a blushing bashful mess with his lips, the man taking the initiative for what she believed was the first time since his restart.

She felt like a Ralts all over again.

"Oh Darling, that means so much to me." She cooed, face burning with passion. Her hands came up to clasp his, her larger fingers overwhelming his own. She took in a breath, finding herself momentarily lost in his eyes.

''I suppose now is the best time to bring this up…'' She thought to herself, having been waiting since she entered to speak about what had been weighing on her mind. "Darling, there's something I want to talk to you about. It's very important, for both of us, but most importantly, you." Sabrina said, not removing her hands from his. His expression didn't falter, instead his hands only gripped hers more firmly.

"Oh? What's this about?" He asked gently, not taking his eyes off of her.

"It's about how the girls have been treating you." She said. Almost immediately, she could sense him flinch. "They, w-well… We all saw you this morning, and, it opened their eyes to what has been happening." She said, feeling like she needed to apologize for them in their absence.

"O-Oh, heh, you all saw that?" He smiled nervously, trying to play off his feelings.

Sabrina wasn't having any of it, not now, and hopefully never again.

"No, don't do that." She chided, hands griping tighter around his own. "Please don't shut your feelings away behind your smile. When I see that fake smile you put on sometimes, it breaks my heart." Her voice shook just saying that alone, yet it had the needed effect. Seeing it just now nearly brought her to tears, made her chest feel heavy. She couldn't help the sinking feeling that welled up inside her whenever she saw it.

It was the same smile he'd give her before he lost his memories, whenever she asked how he was doing. Because he hadn't been doing alright, he'd been ruined by the loss of his grandmother and his dear sister, but played it off for their sake. It just meant that he died a little more every day while doing so.

She didn't want to see him do it again, she wasn't sure she could handle it again.

Hugh's eyes opened, his facade of a happy smile fading away as his nervous and hurt expression shined through.

"They saw you last night, talking to Nate, and… I think it put everything into perspective for them. They realized that they've been doing the exact opposite of what a loving family should, and they've all pushed you away when you needed them most." Sabrina said, suddenly overcome with a terrible sensation that if she let him go he'd hide his feelings away from her again. So her fingers clenched around his, hands trembling with emotion.

"They were hurt, they just needed time alone to heal-" He tired defending their actions, but the sharp pointed look she sent him had those words dying on his tongue.

"Don't give me that. You know that's not true." She said heatedly. "It was selfish and unloving that they pushed you away due to something outside of your control. But you, Darling, were too much of a loving dummy to see it like it was." Her expression softened when she realized she was finally getting through to him.

"They want to make things right with you, I wouldn't be surprised if they were outside our door right now, trying to think up things to say to gain your forgiveness." She smiled.

"M-My forgiveness? They don't need that, I love them." Hugh responded almost immediately. Sabrina only smiled.

"And that's why I love you, Darling, because you refuse to see the bad in anyone. Especially when it comes to your family, and those you love." She smiled sadly. "But no one will be able to move on without us all talking this out. It was easier with Midna, but everyone else needs to sit down and talk with you. If we don't all put our feelings on the table openly, this family is going to fall apart." She urged worriedly.

Hugh was quiet for a moment, thinking over what she said. He closed his eyes, nodding to himself. "Okay. You're right." He said quietly. "Once I'm done eating, we can all go talk in the living room. It'll be a bit crowded in here if we tried to do it in our room." He smiled a little at his own comment.

Sabrina nodded. "That sounds like a good idea." She added softly.

Nothing more was said for a bit, High's wife quietly letting him eat in peace. Eventually he finished his food, finding that he still wanted more. But, of course, he wouldn't tell her that.

Setting his dish aside, he got out of bed, finding it a bit difficult to stand. Perhaps he'd worn himself out more than he thought he had.

But she was right there before he could fall, taking hold of his hand, supporting him lovingly like the wonderful and understanding wife that she was.

He smiled up at her, and she down at him. He felt his worries wash away as she hugged him to her side, letting him know without words that she wasn't going anywhere.

They'd all been patiently, or in some's case, impatiently waiting for Sabrina to bring him out so that they could talk.

Mia and Mya were sitting on the corner of the couch, nervously tapping their claws together. They knew Hugh wasn't going to be mad, because he never gets mad, especially at them; But that didn't stop them from worrying that they'd hurt him. That's what made this so much worse.

Bella just looked sad, like she was the puppy that had been kicked. She was sitting next to them, hands folded in her lap.

Lexie was sitting with Midna, quietly waiting at the other corner of the couch with the shorter Pokémon leaning into her side. She and Midna were both dressed in sweaters and sweatpants, what with the cold rainstorm outside.

Priscilla was sitting beside Tesha, both of them looking upset. Not angry, however, but upset at themselves. The fire type looked ready to collapse in on herself, tears already poking free from the corners of her eyes. Priscilla was right there by her side, rubbing her thighs as if to try and make her, even remotely happier.

The battle bunny herself knew just how close Tesha and her Master were, and she knew just how hard the Pokémon beside her needed and depended on her Master for support. Having that all suddenly and inexplicably taken away from her had destroyed her, and she'd not barely come out of her room for days, or would vanish into town for hours on end without warning.

She couldn't blame her, however. Selfish, although the fire type's actions had been, it was her own broken way of coping with having her life shattered around her.

But, now, looking up at her as she was clearly berating herself internally for how selfish she had been; She knew that Tesha had realized that abandoning the one that truly cared for and protected her was not going to solve any problems, and in fact, she'd only been running away from her problems. Because she was scared, scared and hurt and she didn't know what to do.

She knew right now that words wouldn't do anything to sooth the fighter's aching heart, so she merely pulled her into a quiet hug, kissing her cheek to let her know that she was there, and that she was going to help her too. Although she had to stand on her knees to properly do so, that didn't stop her.

As for the last one…

Well…

Scarlett was standing somewhere in the kitchen, almost afraid to sit at the couch with the others. There was an air about her, as if saying that she didn't feel as if she belonged anymore. The reality that her master didn't know her, hurt, but he was also her in to the family, as she felt like she wasn't particularly close with anyone else. She was, after all, one of the last additions to said family, and felt like she didn't have as much a connection, what with him forgetting about her entirely.

She…

She wasn't going to run away, that would be childish…

But…

Late at night when she was alone in bed crying quietly, that is something her traitorous brain would offer as food for thought.

But, then when she saw her master out the other morning, up super early making them all breakfast, it reminded her that this was indeed her family, whether or not she felt like it.

Suffice it to say, the events of last night with Hugh's distraught conversation over the phone with Nate was weighing on all of their minds. Some had realized that they'd been selfish and wanted to correct their mistakes, while others had been hit with a hefty dose of reality, coming to the understanding that although their lives may have been messed up and things have been ruined by what had happened, he of all people had to not only relearn everything about himself and his past, but every single one of theirs while simultaneously caring for nine other Pokémon, one of which was his wife.

So, despite their own messed up past, or whatever the case, they knew that he was going to need their support if this family was going to stick together.

After all, caring for eight Pokémon, his own wife, and completing the duties required of the Champion all without much help was impossible.

He was going to kill himself at that rate, and the resulting mental breakdown had already happened last night.

Some time past after Sabrina left the living room to wake him with a plate of food, and they all could hear a conversation going on behind the walls, but couldn't pick anything out. Although it was easy to eavesdrop in this house, they weren't going to intrude on what could be a personal conversation between him and his wife.

So they waited in silence, only the rain serving to add anything to the tense atmosphere.

Then they heard the door open. Most of them looked over to the hallway almost immediately to see him and Sabrina walk out. He looked exhausted, black back hanging under his eyes.

And yet, he also looked like he was ready for the coming conversation.

When he stepped into the room, he took notice of everyone.

He didn't just focus on a few, forget the rest.

No, he made sure to look at them all, to let them all know that he was here and wanted to listen, wanted to be open, and have them be open with him.

Then he smiled softly, and made his way to the lone chair opposite the couch. When he sat down, he seemed to sink into it, his exhaustion showing. Sabrina stood by his side, holding his hand tightly in her own. He made sure to grip it back, let her know he was very thankful for her.

He smiled up at her, and she down at him, before he turned his attention to the rest of them.

"I'm sorry…" Tesha suddenly whispered, palming her eyes to try in a futile attempt to wipe her tears away.

"It's okay, Tesha." Hugh tried gently.

"No! No it's not! Nothing about this is okay!" Tesha snapped, tears falling from her eyes.

That seemed to be the straw that broke the Numel's back, as the apologies started flying at him.

There was so much being said, so much being revealed, he couldn't do it all at once.

When he finally got them to quiet again after a few long moments of pleading, he decided to go one at a time. It was going to take some time, but he had a lot of time now, and he was going to listen.

When everything was said and done, and all the emotions had been up and spent, and the tears had finally run dry, Hugh could say that he finally felt like he understood.

There was so much that was said, and yet, also at the same time, so little. There were likely years of stories that he had forgotten, that had been wiped clean from his memory, years he couldn't gain back.

But, that was one thing he let them know, very clearly. He wanted to know.

He so desperately wanted to know, wanted to know everything about this family.

About his family.

Who were they? How had they all met? What was the circumstances that had brought them all together, the history that had made them into such a large and loving family?

He wanted to know, not just of his backstory with Sabrina, but with all of them. He didn't want to be forgotten, and he wanted them to help him remember.

So they explained, explained why they were so personally destroyed by what happened. There were probably a hundred apologies thrown his way, but he wasn't sure how many times he could say "It's okay," or, "I forgive you," or "I'm not mad," before they understood.

He didn't want to come to this meeting to point out those that had made mistakes, or make them all feel bad about technically abandoning him, or to seek an apology.

He just wanted them all to know that he was here.

He was here, and he was ready and willing to love each and every one of them as much as they needed to be. He was ready to go forward and show them all the care in the world, and do his part as Husband, as Master, as Dad, as a Friend, as the Unova Champion…

As Hugh.

He was ready to come at this life he'd found himself in headstrong, just like he'd done the day he set out, letting nothing, nothing at all stand in his way.

But he couldn't do that if they shut him out…

He couldn't be what they wanted out of him, what they needed from him; A passionate lover, a deeply affectionate dad, a super sweet friend, a great guy, a sparring partner, or anything else. He couldn't be those things if they didn't even give him the chance to prove that he could once again step up to fill the shoes of the him that didn't exist any longer.

That's why he came to talk to them. Because he so desperately wanted to figure out his role in this family, and he wanted to step back into all the roles that he needed to, and to do that, they needed to open their hearts to him.

And so they did.

They opened their hearts and put their entire vulnerable selves out in the open, and he couldn't have been happier.

He was crying too in the end, but they weren't like the tears from the other night. For the one eye of his that could still shed tears, this time, they were tears of joy.

He was so happy, so unbelievably happy. It felt as if a heavy burden had finally been lifted from his heart, and he could finally, for the first time in days, breathe. The biggest fear he'd had was of the chance that he was directly responsible for them all pushing him away, that he'd done something to make them lose their faith in him, something that was simply irreversible.

His breaking point was last night, when he opened his heart and told Nate everything, not leaving anything out.

But now, now it was different.

He knew that this was only the first step, that there was still so much more work to be done if he was ever to get this whole family back together. But somehow, after having this family chat with them all, he felt like that future wasn't so impossible anymore.

All he had to do was do his best, and they were going to be there for him, with him, each step of the way.

And why?

Because they loved him, and realized that they weren't willing to let something so out of their control ruin what they had here, even if they had to fight tooth and nail to get it back in their hands.

After all, they'd started from zero once before, what was stopping them from doing so once again?

That was the thought that ended the day, and although it wasn't that late into the day, the sun still a few hours from setting, they were all rightfully emotionally exhausted.

Before anyone could even suggest how to move forward, all thoughts were interrupted by the soft sound of Hugh's breathing, the young man having fallen asleep after everything. But, in his sleep in the chair, a small yet genuine smile marring his face.

No one could bring themselves to wake him, deciding that he had the right idea, and they all decided to get comfortable together.

They could worry about life and the world tomorrow, but for tonight?

Well…

They planned on staying right where they were, sleeping by his side.

And for that moment, they felt as if everything was exactly the way it used to be, even if only for a moment.

But that moment was all they needed to know that this was all entirely possible.

They just had to fight for it…

Chapter

10

End