-chapter Toxic Big Brother -

I guess it's important to note that October had passed and we were well into November now. The pokemon world was gearing up for the regional championships which were just weeks away, and you couldn't enter Goldenrod City without comming across a few promotional images for this year's silver conference.

Anyway, as the next morning arrived I woke up to Phoebe kissing me on the cheek.

-tiredly, unsure- Me: "Hmmmmmm?!...ohhhhhh..."

-tiredly- Me: "Goodmorning baby."

I gave her a kiss in return.

-tiredly, lovingly- Phoebe: "mmmm...Goodmorning."

We kissed back and forth, and snuggled up close together, just barely awake, but enjoying eachother's company. Minutes passed as we layed there, slowly becomming more and more awake with each passing second as the morning sun shined brightly through the curtains hung upon the window, reflecting off the pure white snow that blanketed the earth outside.

-softly- Phoebe: "It looks like a beautiful morning."

-softly- Me: "Yeah, it does doesn't it?"

Phoebe: "-sighs-, what time is it?"

I reached over the side of the bed to check the clock.

Me: "6:00am."

Me: "It's time to get up..."

-dissapointed- Me: "Damn.."

-softly- Phoebe: "Well, why don't you sleep in? I can take Nina to school by myself."

Me: "Why?"

-softly- Phoebe: " So we have time to speak incase she has anything else to tell me."

Me: "About what?"

Phoebe: "About..."

-realizing- Phoebe: "Oh right, I wiped your memory...nevermind."

Me: "What?"

-soflty- Phoebe: "I'll tell you when I get back home, ok?'

Me: "Ok."

She gave me a kiss before she crawled out of bed.

She looked out the window for a brief moment, then she collected one of her dresses from the dresser and went on her way.

-softly- Phoebe:" love you."

-softly- Me: "Love you too baby."

I close my eyes as she left the room. She wanted me to sleep in, but as the minutes passed I felt more and more like I wanted to get up anyway, so I eventually opened my eyes again, got dressed and headed downstairs, Nina was watching tv and Phoebe was in the kitchen making breakfast.

Me: "Goodmorning Nina."

-reluctantly- Nina: "...goodmorning."

Me: "What's wrong?"

She was acting like she didn't know me.

Nina: "Nothing."

I sat beside her on the couch.

Me: "Come on, you can tell me."

Nina: "No."

Me: "Why not?"

-defensively- Nina: "Because you won't understand."

Me: "Why not?"

Me: "Why are you so grumpy today...?"

Phoebe: "Cj."

Me: "What?"

Phoebe: "Don't pressure her like that."

Me: "Easy for you to say, she talks to you."

Nina looked away, pretending to ignore me.

Phoebe: "Just let it go ok?"

Phoebe: "I promise, it's not as bad as you think it is."

Phoebe: "Trust me."

Phoebe: "Nina go tend to the chickens, breakfast will be ready by the time you're done."

Nina: "Ok..."

She put her coat on and headed outside.

Me: "She doesn't trust me at all does she?"

Phoebe left the kitchen and sat beside me.

Phoebe: "It's not about trust, she just doesn't know how you'll react."

Me:"You mean she doesn't trust me to react the way she wants.."

Phoebe:"-sighs-, yeah, I guess."

Me: "Can you give me a hint about what this is about so I can stop thinking that you're going to cheat on me or something?"

Phoebe:" Cj, I'd never do that to you."

Phoebe: "Besides this has nothing to do with me."

Phoebe: "She wants to go to something, but she thinks you'll say no, and that's it."

Phoebe:"I'll let you know everything when I can convince her that you'll be ok with it."

Me: "Well tell her I'll say no for sure if she won't tell me."

Phoebe:" Allright, I will..."

She hugged me.

Phoebe:" You trust me?"

Me: "I trust you baby."

Phoebe: "Good."

I kissed her on the cheek before I let go.

Phoebe: "Ok ."

Me: "Ok."

She got up and started to head back into the kitchen.

Phoebe: "If she doesn't agree to tell you when she gets home I'll tell you anyway while she's at school."

Phoebe: "Ok?"

Me: "Ok."

Soon after breakfast, Phoebe left to take Nina to school, leaving me alone with Charley who was still sleeping, but by the time Phoebe returned home I was playing castle with him on the floor in front of the tv. We all left for work shortly after she returned.

Me:"Do we even have to go in today?"

Phoebe: "Well, I don't know, I'd assume."

Me: "What happened to them calling us when they needed us?"

Phoebe: "I don't know."

Phoebe: "We better go in though, just to be safe."

Phoebe:" They usually have something for us to do."

Me:"If you say so."

Phoebe: "Besides, we don't have much else to do."

The roads were very slick today, not the most likeable driving conditions, once we got into the portal building however, they turned to slush. The floor of the building itself was covered in slush brought in by various cars, and this slush continued to exist outside the building as well. However, we eventually made it into the lab after finding a place to park and trudging through even more slush, today it was a bit warmer in the pokemon world than on earth, though it was still cold.

Corina was here today to look after Charley, back from whatever she was doing yesterday.

The zombie was gone, in it's place were some oversized lego bricks from the brickworld. Charley wanted to play with them the moment he saw them, to the point where Phoebe had to take him out of the room because he was beginning to get upset and Corina couldn't control him as well as she could.

Anyway, a new portal was setup and the initial test confirmed that it was safe to enter.

The destination was an unidentified city, on another earth unlike ours in a way that wasn't immediately apparent.

So we proceeded into the portal, and right away I began to feel strange. We tried to stay out of sight, the portal was closed after we arrived to ensure random civilians wouldn't wander into it, and as we procceeded across the rooftops I began to feel weaker and more lightheaded, even though we were just walking I lost my breath and collapsed.

-concerned- Phoebe: "Cj?"

-concerned- Phoebe :"You ok baby?"

Me: "It's like there's no oxygen up here..."

Phoebe: "No, that's not it, I can breath just fine."

Phoebe: "Cj?"

Me:"I think I'm going to pass out."

Phoebe: "Why?"

Me: "If it's not the air I have no idea..."

I started breathing faster and faster, but I wasn't gaining anything...eventually I felt so weak I blacked out.

I awoke several hours later in an unfamiliar hospital, Phoebe was nowhere to be seen.

Nurse: "He's awake."

Me:"What the hell?"

Nurse: "You were unconcious."

Nurse:" We can't figure out why, maybe you know?"

Me: "Nope..."

Me: "It was like I couldn't breathe..."

Me: "Like the air was too thin..."

Me: "But I can breathe now.."

Nurse: "Hmmm...that's strange...do you have asthma?"

Me: "No."

Nurse:" Any allergys?"

Me: "Nope."

Nurse: "Then that means.."

Nurse: "You weren't exposed to the type v antibody when you were a baby."

Me: "The what?"

Nurse: "The type v antibody."

Me: "What's that?"

Nurse: "The most important medical innovation since anesthetics."

Nurse: "It's a micro-organism that when introduced to a human body has amazing effects."

Me: "Like?"

Nurse: "Accelerated healing...fast muscle regeneration, generally lower heartrate, better temperament."

Nurse: "Lots of advantages."

Nurse: "We'll need to administer more, since the amount in the atmosphere isn't enough for you to get the full effects."

Me: "What?"

Nurse: "Don't worry, it shouldn't knock you out again, now that you have a little bit in your system."

Nurse: "I'll be back in a bit."

She left the room, Phoebe teleported in almost immediately afterwards wearing a big fluffy coat and sunglasses to disguise herself as a human.

Phoebe:"Come on, let's get you out of here."

Me: "How did I get here?"

Phoebe: "You were unconcious, I couldn't just leave you."

Phoebe: "Oh, and take this."

Me: "Why?"

Phoebe: "It will kill the antibodies."

Me: "What if I want them?"

Phoebe :"Why?"

Me:"I want powers like you."

Phoebe: "Cj."

Phoebe: "Listen, the antibodies...they aren't good."

Me: "Why?"

Phoebe: "They effect your brain."

Phoebe: "They turn you into a zombie that just wants to work."

Me: "They do?"

Phoebe: "Yes, now please, just get up and get dressed, we need to go before the nurse comes back."

Me: "-sighs-, fine."

Me: "I just think you're jealous though."

-curious- Phoebe: "And why is that?"

Me: "You don't want me to have powers because then you can't control me."

Phoebe: "I don't control you...that's just the antibodies affecting your brain."

Me: "How do you know?"

Phoebe: "I can tell, it's messing with your thought patterns."

Phoebe: "Now take this."

Me: "Maybe later."

-sternly- Phoebe: "No now."

Me: "It's not going to work until we're out of this world anyway."

Me: "Otherwise I'm just going to keep breathing in more antibodies."

Phoebe: "-sighs-...true."

Me: "I take it they don't affect you?"

Phoebe: "Nope."

Me: "Hmm, I wonder if they'll affect Charley?"

Phoebe: "I hope not."

Phoebe: "Do you have everything? Can we go now?"

Me: "-sighs- fine."

She teleported us out of the room, and to the roof of a nearby building.

Phoebe:"Stay with me, we're quite a bit away from the portal."

Me: "No taxi?"

Phoebe:"No taxi, just busses and emergency vehicles."

Me: "No cars?"

Phoebe: "Nope."

Me: "Well this world sucks."

Phoebe: "Not too fond of those antibodies anymore are you?"

Me: "Ehhhhhh."

Phoebe: "Oooh nevermind."

Me: "Oh relax Pheebles."

Me: "What's so bad about me having powers?"

Me: "Maybe we can have even more amazing sex?"

Phoebe: "I don't care..."

Phoebe :"You don't even have a full dose and it's already making you act like a jerk."

Phoebe: "You're taking this antidote as soon as you get back.."

Me: "Awwweee."

Me: "Why are you being so pushy?"

Me: "Maybe the antibodies affected you."

Phoebe: "Cj...stop."

I heard something that sounded like a police car siren on the streets below.

Me: "They aren't after us are they?"

Phoebe: "Um...actually they probably are."

Me: "Why?"

Phoebe: "It's illegal not to have the antibodies here."

Phoebe: "Come on, we need to get off this roof, they're calling in a chopper."

Me: "They're just normal police aren't they?'

Phoebe: "Not exactly."

Phoebe: "They have the antibodies too."

Me: "Maybe we should just surrender."

Phoebe: "No...we can't let them know where we're from."

Me: "Maybe they'll understand."

Phoebe: "That the antibodies talking Cj."

I still felt weird, like I really wanted to stay here, but I couldn't place why, my train of thought seemed to constantly switch from normal to...something less, and both trains were off the rails.

Me: "Maybe we could work for the police."

Phoebe: "Why? We're Devon agents...we already do.."

Me: "Oh ok so they're not after us then."

Phoebe: "Arceus..."

Phoebe: "We need to get you out of here."

Me: "Where did you get the vaccine?"

Phoebe: "I found the rebel alliance."

Me: "Who are they?"

Phoebe: "They' re a secret group trying to overthrow this world's corrupt government."

Me: "How did you find them so fast?"

Phoebe: "The same way I usually find people fast.'

Phoebe: "It's easy when you can read minds you goofball."

Me: "How are they not effected?"

Phoebe: "They wear gas masks."

Phoebe: "Hey that gives me an idea."

Phoebe: "If we can borrow one of their masks we can get you back to normal."

Me :"Maybe we need to give you the antibodies."

Phoebe: "You can't, they won't work on me because I'm not human."

Me: "Ohh right..."

Me: "But why can't I be on them?"

Phoebe: "ohhhhh Cj...I already explained, just stop, you're making me crazy."

Phoebe: "Now, we need to find one of the rebels."

Phoebe: "They can help you."

I managed to gain enough control to say.

Me: "I'm sorry baby.."

Phoebe: "It's ok, we'll get through this."

Phoebe: "Atleast part of you knows something is wrong."

Me: "And what would that be?"

Phoebe: "-sighs-."

She led me around the city while I was finding increasingly more difficult to stay focused. Looking back on it now, I could see how the antibodies affected my mind, but as it happened, I really couldn't tell. Thoughts of getting a job in that world, and thoughts of finding a place to live there kept swarming my head, they were easy to dismiss at first, but as we made our way back to the portal my desire to live in this world grew exponentially, this came to the point where I began to think it suspicious, and even though at times I was able to supress these thoughts they would immediately and unintentionally return whenever I let my guard down or was distracted by something, such as Phoebe teleporting us to a different building or alleyway.

Me: "If I go to the employment center, they'll give us an apartment we can stay in."

Phoebe: "No Cj."

By now it seemed the police had given up searching for us, as we hadn't heard a siren for several minutes.

Phoebe: "Why should we stay here?"

Me:" Because it's the best life for you and the kids."

Phoebe: "No it's not.."

Phoebe: "Besides there's no cars..."

Me :"I'm sure we could get used to it after awhile."

Phoebe: "Ok Cj, you're not yourself..."

Phoebe:"Come on, let's go."

Me: "I'm staying here."

Phoebe: "No you're not."

Me:"But.."

Phoebe:"No buts."

She kept tugging my arm, trying to pull me along, without success.

At this point I could barely control what I was saying.

Me:"Dont you care what happens to our family?"

Phoebe: "Of course I do."

Me: "We live in a warzone, it's not safe for Charley."

-curious- Phoebe: "Since when?."

Phoebe: "We don't live in a warzone, where we live is perfectly safe."

Phoebe: "Now come on."

Me:"No."

Me: "You go."

Me: "I'm staying here."

Phoebe: "-sighs-."

Phoebe :"Cj..."

Phoebe:"-sighs-...guess I have to resort to plan b."

Me: "What?"

She tried to knock me out but I ducked out of the way, as if by instinct.

Me: "What are you doing?"

Phoebe: "Hold still."

Me: "No, you're trying to take me out of here."

Phoebe: "I'm trying to help you."

She used her powers to pin me to the ground.

Me:"Let me go!"

Phoebe: "This isn't what you want Cj."

Phoebe:" It's the antibodies, they're controlling you."

I tried to fight it, but I couldn't focus.

Phoebe: "You can't even fight through my powers anymore."

-panicked- Me: "I can..I still...I still can..."

At this point I barely had any control whatsoever, not just my body, but my own thoughts, half of me wanting to stay here, and the other half intermittingly screaming to stop this madness... It was like I was two different people.

Phoebe: "No you can't or you would've by now."

Me: "Let me go."

-sternly- Phoebe: "I'm sorry, but I can't."

-sternly- Phoebe: "Goodnight."

I blacked out as soon as she touched me.

I awoke in some run down apartment building. What confused me the most was that everything was tinted in a strange shade of green, then I realized I was wearing a mask.

-calmly- Phoebe: "Feel like yourself yet?"

Me: "Pheebles?"

My mind was much clearer now.

Phoebe: "Don't take your mask off or we'll have to go through all of this again."

She was standing over me, wearing a mask as well.

Me: "Why are you wearing one?"

Phoebe: "To keep up my disguise as a human."

Me: "Oh...ok."

Phoebe: "Come on, we're running late, we need to get back."

Me: "How far are we from the portal?"

Phoebe:" A few blocks..."

Me: "I'm sorry for what I said."

Phoebe: "It's ok, I know it wasn't you."

She hugged me, and our masks smacked togther.

Me: "Oww."

Phoebe: "Oops."

Me: "Hehe."

Me: "Careful."

Phoebe: "-sighs-, I guess we can't kiss till we get back."

Me: "Yep."

-lovingly- Me :"Thankyou babe."

Phoebe: "Your welcome."

-jokingly- Me: "Hehe. that coat and mask make you look like some kind of weird eskimo bomber pilot."

Phoebe: "Well atleast I look like a human eskimo bomber pilot."

-playfully- Me:"And you're so big and fluffy!"

I gave her a hug.

-cutely- Phoebe: "That's the coat not me."

Me: "I know."

Phoebe:"-sighs-, Come on you big weirdo , we have to get going."

Me: "-sighs-, ok."

She led me out of the building, and once again we made our way towards the portal. It was starting to get dark and the portal was already open.

-on radio- Dr. Black: "The portal is open now, where are you guys?"

-into radio- Phoebe: "We're gonna be a few minutes late."

-into radio- Phoebe: "The air is toxic here, we had to get some help for him."

-on radio- Dr. Black: "That can't be, our sensors didn't pick it up."

-into radio- Phoebe: "Can your sensors pick up mind-altering anti-bodies?"

-on radio- Dr. Black :"Um, no, that's not really a toxin."

-into radio- Phoebe: "Well there you have it then."

-on radio- Dr. Black: "Great, another world that's too dangerous to explore."

-into radio- Phoebe: "Oh don't be too dissapointed it's not dangerous if you have a mask..."

-into radio- Phoebe: "But the police here won't like it if you do."

-into radio- Phoebe: "We're wearing masks by the way, don't freak out when we come through the portal."

-on radio- Dr Black:"Understood."

We made it back a few minutes later, Phoebe was noticably relieved when we found ourselves back in the lab.

We took off our masks as they closed the portal behind us, as usual, Dr. Black had a battery of questions for us.

- a few minutes later-

Dr Black: "So the government has everyone under mind control, and there is no private transportation?"

Phoebe: "Mhm."

Dr. Black: "And the air is full of mind altering antibodies that our scanners can't pick up?"

Me: "Yeah...those things will screw you up..."

Dr. Black: "And there's a secret rebelion going against this government?"

Phoebe: "Right."

Me: "We going to help them?"

Dr. Black: "Unfortunately we can't intervene, that isn't the point of these experiments."

Phoebe:"But I promised I would help them in exchange for the masks."

Me:"You did?"

Phoebe: "While you were unconscious."

Me:"Oh..."

Me:"Ok."

Dr. Black:"Well, you shouldn't make promises you can't keep."

Phoebe: "Can't we just send them some weapons or something."

Dr. Black: "No, that would be intervening, and besides, guns are expensive."

Phoebe: "Cj has some he could give away."

Me: "No I don't."

Phoebe: "Ok... fine."

Phoebe: "But what about potions?"

Dr. Black: "Fine, I guess we could do that."

Dr. Black:" Do we have any on hand?"

Bob: "There should be some in the medical ward."

: "Ok, we'll let you two go back in to provide them with some potions real quick, but be quick about it."

Bob left to fetch some potions.

Phoebe: "Ok."

Phoebe: "Actually I'll just go in, Cj you stay here, I don't want to risk you getting the antibodies again."

-surprised- Me: "Baby Girl?"

Phoebe: "I'll be fine, you saw how easilly we escaped their police, they can't catch me."

Phoebe: "Go to the lounge, play with Charley, I'll be back in an hour or so."

She kissed me.

-sweetly- Phoebe: "Love you."

Me: "-sighs-, love you too babe."

Bob returned with some potion and handed them over to her.

Phoebe: "Ok then."

She slipped her mask back on.

Phoebe :"Let's go."

Bob reactivated the portal, and she headed inside.

I stood there, and watched, too afraid something would happen to leave.

As the minutes passed, however, I got bored and decided to see what Charley was up to to ease the tension.

Corina was keeping an eye on him in the lounge, while he played on the floor with some plush toys we brought along for him to try to keep him from getting bored.

-cutely- Charley: "Dawhy!'

Me: "Hey little guy."

Corina: "Are you two ready to go?"

Me: "No not yet, Phoebe had to go back in to take care of something."

Corina: "Ok."

-playfully- Me: "So watcha playing little guy?"

Charley: "no ca-hol.."

Me: "No castle?"

Me: "Right, you don't have your blocks with you."

Me: "-sighs-, hopefully your mother will be back soon."

Corina: "Is it ok if I leave now?"

Me: "I think so."

Me: "I can take it from here."

Corina: "Ok."

-playfully- Corina: "Bye Charley."

-cutely- Charley: " Bye Cowewah.."

-cutely- Charley: "Cawey miss."

Me: "Hehe."

She left the lounge as I joined my son on the floor.

Charley: "Watarwol es seewee."

Charley: "He wa peesahs."

Me: "He wants pizzas?"

Me: "Ok."

Charley: "He doe ave peesahs."

Me:" Well then who has pizzas?"

Charley :"Cawey dunno."

Charley: "Watarwool go fi ."

Me: "He has to go find them?"

Me: "Where?"

He crawled away, taking his wartortle plush with him.

Me: "Hehe...Where are you going?"

He wasn't heading towards the exit so I watched as he crawled under a chair.

-playfully- Me: "Careful, watch your head."

Me: "Is there one over there?"

Charley: "Cawey no see peesahs."

Me: "Ok."

We continued to play this little game, until I had to stop him from leaving the room.

Me:" Come here little guy, you can't leave the room."

Charley: "Buh dawhy, Cawey no see peesahs."

Charley: "Fo watorwool."

I had to think about what to say for a moment. Was he pretending or did he actually expect to find a pizza in here?

Me: "Well there's definitely not going to be any pizzas out there."

Charley: "Cawey dunno."

Me: "That's ok because I know, I'm your dad, trust me."

Charley :"Cawey dunno."

Me: "Try looking under more chairs."

I tried to keep him occupied until Phoebe returned, but roughly an hour later, Charley had become tired from playing and had nearly fallen asleep in my arms.

Not long after Corina came back.

-quietly,unsure- Me: "You forget something?"

Corina: "Phoebe still isn't back yet."

-quietly- Me: "shhhhhh.., he's almost asleep."

-quietly- Corina: "They want to send you in to see what's going on."

-quietly- Me: "I knew this would happen."

I carefully handed Charley to her, trying not to wake him up.

-quietly- Me: "Looks like you're back on duty."

-quietly- Corina: "Mhm, so are you."

I headed back to the lab, slipped on a gas mask and headed back into the world to look for Phoebe. I had a bit more equipment this time, I took a standard issue pistol along just in case, as well as a syringe of full heal, although whether it would work on the antibodies or not was beyond me.

It was night, and the city was like a ghost town, apparently there was some sort of curfew.

Without Phoebe, I couldn't get on top of the buildings very easilly, so I stuck to the alleyways.

I didn't have a clue of where to begin to look for her, so I headed towards the apartment she had taken me to earlier after she knocked me out, thinking it was as good a place as any to begin to look, but before I could make it there I saw a strange black van driving down the street, standing out quite vibrantly since it was the only vehicle on the entire street.

The van's driver spotted me and pulled over. The driver stepped out and revealed himself as a fairly large man wearing a gas mask, another rebel, apparently.

unknown rebel: "What ya doing out here?"

Me: "Looking, for my wife."

Me: "Where is she?"

-weakly- Phoebe: "Cj?"

Me: "Pheebles?"

unknown rebel: "She's in the back."

unknown rebel: "She's not doing well, I think the antibodies made her sick."

Me: "So she wasn't immune."

unknown rebel: "No, but they do have a different effect on her."

-realizing- Me:" So you know the truth then?"

unknown rebel: "She told me the jist of it."

unknown rebel:" The two of you aren't from this world?"

Me:" Right."

Me: "Well I wish you guys the best of luck, but we're not allowed to help you."

Me: "I know it's not much, but those potions were the best we could arrange."

Me :"Just use them sparingly and make sure they don't fall into the wrong hands."

Unknown rebel: "Ummm, What do they do exactly?"

Me: "It's miracle medicine."

Me: "It won't heal sickness, but it can heal almost any wound its applied to."

Me: "For instance, if you got shot, and it was applied to the wound, it would dissolve the bullet and patch it up."

unknown rebel: "Sounds too good to be true."

Me: "You'll see that it's not."

unknown rebel: "Also, if she's not human, what is she?"

-weakly- Phoebe: "I told you I'm a gardevoir."

Me:" That' s the truth."

unknown rebel: "And that is?"

Me: "It's complicated."

unknown rebel: "Well, if you want her you can have her, I was driving her here because she didn't think she could make it back on her own, sorry for the delay, it wasn't safe to leave until after curfew."

Me: "It's allright."

Me: "Thanks."

I opened the back door of the van and helped her out, she wasn't wearing her disguise anymore.

-weakly- Phoebe: "Thankyou."

Me: "Come on baby let's go."

-weakly- Phoebe: "Right."

She could barely walk, so I had to help her make it back to the portal.

Me: "Damn, you look rough."

Phoebe: "I just need to get out of this air."

Phoebe: "I got some more of the antidote."

Me: "Can't you just take it and put your mask back on then?"

Phoebe: "I tried that, but I still feel tired."

Phoebe: "And my head hurts."

Me: "Crap..."

Me: "Well put it back on so you don't breath in anymore."

Phoebe "I left it in the van."

Me: "-sighs-."

I heard sirens in the distance, the van sped off into the night.

Me: "Double crap."

We were a few blocks away from the portal, and severely limited in our ability to avoid the police.

-on radio- : "This is Dr. Black, what's your status?"

-into radio- Me: "I found her, we're heading back, but it looks like we got some police attention."

-on radio- Dr. Black: "Can't you just avoid them like earlier?"

-into radio- Me: "Not this time, she's sick."

Me: "So if the antidote won't work what about full heals?"

Phoebe:" I don't know."

Me: "Do you have a mask?"

Phoebe:"No, I left it back at the rebel base."

We ducked into an alley as I saw the reflection of police lights just over the hill.

The police car sped passed the alley and pulled over just down the street. Going by hearing alone, 2 officers stepped out and proceeded to search the place. Seconds later we heard another police car approach from the opposite direction, 2 more officers. It wasn't long before we were spotted and the 2 from the first group began to chase us through the alleys.

I had no choice, I had to fight.

I hid behind a dumpster and waited for them to approach. They were both armed, of course, and they both had their guns drawn. Normally, I'd have more respect for authority, but this world was obviously corrupt, and I had to assume these cops were out to kill us whether we had done the same or not.

Me: "Pheebles stay down."

-weakly- Phoebe: "Hmm?"

Me: "Just get down, I'll handle this."

-weakly- Phoebe: "Just be careful."

I didn't want to, but I had to kill them, it was the only way we could escape. I shot them both in the head, turned around, grabbed Phoebe, and bolted down the alley in the opposite direction.

-surprised- Phoebe:"You killed them."

Me :"Better them then us."

Me: "Besides, they're mind controlled zombies, they weren't really human were they?"

-weekly- Phoebe: "You were like them just a few hours ago."

Me: "You had the luxury of sparing me, we didn't have that luxury this time."

Fortunately the other policemen were drawn to the shots, and we were able sneak passed them while they were tending to their fallen comrades.

-weekly- Phoebe: "No...no no.."

-weekly- Phoebe: "I can still hear them."

Me: "That's impossible, I shot them in the head, they can't survive that."

-weekly- Phoebe: "The antibodies, remember? "

-weekly- Phoebe: "They provide healing abilities."

Me: "Fuck..."

-weekly- Phoebe: "They're still chasing us."

-weekly- Phoebe: "We need to move now!"

The portal was still about a block or so away.

Me: "Can you get us on top of the building?"

-weekly- Phoebe: "It's risky."

-weekly- Phoebe: "I'm not sure we'll be able to get back down."

Me: "Damn."

-weakly- Phoebe: "We can take their car."

Me: "Works for me."

Me: "Just hang in there."

She took my hand teleported us next to their police car. We got in, and we didn't make it to the end of the block before another police car gave chase, then another by the next block, and another, things were starting to look pretty hopeless. I had to lose them all before we could enter the portal, so they wouldn't follow us through, which, if they drove through, would probably cause significant damage to the lab.

Me: "Pheebles, we need to come up with a different plan, there's no way we can lose these guys."

Phoebe: "My head feels like it's going to explode."

She grasped her head in pain.

Me: "Well, hang in there babe."

Just then one of the cars chasing us made a move and tried to pit us out, I slammed the brakes and returned the favor, they skidded sideways and proceeded to smack into a streetlight, one down, two more to go.

The other two began to approach side by side. I knew right away they were trying to box us in, I took a sudden turn to the right, we were struck in the back and I barely managed to hold it, but we made the turn, and gained a huge lead as the police overshot the corner. I made another right turn, and before they came around that corner, I ducked behind an alleyway, and shut off whatever lights weren't broken, and we sat there in the dark until both cars passed behind us.

Then we left the alleyway, and headed to the left, and took a very roundabout way back to the portal, I was doing my best not to run across those police cars again. Once we finally made it back to the portal we ditched the car and headed through.

After we made it to the other side, the portal was closed and Phoebe was about ready to collapse.

Me: "You ok babe?"

She wasn't looking too good, extremely tired, and out of breath, in her condition that single teleportation was all she could muster.

Me :"baby girl? "

She fell to her knees.

Me:"Come on, just hang in there."

Dr. Black: "Take her to the medical ward this instant."

Me: "She has more of the antidote."

Dr. Black: "Then administer it!"

I gave her the anditote as Dr. Bob led us to the medical ward down the hall.

We set her up on the table,

Me: "You ok baby?"

-tiredly- Phoebe: "I'm jus tirrred...I'lll...i'lll beeee...finnne."

Me: "Give me your arm."

Me: "This might sting."

-tiredly- Phoebe: "Wha ...are.. you doing?"

Me: "Full heal?"

-tiredly- Phoebe: "I'll be fi, just leh me res."

-tiredly- Phoebe: "Ih wo help."

Me: "It won't?"

Bob: "That'll only keep her from sleeping, she'll still be tired."

Me: " Oh...ok."

Me: "You wanna go home or you want to rest here?"

-tiredly- Phoebe: "Jus leh me sleep,... for a lil bih."

Me: "Ok baby."

-tiredly- Phoebe: "Go geh Char...lllllley..."

She was about to fall asleep.

Me:"Ok."

Me:"Goodnight babe."

Phoebe: "Gooonigh Cj..."

And she was out like a light.

Me:" What time is it?"

Bob: "About 2:30, why? "

Me: "Crap...Nina gets out at 3:00."

Corina was standing outside the door.

Me: "Corina?"

Corina: "What's going on? "

Corina: "Is she ok?"

Me: "Nothing is going on , she just needs to rest for a bit."

Me: "You have Charley? "

Corina: "Mhm, he's right here."

-lovingly- Phoebe: "Heeeey sweeeety."

-curiously- Charley:"Mawa tywo?"

Me: "Mhm."

Me: "We're getting a little tight on time baby."

Me: "You know I can take you home and you can rest there."

Me: "And then I can go pick up Nina."

She slowly sat up.

-tiredly- Phoebe:" Okaay."

-cutely demanding- Charley: "Mawa go beh."

Corina helped her make it to the car, while I carried Charley out.

- on the way home-

-unsure- Charley: "Es mawa slee?"

Me: "Mhm."

-worried- Charley: "Mawa ok?"

Me:" She's allright little guy, she just needs to rest."

-tiredly- Phoebe: "I'm ok Charley don worwy."

-cutely- Charley :"Doh wohhwyyy."

-cutely defiant- Charley: "Buh Mawa, Cawey wohhwyy."

Me: "Hehehehe."

Phoebe: "Awwwwwwwe."

By the time we got home, Phoebe had woken up a bit more, I left the car running and helped her into the house, she layed down on the couch and I brought her some blanket so she could be comfortable, then I kissed her on the cheek.

Me: "Sleep well baby, I'll be back with Nina in a bit."

Phoebe:"Love you."

Me: "Love you too baby."

I went back to the car to find Charley somewhat upset about being left alone. I was a bit concerned leaving Phoebe alone like this, but she did seem to be getting her strength back.

-anxious- Charley: "Dawhy weh you go?"

Me: "I had to make sure mommy was ok."

Me: "And now we're going to go get Nina."

-anxious- Charley: "Weh mawa?"

Me: "She's going to stay here so she can rest."

Charley:"Cawey wa see Mawa."

Me: "You can see her when we get back."

We were already back on the road at this point.

Eventually Charley settled down and focused on his tv.

Awhile later we arrived at Nina's school, it was around 4:00, so most of the students had already left, but Nina was in the gym, hanging out with her friends and battling her pokemon against them.

I got out of the car and took Charley with me as well.

Nina was in a battle against another student, so I sat in the stands with Charley and waited for her to finish.

Nina was using Spike, her ferroseed, against another student's chikorita.

It was a slow paced battle, but it was clear Nina had the advantage due to Spike's superior defenses.

The chikorita was very skilled, to the point where it evolved into Bayleef midbattle, and while this convienient evolution put Spike on the defense for a few minutes, the bayleef eventually succumbed to the injuries it had sustained and fainted.

-pleased- Nina:"Good Job Spike, we won."

Cindy: "Awe, but it just evolved."

Nina: "You ready for round 2 Cindy?"

Me: "Actually Nina, we should get going."

Nina: "Dad...when did you get here?"

Me: "I've been here for a few minutes."

Nina: "Where's Mom?"

Me: "She's resting at home, some weird stuff happened at work again and it made her really tired."

Nina:"Ohhh, ok."

Cindy: "Hi Mr. -last name redacted-."

-awkwardly- Me: "Hi."

Cindy: "Are you going to take part in the league tournament this year?"

Me: "No, not this year."

Me: "Come on Nina let's go."

Nina: "Ok."

She called Spike back into his ball.

Nina: "Bye Cindy."

Cindy:"I guess we'll have round 2 tomorrow."

Nina: "I guess so."

Nina: "You should have got here earlier, Cobalt was doing so awesome."

Me:"Really?"

Me: "How awesome is so awesome."

Nina: "The awesomest!"

Me: "Hehe."

We left the gym and headed towards the exit.

Me: "Are your pokemon ok? We can stop at the center on the way home."

Nina: "Yeah, they could use it."

Me:" Ok."

-cutely- Charley: "Newa, Mawa tywo, she go beh."

Nina:" OK."

Nina :"How are you little guy?"

Charley: "Cawey dunno..."

Charley: "Cawey miss Mawa."

Nina:"We'll be back home in just a little bit, don't worry baby brother."

We left the building and headed towards the car.

Nina: "Can I hold him?"

Me: "Yeah sure, for a little bit."

She held him the rest of the way back to the car.

A few minutes later we were back on the road.

Me :"So are you going to tell me your secret yet?"

-blatantly- Nina: "Nope."

Me: "-sighs- Fine..."

Me: "You know your mother is going to tell me anyway."

Nina: "No she won't she just told you that to keep you from asking."

Me: "Yeah right."

Nina: "She won't tell you."

Me :"Keep telling yourself that."

-upset- Nina: "SHE WON'T."

-in pain- Me: "Ok, calm down...geez..."

-worried- Nina: "Sorry!"

Me: "Why won't you tell me?"

Me: "Because you don't trust me?"

Nina: "No, it's just..."

-unsure- Nina: "I don't know."

Nina: "Why were you so late today?"

Me: "Because work ran late."

Me: "I know you're just trying to dodge the question."

-solemnly- NIna: "mmmmm."

The rest of the trip was awkwardly quiet, except for Charley occasionally laughing or trying to explain something he saw on his tv, with negligible success.

When we got home Phoebe was still laying on the couch, she was awake and watching tv.

Nina: "Mom?"

Phoebe:"Oh hey sweety, how are you? "

Nina: "Fine, how are you mom ? You don't look so good."

Phoebe: "Ohhh, I'm ok, just a bit tired."

Me: "You seem to be better now than when we left."

Phoebe: "Mhm, I'll probably be back to normal by this evening."

Charley:" Cawey wa mawa holb."

He reached out towards her.

Me: " Charley, come on now, let her relax for a bit."

I set him on the floor, then he crawled over to Phoebe and used the couch to prop himself up on his legs, so he could just barely see her over the couch.

Charley: "Mawa."

-lovingly- Phoebe: "Hehe, Hey cutie how are you?"

Nina: "I'm going to go outside."

Phoebe: "Do you have any homework?"

Nina: "No."

Phoebe: "Ok, just be careful."

Phoebe :"-sighs-"

I waited for her to leave.

Me: "You know she still won't tell me what's going on?"

Phoebe: "I know, I know, just give me a chance to talk her into it again."

Charley :"Mawa pway weh Cawey?"

Phoebe: "Not right now sweety, I'm too tired."

Charley: "Buh Cawey wah."

Phoebe: "Well, you can't always get what you want."

Phoebe :"Then you'll be spoiled and nobody will want to play with you."

-unsure- Charley: "Cawey wa mawa pway."

-somewhat frustrated- Phoebe:"-sighs-, you never make things easy do you?"

-playfully- Me: "Come here little guy I'll play with you."

Charley: "Mawa pway?"

Me:"Um...sure.."

Phoebe: "Cj, I can't."

Me: "Just say you are, he doesn't understand."

Phoebe: "Ok, fine I'll play."

-excitedly- Charley: "Mawa pway!"

Phoebe :"What are you going to play? "

Me: "Um..."

Me: "Castle?"

Me :"How's that sound?"

He looked towards his blocks.

-excitedly- Charley: " Cawey may cah-ol fo mawa."

Me: "Ok.."

-lovingly- Phoebe: "Go ahead sweety."

I gathered up his blocks for him, because, as usual, they were scattered across the living room floor. He soon began to build a castle to his own design, after building so many castles before, he was getting pretty good at it by now.

-playfully- Phoebe: "How tall can you build it?"

-unsure- Charley :"Cawey dunno."

Phoebe: "Build it as tall as you can."

Charley: "Mawa pway!"

He crawled away from his construction and tugged her arm.

Phoebe: "Ohhhhh Charley."

Charley :"Pway!"

Charley: "May cah-ol fo Cawey."

Phoebe: "I thought you were making a castle for me?"

-cutely- Charley: "Nooooo."

Charley :"Cawey may cah-ol fo dawhy."

Phoebe :"Ohhh really? It's daddy's castle now?"

-affirmatively- Charley: "Es Dawhy cah-ol."

Phoebe: "Ok."

-cutely- Charley: "Cawey no may cah-ol fo mawa."

Phoebe: "Why not?"

-cutely- Charley :"Mawa no pway."

Phoebe: "Ohh, so that's how it is?"

He pushed his castle down.

Phoebe: "Why'd you do that?"

Charley: "Mawa cah-ol fa dow."

-playfully- Phoebe: "I thought you said it was daddy's castle?"

-playfully- Phoebe: "You silly boy."

Me: "hehehe."

-cutely- Charley: "es no cah-ol aymo, Cawey ma fah dow."

Me: "Oh really?"

Charley: "Bye cah-ol Cawey miss!"

Me: "You going to build another?"

Charley: "Cawey no wa pway cah-ol no mo."

Me: "Well then what do you want to do?"

Charley: "Cawey dunno."

Me: "You want to go outside?"

Me: "That way mommy can get some rest?"

Phoebe: "Ohhh it's allright Cj."

She sat up.

Phoebe: "I can't sleep all afternoon or I won't be able to sleep tonight."

Me: "Ehhh, I guess so."

-cutely- Charley: "Mawa, fah dow ageh, Cawey wa."

Phoebe: "Fall down again? I never fell down in the first place, I was laying down silly."

He crawled over to her, and she picked him up.

Phoebe: "You want me to hold you? Fine, I'll hold you."

Phoebe :"Since you're being so persistent."

Phoebe: "You silly little boy."

She picked him up.

-cutely- Charley: "Cawey luh mawa."

-cutely- Phoebe: "I love you too, you little goofball."

She pulled him close and hugged him.

Me: "So now what?"

Phoebe :"We can watch tv."

Me: "Ok."

We watched tv for a little bit, until Charley got bored and wanted to be set down on the floor so he could play again , he was changing his mind a lot today, like he couldn't decide what he wanted to do. He went back to building with his blocks without Phoebe or I having to do anything. So we snuggled on the couch, going back and forth between watching him play and watching the tv.

Me: "We need to go out and play with our pokemon sometime."

Phoebe: "Yeah, I know, it's been awhile."

Me: "The weather hasn't been the best."

Phoebe:" Mhm."

Me: "Maybe we could go to the training area this weekend?"

Phoebe: "That sounds like a great idea."

Phoebe: " We'll probably be the only ones there because of the Silver Conference."

Me: "So we'll have the whole place to ourselves."

Phoebe: "Mhm."

Phoebe: "Now we'll just have to see if Nina wants to go."

Me: "How about we not tell her?"

Phoebe: "Cj that's not going to work."

Phoebe: "Stop worrying about it, I told you already, she'll tell you eventually and if she won't, I will."

Phoebe: "Ok?"

-a few moments of silence later-

Phoebe: "Cj?"

Me: "Yeah, it's allright."

Phoebe: "Go ask her if she wants to go, I'll watch Charley."

Me: "Ok."

I headed outside and found Nina in the backyard with most of her pokemon out, playing around. Sparky was in his normal form, hovering around freely, while Oshawott was playing with Matches by hiding in the snow, Spike didn't like the cold, so he was safe inside his ball.

-sternly- Nina: "I'm not going to tell you."

Me: "That's not what I was going to say."
Me: "I was going to ask if you wanted to go to the training area this weekend."

Nina: "Oh..."

-cheerfully- Nina: "Ok sure!"

Me :"Cool,. I'll go tell your mother."

Nina: "Ok."

I headed inside through the backdoor.

Me:"Well, she wants to go."

Phoebe: "Ok then.

She was laying on her back, holding Charley above her.

Me:"Hehe, what are you doing?"

Phoebe: "Keeping Charley entertained."

-excitedly- Charley: "Dawhy!...Cawey fwy! keeheekeekeheekekeeheeekeeekekee!"

He began to giggle.

Me: "Uhuh, I see."

His giggling became infectious and soon Phoebe and I were laughing as well.

Me: "Hehe."

Phoebe: "Oohhhh what a silly boy you are."

Phoebe: "My sweet little baby."

It was another quiet and uneventful afternoon we spent playing with Charley, and once again attempting to teach him to walk. He was getting so close, but he just didn't have a good enough sense of balance yet.

Sometime later that night, after we put Charley to bed, we were watching tv together on the couch. Phoebe was using me as a pillow, immobilizing me while Nina sat on the other end of the couch by herself.

Nina: "Mom?"

Phoebe: "What?"

Nina:"Can I tell him now?"

Phoebe: "Hmm? Why right now?"

Nina: "I don't know."

Me: "Tell me what?"

Phoebe: "A senior boy invited her to prom."

Me: "What?"

Nina:" Can I go?"

Me: "Eheh, why do you want to go? Miss can't fall in love?"

Nina: "I'm not in love, I just want to go because there will be dancing."

Me: "Does he know that?"

Nina:" No, but it's the only way I can attend is by invitation."

Nina: "If I say no I won't be allowed to go."

Me: "So that's what this is about?"

Phoebe: "She already promised me she wouldn't do anything stupid."

Me: "Ok."

Me: "Sure you can go, I guess."

-excitedly- Nina: "Thankyou thankyou thankyou."

-excitedly- Nina: "Mom! Now we can go find a dress."

Phoebe: "Maybe tomorrow sweety it's a bit too late today."

Nina:"-sighs- oookay."

Me: "That's really what all this was about?"

Phoebe: "Mhm."

Me: "Wow..."

Phoebe :"She was afraid you'd be too protective to let her go."

Me:"She can manage herself."

Phoebe: "I know, but you know how she is sometimes."

Phoebe: "Nina, why don't you get to bed sweety."

Nina: "Awe...but why?"

Phoebe: "If everything goes well I'll take you dress shopping tomorrow after school."

Nina: "Ok."

She got up and slinked into her room.

Phoebe: "Which means you'll have to watch Charely tomorrow."

Me: "Ok."

Phoebe: "Unless you want to come with us."

-jokingly- Me: "Yeah, Like I know anything about dresses."

-jokingly- Phoebe: "We could teach you."

Me: "Hehehe."

-jokingly- Phoebe: "Don't laugh, I'd bet you'd look good in green."

Me: "Ok, that's enough of that."

Phoebe: "Hehehe."

Phoebe: "-sighs-"

Me :"Are you going to be able to sleep tonight?"

Me: "Because you've been on this couch all evening."

Phoebe: "Um maybe."

Phoebe: "Do you feel tired?"

Me: "I don't know."

Phoebe:"Why don't we stay up and watch a movie together?"

Me: "Ok."

Phoebe: "I'll go make some popcorn."

Me:" Ok."

She left the couch for the first time since we got home today and returned with the popcorn she promised a few minutes later, we found a movie to watch, some movie set in some war that I couldn't remember the name of, because I was about to fall to fall asleep.

-concerned- Phoebe:" Ummm...Cj you look really tired, maybe we should go to bed?"

-tiredly- Me: "No I'll be fine..let's just watch the movie."

I said, as I dozed off just moments later.

Before I knew it she woke me up again.

Phoebe: "Hey Cj, the movie is over, are you comming to bed?"

Phoebe: "Or are you going to sleep on the couch tonight?"

-confused- Me: "Wahhhh?"

Phoebe: "Wake up sleepyhead."

Phoebe: "I knew you were tired..."

Me: "I just wanted to watch the movie with you."

-lovingly- Phoebe: "Awe...it's ok."

She helped me off the couch and I trudged upstairs, barely awake, I fell asleep shortly after I got in bed, so I don't really remember what happened after that.