Hello my dear readers!

Here's another instalment of my little story… a super exciting, a little emotional instalment.

Hope you are enjoying this, so far.

Until next time!

(Obviously I don't own Pokemon or any of its characters, so here is my disclaimer!)

…..

"Hurry up Waterflower! My mom left ages ago, we are going to be late!" Ash cried from the foot of the steps leading up to his bathroom, where his best friend stood applying a few last-minute touches to her makeup.

It wasn't her fault she was running late. She hardly ever did that. But she had packed a relatively small bag for her stay at the Ketchums' and that meant her sisters had to swing by with a few more articles of clothing and her makeup, on their own way to the famous Oak Christmas Eve Bash. Unlike Misty, the sensational sisters were always late meaning they had only dropped her clothing off half an hour ago, leaving the young red head in a panic as she attempted to doll herself up, as quickly as possible. She was thankful for Delia though. The older woman had given Misty free rein of her hair products, allowing her to tame her curly, orange locks while she waited for her sisters to arrive.

"Calm down Ketchum! I'm almost done, chill!" she threw back, glossing her lips and scooping up her bag before dashing from the bathroom.

Ash glanced at the watch on his wrist. He happened to scrub up pretty well… at least Pikachu seemed to think so, giving him a thumbs up when he exited his bedroom ten minutes ago. The young man wore a pair of black dress pants, they were a slim fit and held up by the black belt around his waist. His torso was covered by a white dress shirt, hidden under a navy, sweater, apart from the white collar which poked out of the top by the neckline, where its collar should have been. His feet were laced into a pair of shiny, leather shoes, his ankles peeking out slightly. Uncharacteristically, Ash had decided to comb back his hair slightly, making it look a little tidier than he was used to; although, considering Pikachu used his trainer's head to steady his body upon Ash's shoulder, chances are it wouldn't by tidy for long. Eevee chirped happily in Ash's right arms, a dark coat draped over his left, this being the side where his watch was situated.

He tapped his foot impatiently, as he stared at the clock face once again. 7:02pm. The party had begun two minutes ago. What the hell was taking her so long?!

"That's it! I'm leaving without you Mist—woah."

The clack of her heels drew his eyes to the top of the staircase, where she fumbled with her bag, beginning to descend the steps. Ash was glued to his place, gaping at her, similar to the way he had a few days ago in her living room.

She was stunning. No no… she was breathtaking. All ounces of oxygen were stolen from him as he raked his eyes over her figure, still unable to comprehend how it had taken him this long to register how beautiful she was. The dress she wore was a dark, velvety green and fell just above her knees. It was long sleeved, a V cut beginning at the far ends of her clavicles revealed part of her chest as it shaped out just before her bust. Her hair was tucked neatly behind her ears, cascading in waves down her back, meaning her neck was unobstructed. Ash's pulse quickened as he noticed the delicacy of her collar bones, imagining the sounds she'd make if he had the chance to trail his lips over them. He swallowed the lump in his throat, trying his best to dissolve such imaginative notions from his head. Moving down from her chest, her dress hugged her body, revealing her tiny waist until it flowed out into a loose skirt. Sheer stocking hugged her feet which were covered by a pair of gold pumps to match the handbag in her grasp. He felt his cheeks flush, as she met his gaze with his favourite feature of hers, her sparkling aquamarine eyes. Finding himself taking in her face, he let out a long breath, as the air returned to his lungs. She was gorgeous. Misty smiled at him cordially, Ash forcing himself to slam his mouth shut, blinking a few times to get his bearings back.

"Ready!" she chimed, breaking the silence that had fallen between them, slight sarcasm to her voice. She hadn't seemed to notice the fact that Ash was gawking at her mere moments ago, nor had she noticed the crimson colouring of his cheeks.

Ash cleared his throat, "Uh—awe-awesome, should we get going?"

Misty nodded keenly, offering Eevee a pat before casually linking her arm with his, unaware of the jolt of electricity her touch sent down his spine.

Pull yourself together, Ketchum. He demanded himself.

At least he'd be distracted once they go to the party…

And the alcohol it provided couldn't hurt either.

…..

Upon entering the Oak residence, Pikachu and Eevee had disappeared together in search of some food. Misty asked Pikachu to look out for Eevee on their walk over to the event, grateful when the little mouse promised to take care of the younger pokemon. She was surprised when Ash had told her he wasn't quite hungry yet, Misty oblivious to the reasoning behind his shrunken appetite. Professor Oak had greeted them on entry, inviting them to head inside the crowded space, which spilled out onto the terrace.

Ash looked around, saying a hello to a few of Pallet's locals and introducing them to Misty. The red head smiled politely each time, scanning the room herself, for any sign of a familiar face.

"Ash!" a shriek pulled their attention to a group beyond the crowd. A brunette adorned in a deep, red gown ran over to them, engulfing Ash in a tight hug.

"Settle down Maple, you'll suffocate him!" her green-haired companion chuckled behind her. He reached out for Ash's hand, shaking it as his girlfriend finally released the boy from her wrap attack.

Misty grinned, momentarily recalling the feeling of her last bone-crushing embrace from the girl. She barely had a chance to react, when the feeling returned and May's arms were wrapped tightly around her.

"I've missed you, Misty!" May spoke into her shoulder causing Misty to laugh. With a common, raven-haired interest, the pair had also become great friends since their meeting eight years ago; she was probably Misty's closest girlfriend, if you don't count her sisters, of course.

"We spoke last week, May!" Misty giggled.

"Yeah, but that's not the same as seeing you in person! Phone calls are great, but you of all people know nothing beats the real thing," she winked subtly at Misty, the red head throwing her a glare, knowing exactly what she was insinuating.

Drew snaked an arm around his girlfriend's waist, May's eyes finding Ash's once again.

"How are you, Ash? It's so good to see you back here again!" she beamed, Drew nodding in agreement.

"I'm great," Ash returned the gesture, Misty not sure if she believed his words, "what are you two doing here?"

"We are actually in Kanto for a contest. There's one in Saffron City, the week of new year's, so we thought we may as well spend Christmas here as well!" May chattered away excitedly.

"Here for Christmas!?" Misty enthused, earning an eager nod from May. "Awesome! Where are you staying?"

"Actually," Drew piped up, "in Cerulean City… we went by to surprise you today but your sister said you had gone to Pallet for the holidays."

"There have been a lot of surprise visitors at my door lately…" Misty chuckled, gently poking Ash in the ribs. He hadn't really said much, but she was happy to see a half-smile push its way onto his face.

"Good thing we all know you love surprises…" a deep voice rang out from behind her, a pair of large arms wrapping themselves around the red head's tiny waist, causing her to yelp in surprise.

Misty pulled herself out of the stranger's grip, frantically spinning around to look the man in the eyes.

"Brock!" she shrieked, "you scared the hell outta me!"

The group laughed loudly, everyone apart from Misty that is. She scowled at Brock, offering him a smack in the arm, a hard one at that.

"Ow! Jeez Waterflower, it was just a joke!" he said, rubbing his injured limb and shaking his head.

"Yeah, well, you're not funny!"

Ash chuckled at her dramatics, extending his hand to shake Brock's. "Don't worry about her Brock, she's just jealous she'll never be as funny as you are…" he teased her, Misty glaring at him in response. She raised her hand to hit Ash too, but his quick reflexes caught her hand before it could make contact with his arm. Rolling her eyes, Misty admitted defeat, unable to stop a small smile from crawling onto her face.

"Well, on that note… Let's go get a drink boys, I wanna know the latest and greatest!" Brock announced, Drew pecking May on the cheek and unwrapping his arm from around her waist.

Ash bit his lip. He didn't want to leave Misty unattended, but it would look obvious if he refused some catch up time with the boys. He was sure she wouldn't mind… it wasn't like this was a date, they were here as friends.

"Do you want anything? I feel bad leaving you," he spoke in her ear, close enough so she could hear him over the loud chatter and music in the overcrowded room. Misty shivered, the feeling of his warm breath, tickled her neck as she tried to play down the feeling that had suddenly washed over her body. His hand was on the small of her back as he spoke to her, the combination of his fingers on such a delicate part of her body and his lips so close to her neck, sending goose bumps over her skin. She could barely even process the sweetness of his comment, but somehow brought her mind back to his initial question.

She swallowed gently, shaking her head. "I-I—I'm fine, thanks… and don't worry about it, I want to catch up with May anyway! Have fun, we'll see each other later on…" she reassured him.

Ash smiled warmly as he took a step away from her, when suddenly, without warning, he turned to peck her on the cheek. His lips lingered there for a second too long, Misty wide-eyed as Ash pulled away and cleared his throat. Their eyes locked briefly, the young man picking up on her uncomfortable expression, his mind reminding him of what he had just done.

"Sorry, that was… um, random…" he said, his hand flying up to his hair as he ran through it, awkwardly.

"N-No, it's okay…" she blushed. They had hugged before, obviously… and they weren't opposed to some couch cuddling, MAN, he had slept in the same bed as her… a kiss just seemed so intimate, even one as innocent as that.

"I'll catch you later… See you May."

"Bye!" May smirked, waving him off as the boy disappeared into the crowd, following after the others.

Misty pulled her bottom lip into her mouth, turning to face May, who made no effort in hiding her excitement.

"Ummm—" her hands flew to Misty's shoulders "—what the heck was that?!"

"Nothing!" Misty groaned in reply, the fact that the colour of her face now blended with that of her hair, saying otherwise.

"Didn't look like it…" the brunette raised her eyebrow, dropping her hands from her friends' shoulders.

"Seriously May, it was nothing…"

"What was nothing?" a third voice interrupted their conversation. It belonged to another brunette, her long hair in waves, framing her face and making her hazel eyes look even brighter in contrast.

"Don't worry about it…" Misty mumbled, May still standing beside her, eyebrow raised. "May Maple, this is Leaf Green. Leaf is Gary's girlfriend."

"Hi! So nice to finally meet you," May chirped, extending her hand for Leaf to shake.

"Likewise, May! I've heard so much about you from this one—" she gestured to Misty with a nod in the girl's direction "— and that cousin of mine, so great to finally put a face to the name!"

"I know what you mean!" May giggled, Misty smiling at the pleasant meeting between the two girls.

"So, where is that boyfriend of yours?" the red head questioned, looking around for any sign of Gary.

"Ah. The guys found us by the bar and whisked him away! Brock pointed me in your direction," she smiled.

Misty however, did not. Gary was with the guys. Ash was A GUY, therefore part of the group… of guys. Her heart pounded in her chest, worrying that her conversation with Gary from yesterday would find Ash's ears. Her face quickly grew white, anyone who knew her would have assumed she had just crossed paths with a weedle… she wished that was the case. The thought of Ash finding out that she had feelings for him, was scarier than any bug pokemon she'd encountered.

"You okay Mist?" May enquired, offering her a supportive smile.

"Yeah!" Misty forced herself to return it, "Just fine…"

"Great!" Leaf enthused, grabbing May and Misty's hands, "ladies… let's dance!"

…..

Ash remained relatively quiet as he stood with his friends by the bar. He nursed a glass of scotch, holding it in his left hand as he scanned the room. The party was quite big and quite extravagant. Despite Pallet's small population, there would have been way over a hundred people in attendance. Some chose to sit amongst the outdoor furniture, others unable to sit still- a collection of feet clicking across the dance floor, or, like him, a number of guests decided to spend their Christmas Eve hovering around the bar.

He wasn't feeling like himself tonight… not in the slightest. It was as if he had been zapped by the brutal thunder of a Zapdos, frying his brain into such a state, he couldn't think properly.

Why did he torture himself like this?

Why couldn't he get out the words he knew he had to say?

It was too risky, there was nothing else to it. There was no denying it now. He couldn't lie to himself anymore, no matter how hard he tried. He was in love with her. He always had been. But why were things so damn hard? The battle between his head and his heart was like a constant game of tug-o-war; cruel and exhausting and endangering his sanity. It was his heart that screamed "she's the one! It's always been her!", but his head was louder. It was there to constantly remind him that they were best friends. BEST FRIENDS! "You can't jeopardise that!" it bellowed, "what if she doesn't feel the same? You know things will never be as they were after that!" Sculling his drink he slammed it against the counter of the bar, asking for another, his third of the night. It wasn't fair. It was too much for him to cope with. He had returned to Kanto with the hopes of leaving his problems in Kalos, but they had only seemed to multiply the longer he stayed here.

Running was his first response… Even as a kid. Whenever he'd get upset, Delia would watch him bolt down the street as if he was attempting to outrun his issues. It was just the way he was wired.

The boys around him had tried on numerous occasions to pull him into their conversation, but their words fell on deaf ears. They were his friends, and any other time he would have dove straight into the chatter, but tonight, he just wasn't interested. She hadn't seemed to leave his mind. His eyes searched for her in the sea of partygoers, desperate to drink in her beauty as it provided him with much more of a high than the scotch in his hand ever could. She was quite honestly, his favourite person on the planet, he had always thought she was remarkable; the way she challenged him, her strength and confidence in her own abilities and her kind nature. She pushed him to be better, and encouraged him not to quit, no matter what it cost him. This was only making him more confused… what was the real reason for his return? It wasn't as if she would let him give up… why did he bother coming back? He could have just hid in Kalos and gave up in private, no one would know...

Unaware that he had been holding his breath, he gave in to the air trying desperately to leave his body, a large sigh emitting from his mouth. He swirled the liquid in his glass, bringing it to his lips, when a head of glossy, auburn hair stopped him in his tracks. Finally, his chocolate orbs had found her. They had been separated for no more than an hour, but he still longed for her company. She was his favourite person after all. He watched as she chatted happily with May and Leaf, her face radiant as she laughed her beautiful laugh. He was jealous he couldn't hear the sound from where he stood. It wasn't long until the girls had company, a blonde man approaching Misty and reaching out his hand. Ash's jaw clenched tightly, as he ground his teeth together. There was no controlling the glower overtaking his face as she took the blonde's hand, the pair moving towards the dance floor. Ash had lost sight of her once again. She was allowed to dance with whoever she wanted to, they had come here as 'friends'… it wasn't a date, but that didn't mean he wasn't jealous. Throwing his head back, his third scotch burned his throat. Like the two before it, the glass was slammed against the bar, Ash requesting another. Three drinks in and he was starting to feel a little woozy, but he didn't care. It was better than being sober. Running a shaky hand through his black hair, he attempted to calm his temper. Misty wasn't his, he didn't own her, he was being ridiculous.

"Why are you still torturing yourself?" the voice of none other than Gary Oak, rang in his ears. Unlike his usual smug tone, his words were laced with concern, his childhood rival patting Ash on the back, sympathetically.

"What are you on about?" Ash countered, he wasn't in any state to deal with guessing games. Brock and Drew had dove into a discussion about how the nutrients in Roserade's food could 'make or break' it's chances in the Saffron City Pokemon Contest, their attention long gone from Ash and Gary.

Gary raised his eyebrows, as if he couldn't believe Ash was being so stupid. The raven-haired boy was never subtle, even when he tried to be. Oak could read him like a book.

"You have been searching for her since I got here… Go dance with her, if you're that irritated by yellow head over there!" he nodded in the direction of the dance floor where Misty and her blonde companion were, Ash frowning at his statement. He was irritated, but Gary didn't need to hear him admit it aloud.

"You don't know what you're talking about," he snapped, his words slightly slurred as he brought his glass to his lips again, impulsively.

Gary simply smirked, shaking his head. "Don't I? I've been watching you for the last twenty minutes… in that time you've downed three scotches, and judging by the look on your face, I'd bet my Blastoise it's a girl problem."

Ash sighed, turning away from Gary and ordering yet another drink. He was well on his way to letting the alcohol take over him and on an empty stomach, it wouldn't be a slow process.

"Ash," Gary spoke gently, bringing a hand to his shoulder again. "It's okay to feel that way towards her. You don't have to be scared…" His words were so uncharacteristic, but Ash found comfort in them, surprisingly. His face fell, his once angry expression replaced by a painful one; as if Gary had ripped his heart from his chest. He wasn't scared… he was petrified.

"I don't want to talk about this now…" he slurred, "please…"

The younger Oak simply nodded, not bothering to tell Ash to slow down as he took another swig of his drink. He handed him his own scotch, untouched and full, before opening his mouth to speak.

"But at least ask her to dance…"

…..

Misty had spent the night, dancing away with May and Leaf. Every now and then someone would ask for her hand and to be polite she'd accept, being whisked out onto the dancefloor. But, the person she wanted to spend tonight with was nowhere to be found. It was getting late and she was growing tired of accepting the requests of random men out of fear of offended them. It was fun, letting loose and enjoying herself, but she wanted to do so with him. But, he wasn't here.

The crowd had begun to dissipate as the night grew older, the music becoming slower to match with the sleepiness of tired guests. Misty had considered going out onto the dance floor for one last time before the tunes stopped, but thought better of it. Her disinterested expression had dried up her options of dance partners so she had no one to dance with (even if she wanted to) … she would look like a loser out there, waltzing on her own. So instead, she relaxed into the couch she had been sitting on with Leaf, watching May and Drew sway to the music in the centre of the room, making up one of the few couples doing so. Misty smiled to herself, as they danced. They looked so happy… so in love. There was no room for jealousy in her mind, but the loneliness was definitely there.

"May I have this dance?" a hand stretched out in Leaf's direction. The girls were met with the charming smile of Gary Oak, his girlfriend smiling lovingly up at him. Almost instantaneously, Leaf's eyes were on Misty's, her eyes sympathetic as they filled with sorrow. She was a sweet girl, Misty new she wanted to be out there too, dancing with her boyfriend, but she didn't want to leave Misty alone.

"I'll be okay Leaf," Misty smiled, "go have fun…"

Leaf offered her a kind smile, accepting Gary's hand and moving off. The red head watched the two share a passionate kiss, a soft sigh escaping her lips as she sat alone.

All she had wanted for years now, was for Ash to come home. Things were so complicated now. Being around him was both the happiest and the saddest she had been in months, she was more confused than ever. She had to force herself to forget about it… forget it all… her feelings, his return, the possibility of him liking her back. She just wanted things to go back to normal, when they were young, naïve and free.

Like he had read her mind, he appeared in front of her, even under the dull lighting, he was handsome. Why did he have to be so handsome?

"Wanna dance?" Ash asked, smiling at her with hope in his eyes.

Misty's aqua orbs held the same thing… hope that she wouldn't ruin such a beautiful relationship. Hope that she could get through this visit and things would return to the way they were… But then again, some strange part of her hoped they wouldn't…

Even though it had been an over an hour since his last drink and even though Brock had insisted on his friend filling his belly, alcohol still ran through Ash's veins. It provided him with an ounce of courage and aided him in his attempt to slow down his racing heart.

"I'd love to…" she mumbled, taking his hand in hers and allowing him to lead her out onto the dance floor. She was never one to feel shy or timid… she barely got nervous, but being around him made her feel vulnerable; as if one look, a touch… could send her down an emotional rollercoaster and she wouldn't be able to get off.

The DJ had run out of Christmas carols to play… he'd exhausted all his options and considering the small amount of people swaying along to the music, it seemed as though he had added a bunch of random songs to the cue, not at all matching the theme, but slow enough to waltz to.

Ash found a place for them, near the centre of the room. Without hesitation, he pulled her in to him, placing a hand on her waist, the other still holding the hers. Misty blushed slightly at his contact with her back, before resting her spare hand upon his shoulder. The pair swayed from side to side, the current song ending just as they began to dance.

He looked down at her, offering her a kind smile in which she returned, but the blush on her cheeks remained. The chords of the next song began to sound through the speakers, Misty burying her head in his chest as Adele's captivating voice fell upon their young ears…

'When the rain is blowing in your face…'

'and the whole world is on your case…'

'I could offer you a warm embrace…'

'to make you feel my love…'

Misty's pulse quickened she could feel it getting rapid, as his heart beat against her ear. His lips were dangerously close to her ear… and she felt his warm breath against it as he sang along quietly to the next few lines of the song.

'When the evening shadows and the stars appear…'

'and there is no one there to dry your tears…'

'Oh, I hold you for a million years…'

'to make you feel my love…'

She felt him shuffle against her slightly, his hand releasing from hers, only to meet the other, behind her back. He interlocked his fingers there, his thumbs drawing small circles against the fabric of her dress, sending goose bumps crawling down her stockinged legs.

His breath no longer tickled her ear, and she could tell he was looking down at her, as her newly released hand found his chest. She couldn't bear to look up, she'd surely lose her footing if she fell into his beautiful, mahogany eyes. They always seemed to mesmerise her; she could be absolutely infuriated with him, but one look at them… just one look, and the ice would melt, Misty a pool of water before him. She tried her best to concentrate on moving her feet, as his voice found its way to her ears once again.

'I know you haven't made your mind up yet…'

'but I will never do you wrong…'

'I've known it from the moment that we met…'

'no doubt in my mind where you belong…'

Something in his voice told her to meet his eyes. The raspy tone, inviting and sexy, drew her in, in the same way his chocolate orbs would. She traced her hands over his shoulders, entwining her fingers at the nape of his neck, giving in to temptation, and looking up at him. He peered down at her, his eyes filled with passion. His lips no longer held the goofy grin she was used to, but were slightly parted as he panted softly. She blinked at him, her own eyes flickering between his lips and his eyes, but Ash didn't budge, he still longed to stare deeply into her eyes, as if doing so, gave him a glimpse into her soul. The words of the song continued to pierce her ears, as if trying to convey a message; one that insisted that the lyrics were meant for them. She couldn't help it… she had to know why he was looking at her like that… with those eyes. Intense and hungry, in a way she had never seen them.

"Why are you staring at me?" she spoke up, breaking the silence. Her tone was curious, but the volume barely reached a whisper, but she knew he heard it, as her companion's lips twitched slightly and he pulled his bottom lip nervously between his teeth.

Ash paused for a second, as if contemplating his answer. Misty felt his thumbs stop with their circular motions behind her. She blinked at him again, cocking her head to the side, confused as to why he had ignored her question. His right hand trailed up her spine, causing her to shiver, perplexed that it had left his other hand unattended by the small of her back. Within seconds, she felt it sweep over the side of her face, the slight pink colour of her skin intensifying as he caressed her face. His fingers were thoughtful… gentle. The pad of his thumb tracing similar circles across her skin, as it had moments ago by her waist. His eyes still remained tense, causing a lump to form in Misty's throat; they had stopped swaying and for a moment, she was convinced it was just the two of them in the room.

He exhaled slowly, their closeness allowing Misty to pick up on the scent of alcohol on his breath, she wondered if he was looking at her like that because of its presence in his bloodstream. He still hadn't answered her question… her brows knitting together, causing a crease to form between her eyes.

"You're… you're so beautiful…" he murmured, his eyes searching hers desperately, Misty unable to recognise the new emotion they now possessed. She hadn't seen it on him before, she hadn't seen it in the eyes of anyone who had looked at her, really… Her face burnt with his confession, like her head had been stuck in an oven, the sensation bringing a throb to her ears.

"You are…" he breathed again. His hand now fell along her jawline, brushing the skin with his fingertips. Misty considered dropping her arms from his shoulders, but she was frozen. He had called her beautiful… Ash. The boy who didn't look at girls with interest, with… attraction.

He leant in slightly, using the finger at her jaw so tip her head up gently, to bring their faces closer together. She could feel his heart against her chest. Much like her own, it was pounding rapidly, a mix of desperation, passion and an ache to close the gap between them, being the reasoning for the organ's hasty beat. She watched his eyes dart down to her lips for the first time in the three minutes they had stood there. His lips were inches away from her own, the smell of scotch becoming more than detectable now. Was this how she wanted it to happen? With alcohol guiding his actions? Did he really want to kiss her?

His lips hovered over hers for a second, as he paused momentarily. Misty's hands unravelled from his neck, two tiny palms finding his chest.

"No Ash… not like this…" she said, still dangerously close to him, trying her hardest to force herself to push him away, but failing miserably.

"I want you… No… I-I need you Mist… I do," he muttered breathlessly, still close to her lips.

His voice was soft and creamy as it floated past her ears. She could have sworn his tone encompassed something similar to love… but she knew this would not have been the case. Was he even capable of such an emotion? No way, not towards her… not in the way she wanted him to feel it. Confusion hit her, like a tonne of bricks atop her tiny frame.

Lust. That was it. The alcohol… it pushed him over the edge, she was sure of it. His heart didn't want her… it was his body in control now, primitive instincts steering his actions. But, still, she longed for the gap between them to become non-existent and for their lips to meet for the first time. She almost allowed it to happen… almost being the key word. Searching his eyes once again, she tried not to let the mahogany pools distract her. If he only lusted after her, why were his words were so… frantic? It was like she was a lifeboat and he was fighting for his life, trying desperately to get his point across before he drowned.

The song continued to play in the background… Misty's earing straining, forcing her to let the words fill her ears. He didn't sing this time, instead he just continued to look into her pools of aqua, frozen in place, still separated only by a few inches…

'I could make you happy, make your dreams come true…'

'there's nothing that I wouldn't do…'

'go to the ends of the Earth for you…'

'to make you feel my love...'

"Misty… I—I"

'to make you feel my love…'

She thought she knew what he was going to say. What she wanted to hear… it was enough for her, even if the words hadn't exactly left his lips yet. Her eyelids closed, a heavy exhale leaving her, all the air taken from her lungs. She was desperate for him too…

Their foreheads rested against one another's, noses brushing gently as Misty prepared for the feeling she had wished for since they had first met. Body on body… breath against breath… lips… against…

"There we have it folks! Our last song of the evening! Hope you have all enjoyed your night and a very Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones… wherever they may be!"

Misty's face was yanked away from his, Ash gasping for air as if the wind had just been knocked out of him. The DJ's voice boomed throughout the room, announcing that the songs for the evening were over… as was the tender moment between Ash and Misty… over before their lips could even graze one another's.

The red head's face fell… she had to get out of there, before she exploded.

"I-I have to go find Eevee… Merry Christmas Ash," she mumbled, barely audible, but with the absence of tunes surrounding them, he heard every word.

"Merry Christmas Misty…"

And with that, she had left him.

Alone.

In the middle of the dancefloor.

He was finally starting to understand how she must have felt while he was away.

He didn't like it one bit.