The Ketchum Family - An Amourshipping Story

by RazorKeyboard

This is the story of what happens after Ash wins the Masters Eight Tournament. (Amourshipping Fanfic) What will happen when Ash and Serena reunite? Where will their journeys take them? I don't have any profanity or overly dark elements in my story. Things will get steadily steamier between Ash and Serena as things progress. All main characters are 18 years or older.

14. Slicing Through the Competition

"Okay, move the light over a little Pikachu," Ash said.

"Pika!" the electric mouse replied, taking a step to the side and shifting the position of the light source.

Ash peered down into the excavator's engine compartment and aligned the wrench he was holding with the bolt he'd just replaced. He gave the wrench a few turns, grunting in effort as he did so, and finally let out a sigh.

Ash let himself rest for a moment, examining the work he'd accomplished today. He was currently lying on his belly on top of the excavator's engine housing. He'd been working for the past two hours with his arms fully engulfed by the greasy and dark compartment. He'd finally finished replacing and refurbishing the upper half of the engine and hopefully it would be ready to start.

The moderately sized excavator was a relic from when Professor Oak had first built all the lab facilities and landscaped the Pokémon areas. It had been sitting in one of the barns for years, unused and unattended to. When Ash had decided to build a house for himself, he'd begun thinking about using the machine to dig the foundation and any other task which would require heavy equipment. At first, he'd thought it would be a simple matter of cleaning up the old machine, putting in some oil and fuel and firing it up.

Now, two months and countless hours of work later, he'd practically disassembled and rebuilt half the machine, but now, he hoped it would finally all be worth it.

Ash slid off the engine housing and dropped to the ground.

"Well, I guess we'll try starting it tomorrow," he said optimistically.

Pikachu rolled his eyes and let out a skeptical reply.

Ash frowned. "Hey, come on, we've been making progress," he replied.

It was true, they'd been making progress. However, most of the work had very much been of the 'two steps forward, one step back' variety. Pikachu had lost count of the number of times Ash had said they were nearly done with the project.

Pikachu let out a laugh and bounded out of the barn, into the cool night air.

Ash shook his head and chuckled. He then followed after his long time friend and looked up at the starry sky.

He and Serena had finished all the work on the reserve quite some time ago. While he'd been working on the excavator, Serena had been practicing for an upcoming performance. He looked across the grassy field near the main building and spied her, Delphox and Pancham practicing they're latest routine. Delphox was currently summoning small balls of fire and Pancham was freezing them with Ice Punch. Serena meanwhile was using a pair of batons to bat the frozen balls around in the air. They'd been working on the routine for over a week and Serena thought they were finally ready. It was a good thing too, the performance was tomorrow evening.

Ash smiled and started walking toward Serena and her Pokémon.

As Ash approached, Serena reached the finale of the performance and began rapidly spinning and twisting, knocking a dozen of the frozen spheres up in the air. Delphox then sent an arc of fire into the floating balls, vaporizing the ice in a burst of steam and dispersing the fire in a beautiful shower of red sparks. Serena, Delphox and Pancham all struck a pose, Serena holding the batons high over her head.

"And that's it," Serena breathed heavily. She lowered her hands and took a few rapid and deep breaths. This was by far the most physically demanding performance she'd ever come up with. A few years ago she'd never have been able to pull it off. Now, however, after all the work on the reserve and the off-and-on contest training, her body was in much, much better physical shape.

Serena glanced at Delphox and Pancham. "Hey, I managed to hit them all in the air that time," she said, sounding pleased. "I think we're doing pretty good!"

Delphox and Pancham nodded in happy agreement. Sylveon trotted in from the edge of the performance area and mewed her approval.

Ash walked toward the group, smiling as he approached. He looked at Serena and once again was amazed by how beautiful she was. She was sweaty and her hair was a mess from the day's work and the intense practice, but none of that mattered to Ash. Her eyes glimmered with energy and optimism, her gait was light and joyful and her body….. boy, Ash had really come to appreciate just how gorgeous Serena's body was.

Ash ran his eyes up Serena's frame. She was wearing her traditional shorts and t-shirt outfit and it looked terrific on her. Her legs were sleek and strong and her shorts tight fitting and compact. She'd tied a knot in the front of her shirt's hem to keep the garment from unwanted movement. As a result, a fair amount of her midsection was exposed, something which drew Ash's gaze. He watched as her belly button stretched and moved as she took deep breaths. He could also see Serena's abdominal muscles showing through her skin. His girlfriend really was an example of athleticism and fitness.

Ash's gaze continued moving up Serena's lovely form and the next object he focused on was his girlfriend's moderately sized bust. The alluring curves of flesh were much more visible than usual thanks to the tightness of her t-shirt. Ash still didn't know how it was possible for that part of Serena to be so intoxicatingly attractive but every time he stared at it he felt a strong desire to be close to Serena. VERY close to Serena. After a moment of admiring Serena's chest, he looked up at her beautiful face. Everything there was so perfect and stunning. From the shape of her chin, to the color of her lips, and the point of her nose, it all looked incredible.

Ash looked into her amazing blue eyes and saw Serena was looking back at him. The Ash of old would have been extremely embarrassed to be caught in the act of gawking at Serena. That wasn't the case now however. Serena stared at him and Ash stared back, completely undeterred. A small smile pulled at Serena's lips. She felt flattered by Ash eyeing her curves and beauty. She didn't make a move, however, she waited for her boyfriend to take the initiative.

After several long seconds, Ash chuckled and stepped forward.

"That looked pretty good," he commented. "Are you all ready for tomorrow?"

Serena acknowledged the compliment with a curt nod. "Yeah, I think we're ready. It's not good enough for a showcase, but I'm sure it will make them happy."

A few weeks ago Serena had been contacted by the mayor of a small town north of Celadon City. The town's residents were working to draw an official Pokémon contest to their location, and as part of that effort, they were putting on a small exhibition. They'd invited Serena along with several other coordinators to perform and compete. It wasn't an official contest and so Serena was using it as a chance to test out some ideas which she'd never tried before.

Serena ran her gaze over Ash, an amused glint in her eye. "How's your project going?"

Ash grinned. "Pretty good. I got the engine back together. I'll see if I can get it started tomorrow."

Serena felt happy for Ash. He'd been working hard for a long time to get the excavator working. When he'd first started repairing the earth mover Serena hadn't understood why Ash of all people wasn't using the many Pokémon at his disposal to do the work for him. One day, he'd explained that he wanted to do as much of the work on the house as he could. He viewed this as a special project and something of a test for him. Serena really hoped he could get the machine working.

The adrenaline was starting to drain out of Serena's system and she suddenly felt quite tired. She yawned and realized that it was time she got some rest.

"Well, I guess I'm going to head home," she said, her voice tinged with sleepiness.

Ash nodded and grinned. He took a step toward Serena and held out his arms for an embrace.

Serena looked at Ash with wide eyes took a playful step away from him.

"What?" Ash asked, puzzled by Serena's behavior.

Serena chuckled. "Ash, you're a mess," she said plainly.

Ash looked at himself. Serena was not wrong. His hands and arms were covered with black grime and grease from working on the engine. He needed a shower….. or two.

Ash gave a small laugh and folded his arms behind his back. He took a couple of steps toward Serena and looked into her eyes.

"Okay, well, how about a good night kiss?" he said, leaning his head forward so she could kiss him without touching any other part of his body.

Serena pursed her lips in an amused fashion and seemed to weight the idea in her mind.

"Nope!" she said with a girlish grin. She actually skipped a few steps away from Ash and then turned back to face him. "Good night, Ash," she said, her voice full of charm. She then turned and headed for the stairs leading down to Pallet Town.

Ash felt a little disappointed, but the feeling quickly vanished and he happily watched Serena leave. As she walked away, Ash couldn't help staring at Serena's cute pair of shorts and how her gait made them sway and dip as she strode. How did he get so lucky to have such a beautiful girlfriend?

Ash watched Serena until she disappeared out of sight and then headed inside where he would spend the next twenty minutes scrubbing at his hands and arms, trying to wash away the oily grime.

---

The next day began like any other. Ash awoke early and got a jump on a few chores. Serena arrived shortly after sunrise and fixed a delicious breakfast. The two of them completed the work which needed to be done on the reserve, sometimes working together and other times separately. A short while into the afternoon, the necessary work was done and Ash and Serena were free to attend to their own projects. Serena took a shower and started preparing for the contest exhibition. Ash, meanwhile, returned to the barn with Pikachu and attempted to get the excavator to start.

Ash first discovered there was a problem with the fuel system and spent some time cleaning and checking the lines. Next, he discovered an issue with the electrical system. Fortunately, Pikachu was able to serve as a backup power source as Ash tried and tried and tried and tried again to start the machine.

Ash gave the fuel system a small jiggle and climbed back into the control chair.

"Okay, Pikachu, let's give it another go," he said, preparing to activate the starter.

Pikachu let out a tired moan and nodded.

Ash crossed his fingers and turned the starter, giving Pikachu a signal as he did so.

The electric mouse let out its distinctive cry and a moment later discharged electricity into the small wires affixed to the red circles on its cheeks.

The excavator's engine struggled to turn over. It sputtered and choked as puffs of black smoke chuffed out of the exhaust pipe.

"Come on!" Ash urged the machine. "Keep it up Pikachu!" he called to his buddy.

Pikachu continued the discharge, and after a few seconds, the engine suddenly caught and rumbled to life.

Ash grinned from ear to ear as a plume of black smoke poured out of the exhaust and the excavator began to idle.

"All right!" Ash shouted to be heard over the roar of the engine. "Great job Pikachu!"

Pikachu smiled and stopped his discharge. The engine promptly began to sputter and died a moment later.

Ash frowned as the barn became quiet again.

"Well, I guess that's one more thing I'll need to replace," he said, sounding a little disheartened.

"Pika-Pika….." Ash's Pokémon sighed, sitting down on the ground. The electric type was thoroughly exhausted after serving as an improvised battery for most of the afternoon.

Ash climbed down from the control chair. "Oh well, I guess that's enough for today. We need to get ready for Serena's contest."

Pikachu eagerly pulled the wires off its cheeks and followed Ash back to the main building.

Once they were inside, Ash glanced around but Serena was nowhere to be found. He assumed that she was still somewhere outside putting the finishing touches on her performance. Ash took a quick shower, making sure to scrub all the grime off himself, and then put on a nice set of clothes.

Ash walked into the living room of the main building and found Serena slowing stepping through the various elements of her performance. She'd put on some makeup and done up her hair. She wasn't yet wearing her contest outfit but she looked very elegant and beautiful.

"Oh, hi Ash," Serena said happily as he entered the room.

Ash flashed her a smile and stepped so he was standing near her.

"So, are you ready to go?" he asked.

Serena nodded. "Yep, all ready." Serena eyed Ash and smiled. "You look nice," she commented, taking note of Ash's choice in clothing.

Ash grinned and leaned forward to give Serena a kiss. Serena leaned away and looked Ash in the eye.

"What?! I'm not dirty," Ash said, sounding a little indignant.

Serena chuckled. "No, but I don't want to mess up my makeup," she said with a glint in her eye.

Ash looked a little disappointed, but the expression quickly faded from his face. "Hey, Pikachu, it's time to go," he called out.

Ash waited a moment and there was no response of any kind.

"Pikachu?" Ash called out again.

Ash and Serena glanced around and started exploring the ground floor of the main building, searching for Ash's best buddy. After only a few seconds, Serena softly called to Ash and pointed to Pikachu. The electric Pokémon was curled up in his small bed located in a side room on the ground floor. Pikachu normally stayed in Ash's room, but Ash had seen fit to set up a small alcove for his Pokémon, one Pikachu was now using to take a much needed nap.

Serena and Ash smiled at the sight.

"I guess I wore him out today," Ash softly mused.

Serena nodded and looked at Ash. A moment passed and she whispered to him, "let's leave him be. He looks really tired."

Ash considered this for a moment and then nodded in agreement. "Okay, let's get going."

---

With several hours of daylight still remaining, Ash and Serena mounted Charizard and the mighty flying type swiftly carried them to their location. As they flew, Serena kept a scarf wrapped around her hair to preserve the braiding and pinning work she'd done.

They circled down to the contest venue and soon had their feet on the ground. Ash recalled Charizard and the two of them had a look around.

The town was fairly small and didn't possess an actual stage or contest hall. A temporary stage had been built outside the town and there was a lot of activity surrounding the area. Serena saw roughly a dozen different coordinators and their Pokémon. She recognized several of them and realized that this town was really making an effort to put on a show. She also noticed that all of the coordinators had their contest outfits on.

"Hmmmm," Serena hummed, looking around at the trees and bushes nearby.

"What is it?" Ash asked.

Serena pursed her lips and looked a little conflicted. "I'm not seeing any changing rooms….." she said slowly.

Ash glanced at Serena and she kept looking at the nearby bushes.

"I guess I'll just have to change over there," Serena said matter-of-factly, pointing to an area of dense brush.

"Oh," Ash replied.

Serena grabbed her dress and walked the short distance to the grown up area. She did a little exploring. Checking to make sure that no one else was around and that it was impossible to see through the bushes. Once she was satisfied, she returned to Ash who was standing on the other side of the bushes.

"Okay, I'm gonna get changed," she said sounding a little tense. "You stand guard and make sure no one walks in on me."

"Yeah, sure," Ash said, feeling a little awkward and a little excited at the same time.

Serena started to take a step and then turned back to Ash. "And you'd better not walk in on me either," she said, her tone somewhere between a joke and a threat. Ash's wasn't sure which it was, but he had no intension of intruding on Serena.

"Okay," he replied.

The faintest of smiles pulled at Serena's lips and she disappeared out of sight, behind the bush.

Ash felt very awkward as he stood guard. Even though there was the bush between them, Ash kept his back to Serena. He didn't want to risk even the slightest violation of Serena's privacy. A small part of him wanted to sneak a peek at his girlfriend, but he kept that thought tamped down.

Ash heard Serena pull on zippers and rustle her clothing. He tried not to think about what Serena was doing, but that proved difficult. Ash remembered the few times over the years when Serena's shirt had pulled up or her shorts had somewhat slipped and he'd gotten a peek of her undergarments. Ash also remembered the times he and Serena had visited the beach and gone swimming. One of his fondest memories was of Serena in her bandini, laying atop him on the beach, softly kissing him.

Ash recalled, with some humor, how shy he'd been back then. A part of him wished he had a chance to redo the encounter. He certainly wouldn't have panicked when his hand had drifted down to Serena's buttocks. In fact, now, Ash probably would have used his hands and-

"Hey, Ash, can you give me a hand?" Serena called out from behind the bush.

Ash froze for a moment and made sure he'd understood what Serena had said.

"Uh, you need my help….." he replied slowly.

There was a pause and then Serena answered. "Yeah, I just need you to help me real quick," she said, sounding a little tense.

Ash turned around so he faced the bush. He couldn't see Serena through the foliage and spent a moment internally debating what he should do. Serena had a knack for pulling pranks on him and he was wary that this could be a setup of some sort. Ash took a breath, tamped down his apprehension and walked around to the other side of the bush.

Serena came into sight and Ash was relieved that there was apparently no prank in the works. Serena had her new contest outfit on. Or at least that was partially the case.

The new outfit Serena had commissioned was somewhat similar to the one she'd worn during her days in Kalos. It was a one-piece strapless dress that ran from just below her arms down to her hips and terminated in a very short skirt a couple inches down her thighs. The dress was mostly red in color, but also had a few designs of gold and some orange highlights. There were a few frills of material which were designed to billow outward when Serena spun or moved rapidly. It addition to the dress, Serena was wearing a pair of black tights which completely covered her legs. The final piece of the outfit was a pair of bright red shoes.

Serena was fairly pleased with the new outfit, however she thought there were still some improvements which could be made. She anticipated she'd tweak the design a few times and probably create an entirely new costume in a few years. Right now however, Serena was using both her arms to hold the outfit to her torso, sending Ash a sheepish look as she did so.

"Uh… so… what's up," Ash asked, feeling very awkward.

Serena let out an embarrassed chuckle and glanced over her shoulder. "I, uh, just need you to zip up the back of the dress."

Ash blinked. "You need me to zip up the dress…." he repeated back, surprised that's all it was.

Serena awkwardly nodded. Her movements were a little restricted because she was holding the dress to her body. "Yeah, it's just right back there," she said, looking toward the lower part of the dress.

Ash took a few steps to the side of Serena and saw what she was talking about. The dress was held together at the back by a single, well-concealed zipper which ran vertically along the entire length of the garment.

"You can't zip it yourself?" Ash posed.

Serena looked embarrassed. "Well… no…. If I try and reach around to the back, the dress falls off me and then I can't zip it at all, so….."

"Ah," Ash replied, understanding the conundrum. He moved so he was standing behind Serena and took hold of the lower two halves of the dress. As he did this, he noticed that he could see Serena's bare back through the gap in the dress. He also noticed that there was no sign of a bra of any kind.

"Hey, Serena," Ash said awkwardly. "Are you wearing….. anything…. under that dress?"

"Uh, no," Serena replied, her voice sounding just as awkward as Ash's.

Ash was a little surprised at this. "So, it's just the dress?"

Serena glanced over her shoulder at Ash. "Yeah, Ash," she said with a nervous chuckle. "You generally don't wear anything under a dress."

Ash nodded and didn't say anything else. He pushed aside any allure he felt over Serena's situation and lined up the halves of the zipper. As he did this, he noticed that the tights Serena was wearing were indeed very tight. The black fabric covered her compact posterior but didn't conceal the shape of her curves. Ash found himself momentarily staring at his girlfriend's shapely behind before he blinked and zipped up the dress.

Serena rolled her shoulders and gave the dress a small tug so it settled properly onto her.

"Okay," she said, clearing her throat in an effort to dissipate the tension. "I'll probably sew on some straps or something so that doesn't happen in the future," she added quickly. She then turned to face Ash and they shared a quiet moment staring into each other's eyes, both of them struggling to keep from smiling over the awkwardness of the situation. Finally, Ash smirked and leaned forward to kiss Serena. Serena promptly brought her right hand up and placed her pointer finger across his lips, stopping him an inch from her face.

"Makeup," she whispered coyly.

Ash looked amused and chuckled. He sent Serena a look indicating that he intended to collect on all the kisses she'd been putting off once the performance was over.

Serena grinned and retrieved her Pokéballs.

"Delphox! Pancham!" she said, sending out her two friends.

Both Pokémon flashed into existence and looked toward Serena.

"Are you ready?" Serena asked excitedly.

Her Pokémon expressed their own eagerness and the three of them shared determined looks.

Serena took a breath and looked at Ash. "Well, I guess we'll go join the other coordinators."

Ash nodded. "Sounds good. You have fun. I'll be cheering for you!"

Serena returned the nod and then turned toward the gathering of coordinators some distance away. Ash watched her for a few steps and then headed for the seating was located.

Serena checked in with the event organizers and then went to scope out the competition. Even though this wasn't a true competition, Serena still liked to see who she'd be going up against.

A few of the trainers said 'hi' as Serena walked about. Most of them recognized her as a former champion of Hoenn and Serena felt a little embarrassed by the awe-filled looks. She nodded politely and thanked them when they offered compliments.

Serena saw one coordinator wearing a lovely dress made of black and dark purple fabric. She was flanked by an Espeon and Umbreon and Serena guessed they were planning some sort of psychic inspired show. She spotted another coordinator wearing an orange, white and yellow dress. She was talking enthusiastically to a Cinderace and a Sandshrew. Serena didn't have any ideas about what their plan might be.

Next, Serena saw a very small girl standing next to a Haxorus and a Swablu. She was wearing a dress sporting different shades of dark green and tan. Serena paused and took in the sight of the petite girl happily rubbing the nose of the equally happy dragon type.

"It's our first show since you evolved!" the girl said in a childish sounding voice. "It's going to be so much fun!"

Serena chuckled to herself and kept walking. The small girl and her menacing looking dragon type were the perfect example of just how varied contests could be.

Serena then spotted a very sharp looking young man wearing a nice dark blue suit. He was trailed by a Bisharp and a Roserade. Serena eyed the two Pokémon but couldn't figure out what their strategy might be. She then glanced up at the young man and saw that he was eyeing her and not Delphox or Pancham. He shot her a flirtatious look and raised his eyebrows.

Serena gave him a polite nod of acknowledgement and felt herself blush slightly. Ash often complimented her on her beauty but it wasn't something that she dwelt on. Occasionally, though, there were other young men who reminded her of her ability to turn heads. Serena found their actions amusing, but not appealing in the slightest. She only had eyes for Ash.

Serena briefly glanced back at the young man, taking in his tall and slender form before she turned her head forward and continued walking. As she stepped, a small smile spread across her face.

"Sorry, not interested," she thought with amusement. "Besides, Ash is ten times the man you are," she added with a mental chuckle, recalling several wonderful memories of her boyfriend, with his shirt off. The several years of working on the reserve had caused Ash to become somewhat muscular. As Serena remembered his broad shoulders and toned chest, she felt a warm surge of romantic energy swell up inside her. She really loved every single aspect of Ash Ketchum.

---

After a short bit of fanfare and an announcement by the mayor, the contest began.

Serena waited on the side of the stage and watched the other performers with the eye of a spectator. She wasn't taking this contest too seriously and it allowed her to relax and enjoy the show.

Most of the performers were brilliant. The girl with the Espeon and Umbreon put on a dazzling show full of psychic tricks and pulses of dark purple energy. Serena was surprised by the girl with the Cinderace and Sandshrew. After setting up a small cloud of sand and red sparks, Sandshrew curled into a sphere and Cinderace began using its fast and slender legs to bat the Pokémon around like it was a ball.

Next, it was Serena's turn and she took to the stage feeling happy and loose. She reached center stage and spotted Ash in the crowd. He was five rows back and sent her a big smile. Serena pulled out her batons and they began their routine. Things almost went perfectly for them. Delphox created spheres of fire and Pancham froze them with quick jabs of Ice Punch. Serena managed to knock them all into the air, although her aim was a little off. Delphox had to exert a little extra effort to engulf all the frozen spheres with fire, but she pulled it off.

The crowd roared its approval and Serena, Delphox and Pancham all took bows. She glanced at Ash and saw him clapping enthusiastically and beaming at her. She smiled and departed for the petite girl and her Haxorus and Swablu.

"Here we go Haxxy," the girl squeaked in a small voice.

Serena moved to the side of the stage so she was concealed by improvised curtains. She immediately turned to her Pokémon and placed a hand on each one of them.

"I'm so proud of you!" she whispered happily. "You did great!"

Delphox blushed and nodded in appreciation. Pancham looked pleased and grunted in acknowledgement.

Serena smiled happily and felt her eyes get wet. It had been a long time since she'd done a performance and she was more emotional than she'd expected. She took a steadying breath and straightened up. She looked toward the stage and saw the petite girl was in the middle of her performance.

Swablu used Cotton Guard and created a cloud of fluff. Haxorus then charged its blades and used Outrage to rapidly slice the cotton into a shining mist.

"Now, Haxxy use Dragon Pulse and Swablu use Dazzling Gleam!" the girl called out.

Swablu prepared to use its move and then suddenly cried out in surprise. Haxorus let out a groan and staggered sideways. Its eyes were rolling aimlessly in their sockets. The dragon had become confused.

"Haxxy?!" the girl squeaked in concern, sounding uncertain of what was going on.

The Haxorus let out another groan and staggered again. It swept its head in a big arc and smashed some of the decorations on the stage.

The crowd gasped, Serena tensed up and the little girl cried out in dismay.

"HAXXY! STOP!" she shouted, taking a few uncertain steps toward the out-of-control Pokémon.

The Haxorus staggered sideways, away from its trainer, sweeping its head as it did so. The little girl kept taking steps forward, pleading for her Pokémon to stop its rampage.

Serena and Ash simultaneously gasped in fear and horror as they saw what was about to happen. Both of them had spent so much time around Pokémon that they could see by their movements what they were going to do next. In the next few moments, the Haxorus would stagger toward its trainer, sweep its head in a big arc, and cleave the unaware little girl in half with its devastating blades.

Ash and Serena both started moving. Ash however was five rows back from the stage and completely helpless. Serena, on the other hand, dashed forward, sprinting with every bit of speed she could summon.

Time seemed to slow as Serena took one large stride, then a second and a third. Haxorus' head began to sweep toward the little girl and Serena leapt forward, her arms fully extended.

"PANCHAM, ICE PUNCH!" Serena screamed.

Ash suddenly stood still, rooted in place by a wave of pure horror. He saw Serena diving toward the little girl, he saw Haxorus' blades sweeping around, and for one terrible moment, in his mind's eye, he saw his girlfriend being sliced in two, right in front of him.

Ash would have gasped, but his voice completely caught in his throat. He could only watch as Serena tackled the little girl and the blades swept toward them. The force of Serena's impact pressed Haxxy's trainer toward the ground just as the Pokémon's blades cut through the air. With a nausauting 'whooshing' sound, Haxorus' weapons cleaved through one of Serena's braids which had come loose, then both girls crashed to the stage.

Pancham leapt forward, let out a battle cry and unleashed an Ice Punch uppercut, delivering it straight to Haxorus' jaw. The dragon let out a grunt and its head snapped back from the impact. A moment later, the Pokémon groaned, its eyes rolled up in its head and it fell backward, collapsing onto the stage with a loud crash.

The dust began to settle and Serena untensed her body. She looked at the little girl cradled in her arms. The coordinator's eyes were wide with surprise but she seemed to be completely unaware of the terrible fate she'd just been spared from.

"Are you okay?" Serena asked in a kind tone.

"Uh huh," the girl replied softly, giving a small nod as she did so.

Serena smiled and released the little girl. The two of them stood up and the little girl promptly let out a cry of dismay.

"Haxxy?!" she said in a squeaky voice. She quickly dashed over to her Pokémon and began rubbing its head. The beast groaned and opened its eyes. The little girl immediately started speaking words of reassurance and hugging her Pokémon.

Serena let out a sigh of relief and glanced at Pancham. The tiny panda had its arms crossed and let out a satisfied grunt as it nodded in approval. They'd both done well.

Serena smiled and looked at the smashed part of the stage.

"SERENA!" Ash called out.

Serena glanced to the side and saw Ash climbing up to the stage. His eyes were wide and his expression was like nothing she'd ever seen before.

"Hi Ash," she replied, not sure what else to say.

Ash took several quick steps toward her and grabbed hold of her shoulders. His grip was a bit tighter than usual, as if he was afraid she might somehow slip away if he didn't keep a hold of her.

"Are you okay?!" Ash said, his voice shaking.

Serena nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine," she said happily. "That was a close one, huh?"

It took a moment for Ash to fully accept that Serena was indeed all right. A small shudder went through him and he sagged slightly in all consuming relief.

"I'm so glad you're okay," he breathed, wrapping his arms around Serena and drawing her into an emotional hug.

"Oh!" Serena squeaked as Ash took hold of her. She was briefly surprised by the public affection but then warm feelings bubbled up inside her. She sighed and let herself relax into the hug. Several seconds ticked by and Serena suddenly began to feel self-conscious. There was a whole crowd of people staring at them after all.

"Uh, Ash," Serena began diplomatically.

"Huh?" Ash replied. His only concern was that Serena was okay.

"We're on stage….." Serena said with a tense smile.

Ash blinked, looked around and it dawned on him the situation they were in.

"Oh," he mumbled. He let out a chuckle and slowly pulled away from Serena.

---

After the disaster was cleared, the contest organizers decided they wouldn't continue with the performances. Many people had been upset and several of the coordinators were shaken. Additionally, some of the stage had been damaged and the venue wasn't really up to more performances.

Serena felt a little sad for the people who'd put on the show. She could tell they'd put a lot of effort into the production and after things were settled, she went to give encouragement to the organizers. In a reversal of expectations, it was the organizers who expressed immense gratitude to Serena. They realized that her quick action had averted a horrible tragedy and they thanked her profusely. Serena felt a little embarrassed, but deep down, she realized she'd done something very, very meaningful. She'd saved that little girl's life.

Serena walked away from the town and to the area where she'd donned her contest outfit earlier. The sun had set by this time and the sky was a very deep blue. Ash stayed at her side as she walked. He hadn't left her since the near miss.

"I'm really glad you're okay, Serena!" Ash said, sounding just as relieved now as when he'd first hugged her.

Serena smiled kindly and glanced over at him. "Thanks!" she said sweetly. "I'm glad it all worked out."

Pancham and Delphox spoke up and added their feeling of relief to Ash's. Serena sent a smile of gratitude their way and chuckled happily.

They reached the bushes where Serena had changed earlier and she recalled her Pokémon. She then laid out her clothes and undid her hair. She frowned when she noticed the hunk that Haxorus had carved out of her locks. It looked like she'd have to do some trimming when she got home.

"I'm really glad you're okay, Serena!" Ash said again.

Serena smiled kindly and stowed her Pokéballs. She then glanced at Ash and felt a little concerned. She was always used to seeing Ash confident and motivated. Right now, he looked scared and uncertain.

"Hey, are you okay?" Serena said gently.

Ash's lips trembled briefly. He looked at the ground for a moment and then met Serena's gaze.

"I'm just really glad you're okay, Serena!" Ash said again, his voice heavy with relief.

Serena chuckled briefly at Ash repeating himself. She reached out and laid a reassuring hand on Ash's shoulder.

"I'm here. Everything's okay," she said in a quiet and loving tone.

Ash stared into her eyes for several long seconds. Serena was just about to withdraw her hand when Ash suddenly moved forward. He slipped one hand behind her back and the other behind her head. For a second, he held her face barely an inch away from his own. She could feel his breath tickling her chin. Ash then gently pulled her into a wonderful, warm, emotional, and passionate kiss.

The boldness of Ash's actions took Serena by surprise. She breathed in sharply through her nose and felt Ash move his mouth against hers. She responded and moved her lips along with his, feeling wetness and tasting Ash's savory flavor. There was something different about this kiss and Ash's actions. He felt more assertive and less hesitant. Serena suddenly felt small and delicate in Ash's grasp, like he had total control over her and was dictating everything that was happening. Serena really enjoyed this new sensation.

Serena wasn't sure how long the kiss went on, but Ash finally released her and she gasped for breath, feeling slightly disorientated by the unexpected passion. She blinked her eyes and focused on Ash.

"You said, be bold, right?" Ash posed.

"Yeah," Serena breathed, still feeling surprised by Ash's actions. She made a happy hum and smiled.

The two close friends shared a moment and then separated.

Serena let out a sigh and looked at her clothes. "Well, I guess I'll get changed," she stated.

"Yeah," Ash replied, nodding his head.

Several seconds ticked past and Ash didn't move. A small smile of amusement pulled at Serena's lips and she looked directly at her boyfriend. Ash stared back and after a few moments curiously asked, "what?!"

Serena nearly laughed. "I'm going to change clothes, Ash," she said plainly.

Ash continued staring at her, so distracted by his concern for her that he failed to understand the situation. Finally, his eyes widened as things clicked into place.

"Oh," he said, sounding a bit uncomfortable. He shifted on his feet and glanced around. "I guess I'll go… stand over there…." he said awkwardly. He then turned and marched out of sight behind the bush.

Serena laughed to herself and shook her head. She really loved Ash. Every single part of him.

---

Once Serena was back in her standard clothes, she rejoined Ash and they mounted up on Charizard. Normally, Ash rode in front and Serena hung on to him from behind. This time, Ash insisted Serena ride in front and he kept his arms wrapped around her, holding her securely in the saddle as they flew. Serena thought it was a little unnecessary but in the end, it ended up being somewhat romantic as she felt extremely close to Ash during the entire flight.

When they reached the Pokémon reserve, they dismounted, and before Serena could take two steps, Ash drew her into another passionate kiss. Serena loved every second of it and when they separated she looked at Ash and said in a half serious tone, "let me guess, you're glad I'm okay."

Ash chuckled and the two of them went inside.

They washed up and changed into their casual clothes. Serena then began preparing a small dinner. They both felt hungry after everything that had happened.

Ash assisted in the kitchen like he usually did, and Serena found herself having to evade some of his affections, else she would get little done. At one point, she held up her right hand and used her index finger to push Ash down into a chair, chuckling as she did so.

"You sit down, lover boy," she said smiling broadly. "Let me cook!"

Both of them laughed and Serena went back to the stove while Ash watched her every move. As time passed, Ash looked down at the floor and his face changed into an expression of contemplation. He remained quiet until Serena called out the meal was ready.

Ash stood up, joined Serena in the kitchen and served himself a plate of food. He shared a few words with Serena and yet again expressed how glad he was that she was okay, however, he remained mostly quiet and thoughtful.

While they ate, Serena tried a few times to spark up a conversation but Ash was strangely distant. He conversed with her, but their interactions were mostly a one-sided affair. She wasn't sure what was on his mind or why his demeanor had changed so suddenly. He didn't seem upset, sad or angry; it just seemed like his thoughts were elsewhere. Serena considered asking what was going on, but over the course of their relationship, she'd learned to give Ash time to think about stuff. He eventually would work out whatever it was and then he'd share it with her. It had happened dozens of times already and Serena was content to leave Ash with his thoughts.

They finished the meal, Ash carried the dishes over and then stared into space as Serena washed them. Once that task was done, Serena glanced at the clock and saw it was starting to get late. Normally she would have hung around with Ash for a little longer, but it looked like he needed some time alone.

"Well, I guess I'll be getting going," Serena said.

Ash nodded. "Yeah, okay," he said absently.

Serena smiled and laughed to herself. She took a step toward Ash, clinched her right hand into a fist and pushed it into Ash's left shoulder as a means of expressing friendship.

Ash blinked and looked up at her. Serena smiled back and turned to go.

"Uh, hey Serena," Ash began, sounding a little uncertain.

Serena turned back around to face him. "Hmm," she hummed in acknowledgment.

Ash paused a moment before he spoke again. "Is it okay if we talk real quick?" he asked.

Serena gave a small nod of her head. "Sure Ash," she said in a friendly tone.

Ash looked around and then gestured toward the couch, indicating that they should sit down. Serena followed Ash to the couch and sat down to his right. Ash placed his hands on his knees and idly tapped his fingers as he gathered his thoughts.

"I'm really glad you're okay, Serena," Ash said, relief filling his voice.

Serena grinned and nearly laughed. She thought it was sweet that Ash had been so worried about her, but it was also getting to be quite funny how he kept repeating himself.

Ash looked over at Serena and gave her a sheepish smile. "This is probably gonna sound pretty silly," he said in an amused tone.

Serena smiled but didn't respond.

Ash took a breath and continued. "Serena, you know how I've been thinking about our relationship and about us for a while?"

Serena nodded in reply.

"Well, I'd just kind of started to think of you as my girlfriend, and that we'd kiss and hug and have fun and all, but I hadn't really appreciated you."

Serena blinked a few times and felt a stirring of warm feelings inside her heart as she realized this was a meaningful conversation for Ash.

Ash looked down at his knees and a pained expression passed over his face. "Tonight, when you nearly got killed, I was so scared for you. I'd never felt that worried before."

Serena leaned closer to him and whispered her reply. "Well, now you know how I felt all those times when you put yourself in danger," she said with a bit of humor.

Ash laughed tensely and then was quiet for a moment. "When I thought I might lose you, it was the most horrible thing I'd ever felt." Ash paused and then continued. "It made me realize just how much I've come to depend on you Serena….. how much I care about you."

Serena's expression became more serious. Ash was speaking from his heart and this conversation was suddenly very important to her.

Ash looked up at Serena and spoke in a very sincere tone. "You make every one of my days better and I really don't know what I'd do without you."

Serena felt her throat begin to tighten and her eyes start to tear up.

Ash took a breath and spoke again. "I really should've figured this out a long time ago, but…." He looked directly into Serena's eyes and spoke with conviction. "Serena, I love you!"

Serena's eyes widened and her heart seemed to stop beating. Everything else in the world fell away from her mind. The only thing that mattered to her now were the words coming out of Ash's mouth.

"I love how you're always helping me and working hard. I love how you try to be happy even when you're not…" Ash was becoming choked up as he struggled to keep his emotions under control. "I love how wonderful you are."

Total silence hung in the air for several long seconds. Serena took a slow, shuddering breath and then partially blew it out in an equally shuddering fashion. She opened her mouth and spoke in a quiet voice that was shaking with emotion.

"You love me!" she squeaked, sounding as if she didn't believe it herself.

A smile of pure joy and silliness spread across Ash's face and he nodded twice.

Serena took another shallow breath. "You're sure?!" she breathed, remembering the last time Ash had professed love he'd eventually recanted, unsure at the time about his feelings.

The silly smile on Ash's face widened into a grin and he nodded again.

Serena took a couple more shuddering breaths. Her vision became blurry as her eyes filled with tears. "This is really happening!?" she whispered, finding it hard to believe the moment she'd waited so long for was now upon her.

Ash started to chuckle as happiness overwhelmed him.

Like a dam giving way, a massive torrent of emotions broke loose inside Serena. All the hopes and dreams she'd held for so long were suddenly coming true. All the waiting, all the patience, all the hard work, it had all been worth it!

Serena's throat tightened and her lungs spasmed. Every happy and warm emotion in existence flooded into her heart and pumped through her veins. Tears flowed from her eyes and she struggled to speak.

"Oh, Ash!" she managed in a cracking, high-pitched voice. She reached forward and gently took hold of his shoulders.

Ash's lips trembled and he placed his hands on Serena's shoulders. "Serena!" he breathed, his eyes tearing up.

Serena took a ragged breath and pulled Ash into a hug. She pressed her face against his left cheek. "I love you so much!" she whispered in a warbling voice.

Ash struggled to take a breath. "I love you too!" he replied, his voice choked by emotion.

Ash's words sent blooms of warm joy throughout Serena's body. She'd never felt this happy in her entire life. She didn't have words which could describe it. In fact, she didn't have any words left at all. She held Ash in the embrace for several long seconds and then pulled back a little so she could look him in the eye. They stared at each other for a moment and then Serena leaned forward, closing her eyes as she did so.

Ash mirrored her actions and their lips met in a lovely, warm, emotional kiss.

This kiss was nothing like all the other kisses which had come before. Serena felt as if lightning was flowing out of her lips and coursing through her body. She gasped for breath through her nose and felt Ash move his lips against hers. She mirrored Ash's movements and felt the lightning become red-hot and full of passion.

Serena let out a muffled exclamation of pleasure as she absorbed the intense feelings. Ash heard his girlfriend's vocalization of enjoyment and it inspired him to action. He already had his arms wrapped around Serena's torso, but he shifted his grip slightly and gently flexed his muscles, pulling Serena's slender form tight against his muscular body. Serena had once commented to Ash that she loved it when he asserted himself over her and took decisive action. After nearly losing Serena, Ash decided that he was done with being shy and hesitant. He now fully understood how he felt and he was going to direct bold affection toward the girl he loved.

He could tell from how Serena returned his firm embrace and gasped in enjoyment that he was doing all the right things. Ash thought hard about how else he could express his love to Serena. There were so many possibilities…..

Serena felt her ribcage flex and breasts compress as Ash drew her into the tightest embrace she'd ever experienced. She continued moving her lips along with Ash's, still feeling an incredible electric like sensation arcing through her body. She loved being held so tight by Ash. She could feel his powerful muscles all around her and it made her feel desired, loved, helpless and completely safe at the same time. She could feel her heart beating inside her chest and she thought she could also feel Ash's heart, pounding loudly inside his chest.

Ash abruptly loosened his embrace and pulled away slightly, breaking the wonderful kiss they were sharing. Serena opened her eyes, feeling a little surprised but then she saw Ash's expression.

No matter how affectionate Ash had been in the past, he'd always held back and been hesitant in his actions. Serena deeply loved Ash's gentleman qualities, but she'd often wished that her boyfriend would act without worry and simply live in the romantic moments when they presented themselves. Now, the handsome brown eyes staring back at Serena were full of intention and boldness. Gone was the hesitation and doubt. Ash wanted Serena and he wasn't shy any longer about expressing himself.

Serena felt something instinctual, something primal awaken inside her. She was a woman in the presence of the man she loved and she could see just how much he desired her. She felt drawn to him in ways she'd never felt before. It was just like her mother had warned her.

This was an entirely new experience for her. She could feel powerful urges and sensual impulses entering her mind. Normally, during her interactions with Ash, she'd always felt in control to a certain degree. Now, it was like someone else had a hand on the steering wheel of her decisions and she was fighting for control.

Ash surprised Serena and suddenly moved forward. He softly kissed the tip of her nose, sending sparks flying inside her mind, and then leaned his head forward, resting his left cheek against hers.

For just a moment, Ash affectionately rubbed his cheek against hers. Serena loved the sensation, but she then felt Ash's lips tickle her earlobe. She breathed in sharply as she experienced the unexpected teasing of her ear and then gasped as Ash playfully took her earlobe between his lips and began lightly sucking on it. Serena was surprised by how intense every sensation was and she closed her eyes while clawing at Ash's back. She wanted to say something to express her enjoyment of Ash's actions but all she could manage was a brief moan of pleasure. She lacked the words to describe how wonderful everything felt.

Ash could feel and hear all of Serena's reactions as he worked on her earlobe. Her lips were barely an inch from his ear, and every gasp, every squeak and every moan his girlfriend emitted serenaded his senses. Ash smiled internally, drawing massive enjoyment from how much pleasure he was generating inside Serena. He immensely enjoyed everything he was doing to Serena. There was something powerfully erotic about touching and stimulating her body. Every action he performed made him want to do more to her. It was like a snowball rolling down a hill. The farther it rolled, the more powerful it became.

Ash pulled his lips away from Serena's earlobe and extended his tongue. He began gently running the tip inside the curves of Serena's ear. Serena let out a gasp of surprise followed by a tiny squeak of delight. He could feel her hot breath washing over his ear and she breathed in and out.

As Ash's tongue moved along the paths of Serena's ear, he encountered small pockets of his girlfriend's delicious flavor. He loved the taste and the sensation, but what he loved most of all was that Serena was ecstatic about his actions. Ash finished the sensual lick, withdrew his tongue and pulled back to look Serena in the eye.

Serena stared into Ash's eyes, feeling a red-hot love for him that was far more intense than her usual affection. She reached up and gently placed her hands behind his head. She intended to pull Ash into a kiss, but Ash took action first. He leaned his head forward and down, angling below Serena's chin and moving toward her chest.

Serena felt an incredible burst of anticipation course through her as she wondered exactly what part of her chest Ash was intent on. A moment later she felt his nose brush against her collarbone and then felt his lips touch her skin just below that.

The feeling was incredible. Even though Ash was above her breasts, the kiss sent a shower of sparks across her chest. Her insides tensed up and she had to clamp her lips shut to keep from making some sort of ridiculous outcry. Ash moved up a fraction of an inch and kissed her again. This time, he made sure to engage more of his mouth, making the kiss nice and wet.

Ash slowly and steadily kissed his way up Serena's chest and then continued onto her neck. Serena experienced multiple different and wonderfully intense sensations. She felt as if there were hundreds of tiny strings attached to her body, pulling her in all directions. Her body tensed and her midsection spasmed as Ash kept kissing. Her back arched, and as Ash reached the top of her neck, she tilted her head upward, looking toward the ceiling. Her eyes squeezed shut as she was wracked with an unbelievably intense sensation that made her want to squirm and writhe. Serena clenched her mouth shut to keep from crying out in uncontrolled pleasure, but as Ash planted a final intense kiss just below her jawbone, a muffled, high-pitched shriek of erotic enjoyment rose up out of her throat. The kiss seemed to go on forever and Serena felt as if a crackling ball of sensual energy was being charged inside her chest.

Ash released the kiss and Serena felt a burst of tension and emotional energy flow down from where Ash had lavished affection on her. It washed over her breasts, making them tingle in anticipation and continued down her midsection and over her legs. Serena felt the wave run across every inch of her skin, setting her flesh alight and making every sensation she felt more intense. The energy finished its swift journey across her body and ultimately settled into her lower regions, igniting a fire of desire and longing inside her loins.

Serena's body was fully aware of the activity she was engaged in. As her actions became more and more romantic, her body's various systems dutifully responded to the situation. The sexual elements inside her awakened and began preparing the girl from Kalos for intimacy. Blood pumped, sweat beaded and breathing accelerated. The flush, which Serena had experienced many times before, became a deep red across her neck and face and spread further down her torso than ever before.

As Ash continued to lavish kisses and touches on Serena, her body worked hard to ensure everything would be ready in time. Her pleasure-feeling nerves increased their sensitivity and the sexual machinery of her body came alive, deploying soon-to-be-needed lubrication. Within mere minutes, she would be fully prepared to receive her boyfriend's much desired love.

Serena gasped and a look of surprise and amazement spread across her face. She'd never experienced anything approaching this. Ash brought his head up and looked at her. She stared back, feeling what could only be described as a sudden hunger for Ash's affection. She loved everything he was doing to her. She REALLY loved what he was doing to her!

Serena still had her hands around the back of Ash's head and she aggressively pulled him into a kiss. Their lips firmly pressed against each other and Serena passionately worked her mouth, eagerly wanting to feel more of the man she loved.

Ash enjoyed the kiss just as much as Serena did. He happily moved his lips along with her, savoring the warmth and the flavor of his girlfriend. As the kiss continued, Ash let his hands slide down Serena's back until they reached the end of her shirt's hem. He briefly considered his course of action and then adeptly slid his hands underneath the back of his girlfriend's shirt.

Serena loved kissing Ash. She'd loved it from the time she'd delivered the first kiss way back at the Kalos airport. She loved the feel of his warm lips and the intimate connection it created between them. Now that the kiss they shared was more intense than ever, she loved it even more. Serena was so caught up in the kiss that she didn't notice Ash's hands slipping underneath her shirt until she felt his fingers playing across the small of her back.

Serena breathed in sharply through her nose and her midsection spasmed yet again. She loved feeling Ash touch her bare skin. She wanted him to run his hands all across her body. She wanted him to explore every inch of her female form, every curve, every crevasse. She wanted him to slowly and systematically strip her naked and lavish her most sensitive regions with his glorious touch before finally making love to her with unbridled passion.

The erotic image stuck in Serena's mind for several seconds before she partially came to her senses. She realized that things were starting to get out of control. As much as she hated to do it, she and Ash had to stop. This had gone on long enough.

Serena slightly leaned her head forward so their lips separated. She opened her mouth to speak, but the moment she did Ash mirrored her action and slightly extended his tongue, brushing it gently against her lips. Serena found she couldn't resist the tease and she pushed her tongue past her teeth and met Ash's wonderful tasting organ in the small gap between their mouths. She danced with Ash for a moment and then withdrew her tongue.

"Ash," she managed to rasp between heavy breaths.

"Hmm," Ash replied, heavily distracted by the situation.

Serena wanted to continue speaking, but she found she couldn't resist exchanging a few wet kisses with Ash first. Eventually, she leaned her head forward and broke contact again.

"We need to stop," she breathed.

"Mmm, hmmm," Ash hummed in acknowledgement. He agreed with Serena that things were starting to get out of hand. However, it was going so well, there was no need to stop just yet. They could squeeze a bit more enjoyment out of the encounter before they quit.

Their lips met again and they moved their mouths in a wonderful ballet of wetness and warmth. Neither of them stopped.

Ash began sliding his right hand up Serena's back. He loved the feeling of her smooth skin and the realization that he was reaching farther and farther underneath her clothes. He continued kissing her, making each movement of his mouth gentle yet passionate.

As Ash's hand continued sliding up her back, Serena felt her midsection spasm again and again. She could feel energy building up inside her, like a spring being slowly coiled. Her concerns over the encounter going too far began to fade away as she basked in the waves of pleasure washing over her. Then, she felt the tips of Ash's fingers encounter her bra strap. To say that the sensation of her boyfriend teasing her undergarment sent a thrill through her would have been an understatement.

Serena's entire body flinched and a hot tingle of excitement bloomed inside her breasts. She'd enjoyed several fantasies which had begun exactly like this. The thought of her bra coming free of her torso was a tantalizing prospect which made her blood simmer.

Ash could feel how much Serena liked what he was doing and decided to give her another loving caress. He shifted his left hand downward and softly cupped his fingers around Serena's compact posterior. Inside his mind, Ash remembered Serena's words assuring him that he could touch her butt, or any other part of her, without any concern whatsoever. It was time to finally put that promise to the test.

Serena had thought the feeling of Ash teasing her bra was the limit of her sensations. Now, with him holding her buttocks, she realized that wasn't the case at all. She wrapped her arms around Ash and pulled herself against his body. She felt her midsection spasm yet again and the spring slowing coiling within her wind ever tighter.

She and Ash were still sitting next to each other on the couch and she slightly shifted her legs so she could half-turn towards him. As she moved, Ash kept a hold of her buttocks and the fingers of his right hand again brushed against her bra strap. All of the stimulation, combined with the shifting of her legs, caused the fire of desire burning in her lower regions to spread outward, into her body, threatening to completely engulf her.

Serena could feel just how much her body desired sex. She was starting to feel helpless before her intense feelings and that she and Ash were sliding toward an inevitable intimate encounter. As much as Serena had teased and joked about sex, she didn't want their first time to be an uncontrolled, frantic mess. She wanted it to be special and intentional, something both of them agreed to, enjoyed and savored. There were still conversations she wanted to have and flirtations she wanted to make before they finally shared a bed. This was simply too soon!

"Ash," Serena managed to speak in between kisses with him. "We-*smack*-really-*smooch*-need to-*smack* *smack* *squelch*-stop!"

"Mmm, hmm," Ash hummed in acknowledgement again.

Seconds passed, the kissing and caressing continued and neither of them stopped.

Serena felt herself getting lost in the sea of wonderful emotions and sensations. She didn't know where or when Ash had gotten so good at manipulating her body, but it seemed like every few seconds he'd touch or tease her in a new way that made her gasp and writhe in pleasure.

Ash slipped his hand underneath Serena's bra strap and used his pointer finger to slowly lift the band of fabric away from Serena's back. Once he'd pulled the strap an inch away from her skin, he released the fabric causing it to snap back against Serena's flesh. The thrill generated by the action caused Serena to flinch and a cry of enjoyment to burst from her lips.

Serena felt Ash smile in response to her outburst. He rubbed his forehead against hers and repeated the playful tug on her undergarment. Serena felt the same intense thrill rush through her as the strap again snapped against her back. She wondered exactly how many times Ash could repeat the action before the small clasp holding her bra together finally came undone. The feeling of rolling the dice with her modesty continued to stoke the blazing fire of passion inside her.

Ash gave her buttocks a firm squeeze and Serena let out a muffled yelp of enjoyment. The passions and impulses flooding Serena's mind caused her to briefly imagine, in vivid detail, the sights, sounds and feeling of Ash taking her virginity. Serena was captivated by the vision until, finally, she partially came to her senses.

'No, this has got to stop!' she thought.

Serena gathered what strength of will she could and placed her hands against the front of Ash's shoulders. She intended to push the two of them apart and break their amazing connection before things went any farther. She hated to do it. Every sense in her body was screaming at her to just let things unfold and enjoy the sea of pleasure she was floating in. She refused to give in though. It took all of her will, but Serena tensed her muscles and-

As Serena prepared to shove herself away, Ash continued inflicting pleasure on the girl he loved with tender and methodical precision. With most other avenues explored, Ash did exactly what Serena had taught him and used his lips to request that she open the door to her wonderful little house.

Serena automatically moved in synch with Ash. As he opened his mouth, she opened hers. The moment before Serena planned to shove the two of them apart, Ash moved his left hand behind Serena's head and then his tongue slowly and gently entered her mouth.

Serena couldn't believe how perfect everything was. Ash moved his tongue at the perfect speed, applied the perfect amount of pressure, and visited all the right places in her mouth. The sensation of Ash's tongue sliding inside her soft, warm and wet mouth only intensified her desire to feel his flesh slide inside her body's other soft, warm and wet opening.

'I really shouldn't have taught him how to kiss so well,' Serena thought ironically, as her will to stop their imminent union eroded away under a tidal wave of passionate emotions.

As Serena drank in Ash's wonderful flavor she shook off her last fears and doubts about sex and realized that everything would be just fine. She was with Ash, and no matter what happened, their love for each other would overcome any obstacle they faced. They could be as close as they wanted and it would only make things better between them.

The two of them spent a minute tasting each other and letting their tongues dance back and forth. Ash gently caressed Serena's back and ran the fingers of his left hand through her beautiful golden locks.

Just as a teapot whistles when it has come to a boil, Serena felt a subtle tug at the back of her mind and instinctively knew that all her body's preparations had been completed. It was time for her and Ash to experience the wonders of sex. She slowly shifted the placement of her hands so she was holding on to Ash's shoulders, rather than pushing him away. Serena then let herself lean backwards, gently pulling Ash along with her. In a slow and careful shifting of their positions, the two lovers tipped sideways and Serena's back pressed into the soft couch cushions. Her front momentarily bore Ash's weight as she drew him along with her in lying prone on the couch.

Serena loved the feeling of being sandwiched between Ash and the couch. She loved having his weight atop her and she wrapped her arms around him, continuing to kiss him the entire time.

Ash and Serena had still been sitting next to each other when they'd tipped sideways and now their lower halves were twisted in awkward and uncomfortable orientations. Both of them started to untwist their hips and legs, aligning themselves so they could easily lie together.

Serena maneuvered her legs so they were no longer tangled with Ash and then straightened them out over the length of the couch. Serena hesitated just a moment and then spread her legs apart, moving them so that Ash's knees were between her thighs. As she did this, Serena experienced an intense thrill of anticipation, knowing that she was opening herself up for Ash.

Ash, meanwhile, continued showering affection and love on Serena. He slid his right arm out from underneath Serena and used it to support his weight. Even though he was thoroughly gripped in the throes of passion, he retained an aspect of his gentlemanly nature. He didn't want to simply press himself against Serena in some mindless fashion, he wanted to be respectful and gradually work toward their union. Thus, he kept his lower half propped up on his knees, slightly elevated above Serena's cute, blue shorts.

As they continued kissing and caressing, Ash could feel Serena's open legs beckoning to him. There was a growing sense of pressure inside him, subtly urging him to unite with his girlfriend. Ash tried to keep the intense feeling under control. He didn't want to do anything without Serena's permission. He shifted his legs, trying to find a position where he felt less desire.

As Ash shifted his positioning, Serena felt the side of his knees brush against the inside of her thighs. The encounter sent a charge through her lower half and made her burning desire for Ash turn into a red-hot, throbbing ache. She spread her legs apart a little further to accommodate him and resettled herself. The combination of movement and intense sensation jogged Serena's memory, causing her to recall a critical piece of information which had guided her actions the last few days, but had been cast aside when Ash had declared his love to her.

As part of Serena's commitment to the health and wellbeing of their relationship, she kept very careful track of the rhythms and cycles of her body. Although she'd intended for them to hold off on sex until later, Serena wasn't a fool, and as she'd told Ash, she'd taken precautions. She was always careful to avoid anything too amorous with Ash when there was the potential for permanent consequences. She only ever let things get serious and romantic when she was absolutely sure any misstep by them wouldn't result in her carrying Ash's child.

Now, as Serena remembered all these things, she recalled how over the past few days she'd repeatedly dodged and avoided Ash's romantic advances. This was because, currently, her body was fully prepared to conceive a child. She only required a contribution from Ash for it to begin the miraculous process of sparking a new life into existence.

Serena had always assumed that if she ever faced the situation of imminent sex when there was the potential of a pregnancy, the fear and concern over the outcome would give her the strength to extricate herself from the situation. Now that she was faced with exactly that scenario, she discovered that she didn't feel fear or concern at all. Instead, her hormone and lust soaked brain leapt at the idea of her conceiving Ash's child. It was something she'd always planned to do with him anyway, why not get started now? Many times she'd envisioned how their children would look, how their features would combine to create beautiful little ones. She relished the idea, and it motivated her to move their encounter along.

Ash was still keeping his lower half propped above Serena and so she slid her right leg out to the side, wrapped it around Ash's hips and pulled her boyfriend down on top of her.

An intense debate had been raging inside Ash. He and Serena were only a few inches and a couple garments away from an intimate encounter. He really wanted to press forward with Serena, but he held back. He worked to find the correct words so he could ask Serena for permission to take the next step. Then, suddenly, Serena provided him the answer he was looking for. She used her leg and aggressively pressed their lower halves together.

It was the most intense and sensual event Ash had ever experienced. Sparks flew and his body tensed. Waves of sensation rolled through him and made his body feel hot and energized. The feeling of pressure he was experiencing grew suddenly stronger and more focused. Ash gasped and gripped hold of the young woman he loved so much. She'd given him an answer and now it was time to give her his response.

Serena held on to Ash for dear life as her body seemed to hum with intensity. Just when she thought her mind would explode, the feelings receded somewhat and she was able to take a breath. She still felt the intense energy stored in the spring coiled inside her and it made every sensation she felt visceral and hot. She kept her leg pressed against Ash's back and held his lower half tight against hers. A moment later, Ash shifted himself slightly and Serena felt an incredible shower of burning lightning spark from her body. A moment after that, she felt it!

With their bodies pressed close together, Serena could clearly feel, through their shorts, pants and undergarments, the symbol of Ash's excitement; the sign that his body was just as awake and prepared for sex as hers was. Rather than experiencing a surge of red-hot feelings, Serena felt her mind become focused and her purpose become clear. The knowledge that Ash was ready and able to provide her body with the much needed contribution filled her with a sense of determination and set a goal in her mind. She wanted Ash, and she wanted him now! She rocked her hips and ground herself against Ash's body, using her leg to hold him tight against her.

Ash could hardly believe what was happening. First Serena had welcomed him and now she was urging him on. As Serena rolled her hips against him, he felt his body yearning to unite with her. He wanted to feel every inch of his girlfriend and experience everything she had to offer. The sense of pressure continued to increase inside Ash and became extremely concentrated inside his loins. His mind became more and more focused on this sensation. It was like the entire purpose of his existence was to complete his union with Serena.

He knew exactly what he needed to do. Very soon, after a few intense motions and exertions, he would be able to release the intense pressure he felt, deep inside of Serena. His mission would be accomplished! His purpose in life fulfilled! As this thought stuck in Ash's mind, he realized that he would need to remove his pants and Serena's shorts to do so. He pondered for a moment exactly how to go about doing that.

Serena took ragged breaths in time with the rolls of her hips. Every motion set her body alight with pleasure and enjoyment. As she felt Ash grinding against her, she suddenly became very frustrated that their clothing was interfering with their lovemaking. Her shirt and shorts felt itchy and uncomfortable. The clothes had to go! All of it had to go!

Serena moved her hands down and gripped the hem of her shirt. It was awkward, but she started pulling the garment up toward her head. As she yanked on it, she first revealed her belly button and then her entire midsection. As she began to pull the shirt over her breasts Serena couldn't wait to see what Ash's reaction would be to seeing her without a top. She grinned at the prospect of laying naked before Ash. This was going to be fun! She adjusted her grip on her shirt and took hold of her bra as well. Just one more yank and-

Suddenly, a very familiar voice cried out. First in utter shock and then in a slow and weakening gasp of embarrassment and dismay.

"PIII!-kaaaa-aa-aa-aa-aa-ah-ah-ah-ah-hhh!

While Ash and Serena had been engaged in romantic activity, Pikachu had finally awakened from a long and well deserved nap. He'd spent a few minutes laying in his soft bed before rising to his feet and trotting around the main building, looking for Ash, Serena or food. Still somewhat drowsy, Pikachu had wandered into the living room, but hadn't immediately noticed what was happening on the couch. This had changed when Serena let out a gasping moan and the electric mouse had suddenly realized that his best buddy was only minutes away from successfully mating. Total horror and mortification did not come close to describing what the small yellow Pokémon felt at having intruded.

Ash and Serena both turned their heads toward the sound and spoke at the same time.

"PIKACHU!"

"CHHHUUUUU!" Ash's Pokémon shouted in an exclamation that sounded more like an intense sneeze than an intentional vocalization. The electric type transformed into a yellow blur as he instantly accelerated to top speed. Pikachu moved faster than the battle against May, faster than when Ash had faced Alain, faster than when Ash had defeated Leon.

Pikachu zipped across the floor and made a sharp turn to dash up the stairs. As he skidded and scampered around the sharp corner, he left a series of lengthy claw marks in the wood flooring. Pikachu then dashed upstairs and disappeared. There was a series of thumps and bumps as he raced into the upmost regions of the building where the Pokémon hid, feeling overcome by shame and embarrassment.

Ash and Serena looked at each other and blinked as their minds cleared. The unexpected intrusion had caused adrenaline to surge inside them, momentarily rolling back the heavy fog of lust and attraction. They awkwardly sat up on the couch, untangled themselves and moved so there was a small distance between them. Each of them wiped at the large amount of salvia that was smeared across their face. They looked straight ahead, afraid that if their eyes met it would restart the fires of intimacy. Neither of them spoke for several seconds as they felt extremely disoriented and struggled to come to terms with what had almost happened.

Finally, Serena spoke first.

"I should go!" she said, delivering the statement as if it was a new and novel idea.

"Yeah," Ash immediately agreed.

Nothing happened for a couple of heartbeats and then Serena mechanically stood up and started walking toward the doorway. Serena strode quickly and was about a dozen steps away from Ash when suddenly she felt an incredibly strong sensation pulling her back toward her boyfriend. It was like a large elastic band was tied around her waist and the further she got from Ash the more intensely it tried to draw her back to him.

She stopped in her tracks and stood still for several breaths. She looked over her shoulder and saw Ash sitting on the couch. She really wanted to return to him. Her body longed for his touch. She desperately wanted Ash to envelop her and finish the wonderful work they'd started.

For several agonizing seconds Serena felt torn in two as she warred over giving into impulse and desire or keeping her sensibilities and fleeing. Eventually, it was the words of her mother echoing in her mind, the request that Serena not make her a grandmother until much later, that finally tipped the scales inside Serena.

"I should go!" Serena said, now sounding more scared than anything else.

She promptly turned and walked quickly to the door. She grabbed her shoes, not bothering to put them on, and stepped outside into the night air. Serena kept walking and only stopped when she reached the bottom of the stairs leading to the reserve. Serena slipped on her shoes and continued to the Ketchum household.

Serena entered through the front door and was glad that Delia was nowhere in sight. Serena could only imagine that her appearance looked like she'd been engaging in the activity that she'd nearly partaken of. Serena quickly moved through the downstairs and headed up to her room.

Once in her room, Serena found to her dismay that the feelings she felt hadn't dissipated. Her mind was coming up with reasons for her to go visit Ash and return to the Pokémon reserve. Another part of her was hoping that Ash would follow her home and the two of them could pick up where they'd left off, only this time on Serena's bed.

Serena let out a grunt of frustration, grabbed her night robe and headed for the upstairs bathroom. She locked the door and turned the water in the shower to full cold. She stripped off her clothes and climbed into the suddenly freezing cubicle.

Serena gasped as the icy water washed over her. It felt like hundreds of needles were pricking her skin. She flinched and gritted her teeth to keep from crying out in discomfort. She turned around and around in the shower, letting the horribly cold water wash over every inch of her skin. This wasn't about getting clean, this was about getting sober.

After several frigid minutes, a shivering Serena emerged from the shower. She toweled off and slipped on her night robe. She then made her way to her room, locked the door and climbed under the sheets of her bed. She was still shivering but her mind was finally clear.

---

Serena spent some time just staring up at the ceiling, slowing coming to grips with the fact that she and Ash had nearly become intimate. Their feelings had completely overwhelmed them. If it hadn't been for Pikachu's interruption, she had no doubt they would have kept going until they'd completed the tasks that nature had hardwired into them.

Serena let out a long, slow sigh as her thoughts turned to herself. Her hand drifted down to below her stomach, to the part of her which, just a short while ago, had been throbbing in want of Ash; the part of her which could create new life and likely would have done just that if they hadn't stopped. The gravity of what she'd just barely avoided weighed heavily on her.

As she thought about the night's events, memories from her life in Vaniville Town resurfaced. Serena remembered a girl from Vaniville Town who was several years older than her. She hadn't known her well but she did remember what had happened to her. The girl had started dating a boy and the two of them had become really close. Serena remembered how, for a few months, she'd always seen the two of them together in one way or another. Serena had only been 9 at the time and hadn't known what was going on, but it wasn't long afterward that the girl suddenly disappeared from Vaniville Town.

Because they weren't really friends, Serena hadn't thought anything of the disappearance. A few months later, though, she'd gone with her mom on an excursion to Aquacorde Town to do some shopping. While she was there, she'd spotted the girl walking through the town and had been surprised to see her with a big belly, looking just like the moms in Vaniville town did before they had a baby.

Serena had asked her mom about it and Grace, looking extremely uncomfortable and uncertain, had tried to evade any sort of explanation. Because of Serena's persistent nature, she'd pressed her mother on the issue and when they'd gotten back home, Grace had sat Serena down and discussed the facts of life with her.

Grace had explained to Serena how just one misstep could forever change a young woman's life. Serena had been surprised by the information and she'd resolved to never let that sort of thing happen to her.

Before now, Serena had felt confident in her ability to control herself and her relationship with Ash. With the events of that night, she felt humbled and a little scared. She'd come so close to being just like the girl she'd seen in Aquacorde Town.

Ultimately, though, she and Ash hadn't taken that fateful step. They'd been gifted another chance and they needed to make sure they didn't repeat the mistake.

Serena stayed awake for a while, contemplating her future, until her body finally warmed up, and her eyelids grew heavy. After mumbling a prayer of thanks, she drifted off to sleep.

---

The next day began very differently for Ash. He didn't get up early, he didn't perform any chores. He merely got out of bed, went downstairs and sat at the kitchen table, waiting for Serena to arrive. They needed to talk.

The previous night, after Serena had left, Ash had sat on the couch for a long time, thinking about what had happened and how he'd conducted himself. The entire night had been a rollercoaster of emotions for him. First, Serena had nearly been killed and Ash had been scared to death over the prospect of losing her. Then, he'd thought hard about his feelings and realized that he truly loved Serena. After confessing his feelings to her, they'd embraced each other and things had gotten out of hand so quickly that Ash still wasn't entirely sure what had happened. After Pikachu's interruption and Serena's departure, Ash had felt guilty and dismayed over how he'd conducted himself.

Ash still couldn't believe that he'd actually been about to become intimate with Serena. He'd felt desires and impulses of that sort for a while, but he'd always kept them under control. He felt ashamed of himself and felt that he'd let Serena down. During the encounter, she'd said a couple of times that they needed to stop, but he hadn't listened. Granted, she hadn't listened either, but that was beside the point. Ash felt like it was his responsibility to watch out for Serena and he'd failed in that task.

Ash wasn't sure what they were going to talk about, but he knew they had to have this conversation. They couldn't let this happen again. About fifteen minutes after her usual arrival time, the front door opened and Serena poked her head into the kitchen. Both of them stared at each other for a long moment and then Ash made the first move.

"Hey," he said in a quiet greeting.

"Hey," Serena replied, mirroring Ash's somber tone.

Serena hesitated a moment then walked to the table and sat down. Silence reigned for a minute before Ash spoke up.

"So…." he began. "Things got a little out of hand last night."

Serena snorted softly at the massive understatement and nodded her head. "Yeah, just a little."

Ash moved his jaw slightly as he formed the next sentence. These words hurt for him to say and it took him a moment to work up his courage.

"I'm really sorry Serena…" he managed in a tight voice.

Serena looked at him with a little bit of surprise.

"I really shouldn't have done all that-"

"Ash!" Serena spoke up, cutting him off.

Ash glanced over at her. He hadn't been expecting an interruption.

Serena took a breath and continued. "It's not your fault," she said, struggling to find words. "It just happened. I don't think either of were really in control…."

Ash frowned. "Yeah, but, Serena, I'm the one that started all that. I should've stopped or-"

"I could say the same thing about me!" Serena cut him off again.

Ash raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

Serena sighed and looked guilty. "I'm the one who pulled you over on top of me," she said in a whisper.

Ash said nothing.

Serena raised a hand to her face and absently tapped a finger against her nose. "I'm the one who pulled you against me and started….." Serena started to turn red and couldn't continue.

Both of them were silent for a time and then Serena spoke again. "If we want to start pointing fingers, there's plenty of blame to go around."

Ash sighed, but he realized that Serena was correct. They'd both gotten out of control. "I guess so," he said quietly. He then tapped a finger against the table and decided to ask a question that had been bothering him.

"Serena, I didn't hurt you, did I?" he said hesitantly, in a somber tone.

"Hmm," Serena replied, looking at him for clarification.

Ash looked embarrassed. "You know, with everything I did. How I was…. on top of you," he said, turning red. "I didn't hurt you, right?"

An amused smile spread across Serena's face and she struggled to suppress a laugh. "No Ash," she said jovially. She weighed her words and then continued. "Actually… I loved every second of it."

Ash looked relieved and also a little proud. "Really?" he said, his voice more upbeat.

Serena chuckled and nodded, her face turning a bit more red.

Ash turned red as well and joined Serena in chuckling. The mutual chuckling turned to laughter as both of them felt relieved their relationship was okay and that the tension they felt was being dissipated.

Serena spoke up. "I think that's why neither of us could stop," she said, giggling as she did so.

Ash grinned. "It was just too good, huh?" he said, before bursting out in laughter.

Serena turned even more red and nodded as she laughed in response to Ash's words. "Yep…. you got it," she managed.

They kept laughing for several seconds until they started trying to bring themselves under control. They coughed, cleared their throats, took deep breaths and slowly became calm again.

"Poor Pikachu," Serena finally commented.

"Hmmm," Ash replied.

Serena suppressed a chuckle. "Walking in on us. Did you see the look on his face?"

Ash grinned as he remembered his best buddy's agape mouth and eyes as big as dinner plates. "Yeah, I guess so."

Serena was still a little red-in-the-face and the current topic didn't help matters. "We should probably apologize and thank him," she said with a giggle.

Ash nodded and then grinned broadly. "Yeah, except I haven't seen him since last night."

Serena tried to look remorseful, but just ended up giggling instead. "Oh no, he must be so embarrassed."

Ash nodded and giggled along with Serena. "Yeah."

A few minutes passed as they laughed, giggled and slowly worked out all the tension that had been built up. Eventually, Ash leaned forward in his chair and rested his elbows on the table.

"Well, I guess we dodged a bullet," he stated.

Serena looked pensive. "More than you know," she said quietly.

Ash stared at her and after pursing her lips and taking a breath, Serena continued.

"Um" she began, in a hesitant tone. "Let just say that if we hadn't stopped… there'd probably be three people sitting at this table right now, instead of two."

It took Ash a moment to figure out the meaning of Serena's comment, but when he did, his eyes became just as wide as Pikachu's had been.

"You mean…" Ash stammered.

Serena looked really guilty. She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out.

"I thought you had that under control?!" Ash said, sounding shocked and dismayed.

Serena still looked guilty. "I thought so too," she replied, struggling to put words together. "I was doing my usual thing, but then you said you loved me… and I just…" She took a couple ragged breaths. "I'm really sorry Ash!" she said, tears choking her throat.

Ash pursed his lips and thought for a moment. "Like you said," he spoke in a forgiving and gentle tone. "There's plenty of blame to go around." When he finished, he sent her a kind smile.

Relieved, Serena let out a tense breath and a few tears rolled down her cheeks. She sent Ash a grateful look and smiled at him. Ash returned the smile and they leaned back into their chairs as the gravity of what they'd barely avoided weighed down on them.

Ash opened his mouth, but it took a moment for him to put together a question. "So…. did you forget," he posed, hesitantly.

Serena looked a little unnerved. "I did for a little while," she began. "I remembered later while we were….." she chewed on her lip. "You know," she said sheepishly. "But by then, I didn't want to stop. I wasn't afraid of having a child." Serena paused and then continued, looking a little frightened. "I actually wanted you to…."

Ash nodded and blew out a long breath. The room was silent for almost a minute as they each tried to think of what to say next.

"I think we're going to have to make some kind of change," Serena mumbled.

Ash nodded in agreement.

Serena drummed her fingers on the table and said the first thought that popped into her head.

"You know, I could always go out and start competing in contests again. If we're not together….. we wouldn't….. have to….. worry about…." Her voice trailed off as she and Ash exchanged dismayed looks at the thought of her leaving Pallet Town. Serena realized that there was no way she could leave now; especially after Ash had just confessed his love her.

"Forget it!" she said sharply.

She and Ash looked relieved and also a little amused at the situation. This was something they'd each wanted for a long time and now that it was finally upon them, they didn't know how to deal with it.

"What if we stopped being so romantic," Ash spoke up.

This time it was Serena's turn to look dismayed. "What do you mean?"

Ash hesitated. "I mean… what if we didn't kiss and do all the stuff….. that led to last night."

Now that Ash had voiced his idea, he disliked it as much as the idea Serena had suggested.

Serena thought for a moment and then slowly shook her head. "I don't think it's a good idea," she said in a downcast tone.

Ash looked curious.

Serena frowned and then continued in an awkward tone. "Whenever I'm…. taking some time off from romance cause of the… week it is. By the end of it, I….. really, really want to be with you Ash."

Ash looked surprised. "What? You want to make out with me?"

Serena laughed nervously. "No, I mean I want to….. BE with you Ash," she replied looking very uncomfortable.

Ash's eyes widened and Serena squirmed in her chair.

"Every day I'm apart from you I feel more and more drawn to you," Serena continued. "If we just try and stop being romantic, eventually the dam's gonna break and we're gonna….."

"Need Pikachu again," Ash added with a wry smile.

Serena chuckled and nodded. "Yeah," she said softly.

They were quiet again for moment. They each considered ideas and discarded them. Finally, Ash spoke up.

"It's just a certain time of the month….right?" Ash said, clearly embarrassed by the topic.

Serena raised an eyebrow. "Uh…" she responded.

Ash thought quickly. "If we can't stay apart and we can't stop being romantic, then the least we could do is make sure…. if it does happen… that you don't get….. pregnant."

Serena thought for a few seconds. "Well…. yeah, but that's what I'm already doing. I try to avoid being romantic during that time."

Ash nodded. "Yeah, but I didn't know. If I'd known you could be….. um." Ash looked embarrassed. "I wouldn't have started kissing you… or at least I would've tried not to."

Serena pressed her lips together as she thought. "I see. So we'd both know when it's safe and when it's not."

Ash smiled and nodded. "Yeah, if we both know, I think we could make it work."

Serena chuckled at the idea. As she mulled it over, she thought it might have some potential. How could they implement it though?

"Okay, so what would we do?" Serena asked.

Ash looked down at the table. Suddenly his eyes lit up. "What if we put up a calendar?" he said.

Internally, Serena laughed and cringed at the suggestion. "A calendar!" she repeated, incredulously.

Ash nodded, thinking it was a good idea. "Yeah we could just put it up on the wall and-"

Serena laughed. "And what Ash!?" she said, finding the idea ridiculous and embarrassing. "Have a calendar hanging around that says 'these are the safe days' and 'these are the risky days' and 'these are the red days.'"

Ash looked puzzled. "Red days?" he asked.

Serena's face fell and she sent him a look which said 'do I really have to explain this to you?'

Ash stared back at Serena for a few seconds and then understanding dawned on him.

"Oh," he said, looking embarrassed.

Serena sniggered and then shook her head. Both of them were silent for a time and then Ash spoke.

"We wouldn't have to have it on the wall where people could see it," he said in a quiet voice.

Serena sighed and again shook her head in a dismissive fashion. She wasn't going to tell Ash that she already used a little calendar to keep track of everything. She found it extremely embarrassing and she kept the tiny book buried in her room, well out of sight. She really didn't want her personal details on display anywhere.

"I think there's a better way," Serena said.

"Like what?" Ash replied.

Serena rubbed at her face and looked thoughtful. "I don't know. Maybe if I did something subtle. I could wear a belt or different shoes….."

Ash's eyes lit up again and Serena braced herself for another one of his 'ideas.'

"What if you wore a necklace?" he said enthusiastically.

"A necklace," Serena repeated back.

"Yeah," Ash said, nodding quickly. "What if you wore a necklace on the days it was okay. That way we'd both know what was going on."

Serena started to laugh again. "So, whenever I put on the sex necklace, that's our cue?" she replied raising both her eyebrows.

Ash looked a little uncomfortable. "Well, I'm not saying we should…. um….. sleep together. I'm just saying… that might work."

Serena bit her lip and shook her head. There were some jokes involving sex and necklaces she could make, but she decided not to.

"I don't know about a necklace, Ash" she said. "It's not a bad idea, but…."

Serena suddenly stopped talking as a similar idea occurred to her. It was close to what Ash had suggested, but way more practical and even a little sexy. She mulled the idea over and decided she liked it. Ash looked on in curiosity.

"How about this," Serena said in a confident tone. "Instead of a necklace, how about I wear earrings!"

"Earrings?" Ash repeated.

Serena nodded. "Yeah," she said, blushing a little. "You know those little, red, heart-shaped earrings I have. What if I wore those on the days when it's safe?"

Ash considered this and smiled in agreement.

Feeling more upbeat, Serena continued in an energetic tone. "That would be really easy and subtle. We'll always know what's going on."

"I like that idea," Ash said.

Serena smiled happily. "So, if I have my earrings on, you'll know everything's okay. We don't have to worry."

Ash nodded repeatedly. "Let's do that," he said.

Serena felt a sense of relief. This seemed like an idea that could actually work.

"Okay, sounds good." She chuckled a little and grinned at Ash, a gleam in her eye. "So, next time you're feelings a little frisky…" she said jokingly.

Ash suddenly looked serious. "Uhh, you're not thinking we should….. sleep together soon…. are you?!"

Serena's expression quickly became serious too. "Well, no." She hesitated for a moment before continuing. "I mean, if it happens, I'm fine with it… but I figured we'd wait a while."

Ash looked a little uncomfortable. "I was still hoping we would get married first," he said.

Serena pursed her lips. Honestly she didn't think that was realistic. Last night had shown just how easy it was for them to get carried away. The odds were they'd end up sharing a bed well before their wedding night.

"I mean, that's fine," Serena replied. "But, I sort of figured it'd happen once we get engaged."

"Get engaged," Ash repeated.

Serena shrugged and looked a little sheepish. "Yeah, I mean, we're essentially married at that point. I thought, what better way to celebrate than…. spending a night together."

Serena didn't tell Ash that one of her many fantasies was of him putting ring on her finger followed by them sharing a lovely dance. After the dance, Ash would romantically carry her away to the bedroom where they would consummate their relationship with unbridled passion.

Ash looked conflicted and struggled with the idea. After a few seconds he seemed to resolve the issue.

"I guess that'd be okay….." he said slowly. "I still think it'd be best if we were married."

Serena nodded. "Sure, there's no pressure," she said in an encouraging tone. "I'm not in a hurry," she added with a laugh.

Ash let out a tense laugh as well. "Yeah, me either."

They both chuckled and stared into each other's eyes. They began to feel the stirrings of feelings and so Serena stood up from the table.

"I guess I'll get started on breakfast," she said.

Ash stood up as well. "Yeah, sounds good."

Serena began her usual meal preparations and Ash assisted as he usually did. They avoided anything too romantic as the memories of the previous night were still fresh in their minds. The fact that Serena was currently fertile also weighed heavily in their minds and strongly dissuaded any romantic impulses.

They finished cooking the meal, enjoyed breakfast and then began the day's work.

---

Four days later, another day on the reserve began. Ash rose early, attended to the morning chores and then headed inside to wait at the table for Serena's arrival. She arrived a few minutes earlier than her usual time and walked through the entryway to the kitchen wearing a very subtle smile.

Ash smiled back and then saw the small, red, heart-shaped earrings hanging from Serena's cute little ears. The jewelry sparkled in the morning light and Ash was surprised by the strong feelings he suddenly felt surge inside him. Something about the glint in Serena's eyes and the smoothness of her gait, made her look absolutely ravishing. That, and the knowledge that no matter what happened between them, there wouldn't be any permanent consequences.

Ash rose out of his chair and walked toward Serena with a purposeful stride.

Serena stopped in her tracks and turned to face Ash. She waited, a smile pulling at her lips and a look of anticipation on her face.

Ash stepped forward and closed with Serena until he was just inches away from her. They stared into each other's eyes but didn't say anything. Ash then slowly took a step toward her, angling his body so his chest gently pressed against hers. Serena was slowly forced to back up as Ash advanced. She took small steps until her shoulders lightly collided with the wall behind her. She could retreat no further.

Ash let a small amount of his weight lean against Serena so she was gently pinned against the wall. Then, while still staring into her eyes, he reached down with his arms and carefully took hold of her wrists in his hands. He held her arms down and slightly out to the side, so she was completely 'helpless' over what came next.

Ash took a deep breath, smelling Serena's shampoo and her faint scent before he softly pressed his lips against hers in a wonderful, warm kiss. Ash tenderly moved his mouth and took in Serena's sweet, sweet flavor, something he'd missed immensely over the past few days. It was very true what they said, absence makes the heart grow fonder.

For Serena, everything was beyond amazing. She adored Ash playfully backing her against the wall and holding her helpless. She loved being at the mercy of his kindness and wonderful affection. She moved her lips along with his and happily tasted his savory flavor.

As the two lovers worked together, exchanging warm and gentle touches, both of them could feel a powerful undercurrent of sexual energy, lurking just beneath their calm and controlled actions. Although they'd each stated that they intended to stay apart until much later, in their heart-of-hearts, they knew this was an impossible goal.

They'd felt the searing hot intensity of sex and the pleasure associated with it. Each of them wanted to feel the closeness of physically intimacy again, and this time, to complete the act in its entirety. Ash wanted to feel Serena surrounding him with her warm, soft flesh and experience the indescribable elation of fulfilling his purpose as a man. Serena wanted to give herself to Ash and receive his passion in return. She longed to feel him in the most intimate way, and to have his essence flow within her, an act which would forever mark her as his and his alone.

As their lips continued to softly touch, neither of them knew when it would happen. At some point though, their feelings, their situation and Serena's earrings would all align. When that time came, they would experience their first time together. Unlike the encounter on the couch a few days past, this time they would be intentional and controlled. They would make passionate love to each other and fulfill all the hopes and dreams of their partner. Until that time arrived though, they would wait in quiet anticipation.

Ash and Serena slowly pulled apart. Their lips came free with a wet *smack* sound. They stared into each other's eyes, sharing a knowing look. They could see the fiery desire the other held within them. Each of them knew what was coming in the near future. Each of them was determined to make it a wonderful experience. Each of them considered whether this moment was the correct time for their union and each of them decided that this moment was the correct time for them to cook breakfast.

The two of them slowly and gently stepped apart. They smiled at each other and then slowly walked into the kitchen.