Cerulean Woman originally Life's Zenith by AideenCato004 PART THREE Ash didn't mean to hold her so close while he walked home with her. In fact, he completely forgot that he even had his arm around her. They were silent as they walked home together. Home. Ash couldn't believe he referred to his house as their home. It never occurred to either of them that they looked like a couple walking home after a long day; relaxing in the warmth they shared. Ash absently rested his head on hers as they walked. Misty responded by wrapping her arm around him too. Then there was this instant that they both realized what had been going on. Their hearts leapt in alarm--they hadn't meant to get that close. But they decided not to let it bother them since the other wasn't bothered by the closeness. Whatever it was... it felt too good to let go and they held it and walked even slower in the darkening evening. It was quiet, but so many questions rose up in Misty's mind. To keep from asking any of the seriouse questions she decided to ask one that had been bothering her for a while now. "Hey, Ash, where is Pikachu?" Misty finally asked. "He's with Brock. Brock's been using him for his pokemon breeding shows for years." "Wow, Pikachu?" "Yup. Pikachu must be having a good time, he hasn't called to complain yet." Ash laughed. "Do you miss Pikachu?" "A little..." Ash answered slowly as if he had just realized it. "But this sort of thing is good for him. Besides, he's with Brock and I feel safe knowing that." But his eyes said otherwise. They stopped walking and stood in the middle of the dirt road; never letting go of each other, for they had apparently forgotten about being close to each other--yet again. "Ash..." Misty asked, a wave of worry rising within her. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean-" Misty didn't get to finish when Ash slowly turned to her and buried his face in her shoulder. He had to lean down a foot to do this and that alone let Misty know that her friend was giving into his pain. "I know this is a stupid question... but are you okay?" She managed to ask after a few moments of silence. Ash didn't say a word. Misty slid her arms around his neck, hoping to comfort him. Ash sighed in relief and remained silent and still. It was then he decided to explain. "There is too much happening lately. You know?" Misty nodded and continued to listen. "It feels like everyone has has something more important going on. There isn't any time to be with someone you really get along with or care about. Pikachu has been gone so long that I am beginning to realize I really have no one else. I have my family and my pokemon and Brock and a few others I have met, but I really have no one. My mom has Dan and Oak has no one. I feel so bad for him... and I am reminded of how I feel." He sighed. "It's not that I want Pikachu back. Pikachu is better off where he is. But I have no one who will be with me when no one else will. I guess I'm just overwhelmed with... loneliness. It's hard enough to feel that way, but it hurts more when you realize it. It hurts a lot and I keep on living to the next day. I am just living... and that's all." "...You just go on living. No one to really acknowledge you. No one to really love you or think about you. You are on the minds of others but it isn't important at all. You are just there... a living, breathing, lonely, person. And no one knows how you feel." Misty squeezed him lightly, mostly because she felt her own pangs of loneliness but to also emphasize her own feelings on the subject. Ash recognized this and pulled away to confront his friend. Misty was a little alarmed when he decided to look at her face while she spoke; but she continued when she realized he wanted to really listen now. "...And it hurts... right here." She rested her hand on her breatbone and painfully clutched at her shirt. "And it only hurts more and more everyday. The pain could almost choke the life out of you... but you know you gotta keep going. You gotta find out if this pain is worth it in the end. You know you cannot disappoint the one who waits for you--feeling..." She looked at his eyes, "Feeling this way too." Ash looked back at her, his eyes as sympathetic and sad as her own. He pulled the sleeve of his jacket over his hand and dabbed the tear stains from her face. Misty jerked a little when she realized that she had been crying and immediatly began to blush furiously out of embarrassment, looking away in the process. Ash smiled when he finished and brushed her bangs away from her face. Misty's heart lept when Ash dipped close to her face. Giving her a quick kiss on her forehead, he then pulled her into his chest. He was so warm, Misty realized that she had actually been very cold and the goosebumps returned. Shivering obliviously, Misty brought the rest of her body closer to him. "You're so cold..." "I just realized that..." Ash took off his jacket and wrapped it around Misty. "No, Ash, I'll be okay." Misty shook her head and started to take off the jacket. Ash stopped her and zipped up the jacket. "No, keep it on. It's too cold to be considerate." Misty was about to say the same thing when Ash cupped his hand over her mouth. "We should just get home as fast as we can. The tempurature is still dropping and I don't wanna freeze my butt off too." He laughed. Ash seemed to feel better now. Was it because Misty shared her feelings on the subject too? Did he not feel so alone anymore? Misty didn't know what to think. She didn't want him to be cold either, so she took his hand and nodded. Ash smiled and turned to lead them back home. It started to rain just seconds before they entered the house. The rain came pouring down as they bolted the last few yards to the front door. Finally inside, soaked to the bone, they headed up the stairs to their rooms to change into their warmest pajamas. It wasn't bedtime just yet and Misty still wanted to hang out with him. But Ash had not left his room and Misty was just far too interested in the current situation--even more afraid of touching on the subject again. Misty shook away the fear and headed to her bedroom door, she couldn't let it sit up in the air any longer. She had more to say and more to know. After getting into his pajamas Ash went to his bed. Of course, this was out of habit. Ash never put on his pajamas unless he meant to sleep. So, laying on his back looking up at the ceiling, the evenings events unfolded in his mind. And as much as he tried to get rid of them and forget, he just couldn't shake all the emotion that had been transferred between him and Misty. "(This feeling is so weird. I never felt this way about anyone before.)" Ash sat up and bolted to his bedroom door. When he opened it, Misty stood there before him, ready to knock on the door. They both realized that this was a very awkward moment and looked to the other for an answer. "(How do I explain why I was at his door?! Did he hear me? I thought I was very quiet...)" "(This is weird... was she going to talk to me too??)" "I-I'm sorry... did I scare you?" Misty stammered. "Scare me?" "Did I scare you standing here by your door I didn't mean it! I was just debating whether or not I should knock..." "..." Ash was speechless. This whole situation had some sort of purpose-but what? "I'll go to bed now. You look like you were trying to sleep. I'm sorry if I woke you up." Misty turned to leave when Ash's hand bolted out and grabbed her shoulder softly. She looked up at him in question. "You didn't wake me up. I was just debating on whether or not I should go to you." Ash laughed nervously. "It's just kind of weird that we were thinking of doing the same thing at the same moment." "..." Misty was silent as she thought to herself. She closed her eyes, searching for her words wisely. Ash thought she was confused about his actions and was coming to let him down--to say something like, I don't like you that way or let's just be friends. Ash was about to apologize for himself when Misty shook her head and looked up at him. "I don't know how to explain this.." "(Here it comes...)" Ash thought as he prepared himself for the let down of his entire life. "But all I can think about is what happened back there. I was planning on coming to tell you but I don't know how to say it." She paused uncomfortably and looked away from his eyes. "(She's not coming to let me down! She's here to...)" Ash couldn't believe what was happening. ("Oh, man! What do I do! How do I respond? Is she waiting for me to say something?!)" Just then Misty took a step over to him. Ash looked into her desperate, lonely, eyes and could feel what he had been feeling on that dirt road again. The feeling seemed to have grown stronger and more urgent and Ash could hardly bear it. He was sure Misty was feeling the same way at this very moment too.