"How do they keep finding us?" Gary asked, looking around the tent at Ash and the rebel leaders. After the attack it had taken all night and most of the next day to tend to the wounded, bury the dead, and re-erect the tents. It was becoming dark and the tent they occupied was lit by a lantern situated in the middle of the circle the rebels had formed. Misty, Brock, Erika, and the elite four, minus Lance, who was sulking in the corner farthest from Ash, were all seated. Gary was standing near the circle. "Everywhere we go they turn up," he said. "Butch and Cassidy are not that good of trackers." "They can't be too bad," Misty said. "If they keep finding us." "No," Ash spoke up from the corner opposite Lance, his face obscured by shadows. The black t-shirt he wore made it quite apparent that the once white bandages on his arm were stained with blood. "They aren't that good." He met Gary's gray eyes with his own. "They could have found us in the woods," Gary began, understanding what Ash meant. "But there is no way they could have tracked us to Seafoam." "So how did they find us?" Bruno's deep voice piped up. "Butch and Cassidy aren't the ones trailing us," Ash explained. "It's Jessie and James." "Jessie and James?" Misty said incredulously. "Those imbeciles?" "They have certain talents," Gary said. "Tracking is their major one." Brock nodded. "Remember when we were kids? They could find us no matter where we went." "So much for being able to trust them," Ash muttered. "What can we do then?" Agatha asked. "Absolutely nothing," Ash replied. "It's nearly impossible to find them if they don't want to be found." "We're talking about Jessie and James here?" Misty said. "The bumbling idiots of our childhood?" "People change over time Mist," Ash said softly. There was silence until Gary spoke up. "It's not safe to sit around here anymore. Giovanni knows where we are and he knows what we're doing. He'll attack again." "Then," Erika said hesitantly. "Perhaps we should attack him?" Everyone looked at her in surprise. "Can we do that?" Agatha asked. "Are the troops even ready?" Lorelei added. "What about man power?" Brock said. "We lost quite a few people in the attack." "The real question," Ash said, causing all conversation to stop. "Is if we can afford to wait. If Giovanni attacks again he'll use more forces, more pokemon, and more of those hybrids. We won't stand a chance." ~*~*~ Misty leaned over a table in the mess tent, sipping from a mug of coffee as her pen scratched softly over paper. The tent had been empty for hours, all the rebels having eaten earlier, and the makeshift kitchen they had set up was now closed. Tucking a few loose strands of red hair behind her ear she reached over her head, stretching. She sighed, arching her back in an attempt to crack it then cracking her neck with a twist of her head. "That's really a disgusting habit," an amused voice said from behind, startling her. She turned to see Gary watching her with a grimace on his face. "Yes," she agreed. "But it feels great." Gary shrugged, grabbing a mug and filling it with coffee from the large coffee pot on a table near the edge of the tent. He joined her at her table, plopping tiredly into the chair across from her. "You guys sure are prepared," he said, raising his mug to her before taking a sip. "Well we've been planning this for years. Had to have the necessities," she told him. He smiled one of his rare smiles at her. "What are you doing?" he asked, gesturing to the papers in front of her. Misty looked at him sadly. "Figuring out the casualties. We need to contact their families." He nodded, taking another sip of coffee. Misty noted that while the ghost of his smile had disappeared there was no other sign of a change in his countenance. He didn't even appear fazed. "Doesn't it upset you at all?" she bit out. Gary's head snapped up and he regarded her with surprise. He hesitated, considering his words. "I'm good-" he paused. "I guess I'm good at hiding emotions." Misty watched him as he continued. "In Team Rocket, doing what we did-you couldn't cry over everyone you saw die. The first one that I killed-I threw up. And cried. Every death eats at you, at your emotions, until it's hard to feel anything anymore. You're just-empty." Gary was looking at the floor, his hair falling into his eyes. Misty felt her heart clench as she watched him. "Gary..." Reaching across the table she rested her hand on top of his. He didn't look up. Standing and walking around to his side of the table, Misty kneeled in front of him, her hands on his in his lap. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked," she said softly. "No," Gary said. "It's ok." He looked into her eyes and she was surprised at how sad and lonely he looked. He'd let down his guard to her, and she wanted to make the lost look in his eyes go away. ~*~*~ Lance watched as Erika exited the tent she and Misty shared, walking to the perimeter of the tents and beginning a slow pace around them, taking advantage of the night air. Keeping an eye on her path, he slid between two tents and emerged on the other side, about ten feet behind her. "Erika," he called softly. She turned and regarded him silently before bowing in greeting. "Lance." "Mind if I walk with you?" "If you want," she said briskly, turning and continuing. Lance followed. They walked in silence for a while. Erika's dark hair was blown about, whipping around her red headband as the wind picked up. Lance finally spoke. "You and Satoshi. Something going on there?" She gave him a sharp look. "I don't believe that's any of your business." "You're right," he said, a grin apparent on his face. "I shouldn't have asked." He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. "It just surprises me after-" he stopped speaking. "After what?" Raising his eyebrows, he hesitated. "Well," he said, his voice dripping with fake concern. "Nothing." "Lance." Erika was loosing her patience. "You were pretty close with your parents, weren't you?" She stopped short. "What is that supposed to mean?" "It's a shame they died so young. They could have had so much more time," Lance continued. Erika's fists clenched in anger. Lance stepped closer to her, leaning down until his mouth was next to her ear. He spoke, his breath tickling her ear. "My parents are not the only blood Satoshi has on his hands. You should ask him how your parents were killed." With a gasp she backed away and broke into a run in the opposite direction, leaving Lance smiling in her wake. ~*~*~ Erika ran into the mess tent, looking around frantically. "Ash?" she called. A muffled gasp and a loud bang followed by swearing caused her to look at a table in the far corner of the room. On the floor next to it she saw Misty, flushed, with her hair coming out of its braid sitting next to Gary, who was holding the top of his head with his hand. Mumbling a quick sorry, Erika ran out of the tent, too upset to concern herself with what she had seen. When she exited the tent she ran directly into Ash. "Erika?" he said. Upon seeing her face he asked, "What's wrong?" "What do you know about my parents death?" she asked sharply. Ash's concerned look became surprise. Two rebels walked by glancing at them. "Not here," he said quietly, taking her arm and leading her to the tent he and Gary shared. They ducked in and he turned to face her. She watched his face carefully, but he didn't betray anything he was thinking or feeling. "Erika, your parents were two of the founders of the rebellion." "I know that," she snapped. "How do you think I became involved?" Ash nodded and continued. "When I met you we were stationed in Cerulean with orders," he looked at the ground. "To kill them." There was a long silence as Erika blinked back tears. Finally, after swallowing the lump in her throat, she choked out, "And did you?" He didn't meet her gaze. "I didn't. But I was there when it happened." "And you did nothing to stop it?" Erika exploded. "Looking on as someone is murdered does not make you any less guilty of their deaths!" Ash didn't reply. "Who did it?" she asked. "Was it Gary? Did that son of a bitch shoot my parents in cold blood while you stood and watched?" "Yes," Ash said softly. "My God!" Erika felt nauseous. "You comforted me! Told me it would be all right. I was seeking comfort from their murderer!" "Erika-" "You used me!" "What?" "You used me to get close to them." "No, that's not-" "I'm going to be sick." Erika pushed past Ash, running out of his tent. She made it to the side before she threw up, falling to her hands and knees, heaving. She couldn't see through her tears and her hair, which had fallen from her headband and into her eyes. Ash came up behind her and kneeled, placing his hand on her back. She finished, panting and wiping tears from her eyes. "Don't touch me," she spat, pulling roughly away from his hand. Wiping her mouth she stood. "Where's Gary?" Then she remembered and took off in a run for the mess tent. "Erika!" Ash called, standing and following after her. ~*~*~ After Erika had burst in and caught them doing-well Misty was quite sure what they had been doing. It had progressed past kissing, but she wasn't sure wear it had been headed. Misty had no idea what had possessed her to kiss Gary. He looked so alone; she wanted to show him she was there. Besides, they had kissed once before and Misty couldn't remember any reason why she wouldn't want to do it again. Now they were sitting in a comfortable silence, his head in her lap as she raked her fingers gently through his auburn hair, avoiding the small bump he had gotten from smashing his head on the table when they had been interrupted earlier. She looked down at his closed eyes and relaxed expression and wondered vaguely how they had gotten to this level of comfort so incredibly quickly and why it didn't feel wrong at all. Erika suddenly came flying into the tent again. "Gary!" Misty jumped and Gary's eyes snapped open as he bolted to a sitting position, narrowly missing cracking his head on the table again. "How could you have done that?" Erika cried. Gary looked from her to Misty in confusion. He didn't understand. Was Erika upset he and Misty kissed? "My parents, Gary," Erika said, her voice cracking. Gary's heart stopped. He watched her begin to cry. "Erika!" Ash burst in, stopping when he saw Misty and Gary. "You murderer!" Erika screamed, pointing at Gary, whose eyes were wide in horror. "You killed them! You killed them!" Ash grabbed her by the waist and drug her struggling form out of the tent as she continued to scream you killed them over and over. Gary buried his head in his hands the moment she was out of view. Misty just stared where Erika had been, her mouth hanging open. Gary had killed many people, but never before had he seen a loved ones reaction. He considered himself one, but never before had been called a murderer. The pain on Erika's face would haunt him forever. Misty shook herself from her shock and looked to see Gary with his face hidden in his hands, his shoulders shaking in what was undeniably silent sobs. "Gary," she whispered. He didn't acknowledge her. Dragging herself to her knees she crawled to him, placing her arms around him and embracing him from behind. ~*~*~ Erika flailed in Ash's arms, struggling to get him to let her go. Her heel collided with his shin as she kicked her legs and he nearly dropped her. "Put me down!" she screamed. "Put me down!" She was hysterical. Ash set her down and turned her to face him. "Erika!" he said, his hands gripping her shoulders. People were poking their heads out of tents, looking for the source of the screaming. "Erika, you need to calm down," Ash said. "Calm down? Do you have any idea what it's like to find out that the man you loved was using you so he could kill your parents?" "Erika, that's not what happened..." he trailed off when he saw the flap to the mess tent open, Gary coming out looking sick, and Misty following behind him looking concerned. Erika glared between Ash and Gary. "You two," she said in a low voice. "Are nothing but lying murderers. You have no place here." "Erika!" Misty said, shocked. Ash looked stricken and Gary turned away, unable to face her. Of all the rebel leaders, Erika had been the only one who had never looked down on them for their involvement in Team Rocket. Erika focused her glare on Ash. "You are worse than Gary because you made me believe you loved me." Before he could respond she looked away. "Get out of my sight." She may as well have slapped him. Ash stared at her for a few moments, but she never looked at him. He began walking in the direction of his tent, head lowered. Gary and Misty exchanged glances before he headed after Ash and she went to speak with Erika. "Erika," she said in a low voice so the small crowds of rebels near the other tents could not hear. "I understand you're in pain, but we cannot afford to have them as enemies, we'll stand no chance. You can't tell them to leave." "You want to keep them here knowing this?" Erika said through gritted teeth. "You knew before this that they had killed people." "They murdered two leaders of the rebellion!" Erika hissed. "How can you possibly think of trusting them?" "Erika, they've shown us no reason to question their motives. They've been helping us the whole way. To dismiss them now would be devastating to our cause. We've worked so hard to get to this point, your parents gave their lives for this." "Gave their lives to them!" Misty opened her mouth to respond, but a load roar cut her off. Looking up, the two women watched as the hybrid pokemon from the night before swooped over the camp. Rebels that had been watching the leaders fight scattered in all directions. When Gary and Ash saw the gyrodactyl, they turned and began to run back to where Misty and Erika were. Ash paused a moment to call to Pikachu, who sprinted from Ash's tent and leapt to his shoulder. Gary was ahead of him so Ash saw the gyrodactyl dive at him. The pokemon grabbed Gary by the shoulders. "Gary!" Ash and Misty said in unison. The gyrodactyl took the struggling man and flew high into the sky, keeping itself a safe distance from any elemental attacks. Everyone watched as it became smaller and smaller until its form faded from view. A/N: So, no, I haven't died, and no, I haven't given up on this story. I believe I finally worked through my writers block and maybe, just maybe I'll be able to keep going without such long breaks in between chapters. I actually have finally figured out exactly where this story is heading, so now, with an ending in mind, I plan to diligently work on this. Looks like one of the pairings has finally been shown, sorry all you AAML people out there. I wanted to be different. Please review, I miss reviews.