Shadows on the Heart Window to the soul
by Flygon
Chapter 10

Nurse Crimban came up to them and told Ash that they would be taken to their new room. They turned to say bye to Tommy and Eddie and were stunned when another nurse came up with two bags that held the boys presents and belongings.

"We're putting you and your family in the Hospice Suite." Crimban answered the unasked question. "It was just cleaned, and had fresh linen put on the beds." She continued to explain as she ushered the four out of the sun room. "The suite is normally used for families that have children here, so the child will not be separated from the family. But the doctors thought that it would be useful for you to stay there to help all of you heal properly."

"Sounds good to me," Ash responded. "Could I ask a favour, Nurse Crimban?"

"If I can," She replied.

"I'm wondering if I can have a nurse take me to a couple of stores tomorrow?" He began. "I need some satellite phones, custom equipment, and such."

"Hmm," she paused in front of a door. "I have a nurse that has been begging me for a little time off so she could shop, and the doctors are saying that your almost ready to be discharged. I'll talk to her. As long as she understands that your shopping takes precedence, and provided you don't mind following her on her shopping rounds, I don't see the problem."

"As long as she doesn't drag me into a women's lingerie shop," Ash retorted with a roll of his eyes. "I would have asked Misty, but I don't think that you would have let me out of the Hospital even in a wheelchair without a nurse."

"You are right on that score." She said drawing herself up. "And I don't think you have to worry about the lingerie shop thing, she is looking for jewellery."

"Fine," He responded.

She opened the door and they entered a large central room with two doors leading out at different ends of the room. She went to one and opened the door, beckoning to the boys. They looked in and saw two twin beds made up with bright blue sheets, and blankets. Another door was set into one wall. Crimban indicated that it was to the bathroom. The boys each went to a bed and simply flopped down on them.

"Ash and Misty will be in that other room," She told the boys, pointing to the door on the opposite side of the central room. "Just so you know that they won't be far from you."

She then led Ash and Misty to the other door, and opened it. The first thing that Ash noted, his face flaming, was that there was one bed, a queen size. All the stuff that they had was already up there, including a small child's daybed for Pikachu, and another that would have been for Meowth. Ash glanced at Misty and was comforted to know that her face was the same crimson shade as his..

"Uhhhh, nurse Crimban?" Ash shakily said.

"Yes?" She responded.

"There is only one bed, a queen size." He informed her.

"Yes, I am sorry," she began. "But the two King size beds that we have are in use in the other Hospice suites."

"No, nurse Crimban," Ash said slowly, still scarlet. "One bed." He held up one finger. "Two people," adding another finger. "Boy," tapping his chest. "and Girl." pointing both fingers at Misty. "Only thirteen, me fourteen."

"Pokemon trainer, Tri-champion," She tapped his chest and smiled. "Gym Leader," And she patted Misty's shoulder. She winked. "See, I can remember things. Plus I did remember that you two love and respect each other, so I don't think that you will do anything, till the proper moment." She smiled and handed them a menu for breakfast, "Just hang it on the outside door knob and it will be picked up. Your transportation nurse will be here one hour after breakfast."

They went to the room with the boys and managed to get them awake enough to get a request for breakfast from them but after that the two boys simply fell asleep. They decided to let the boys sleep and prepared them for bed. Misty taking Eddie, and Ash getting Tommy ready. Then they turned out the lights, leaving a night light on, and returned to their part of the room. Ash mentioned that he could sleep on the floor, and Misty said that he was the one who was recovering and should get the bed. They finally decided that they would sleep in the same bed. Misty took first shower, and came out and then Ash took his shower. They both got into bed and soon found that they were so tired that they fell asleep instantly.

*** *** ***

Partings and joinings

Ash woke early. The small clock next to the bed was telling him that it was a quarter to seven, and he had at least fifteen minutes before their breakfast was delivered. He slid out of bed and went to the bathroom to wash up a bit and brush his teeth, When he was done he came out to find Misty on her side, head propped up on her hand, watching the door. He grinned.

"The bathroom is all yours, Miss Waterflower." He bowed "I will wake my new brothers and set up the breakfast table."

"Why thank you Mr. Ketchum," she giggled in response. "You are such a gentleman."

He went to the boys room and found both of them awake, and staring at the door as if in fear until the recognised Ash. Both gave a sigh of relief. When Ash asked what was wrong, they both said that they had thought that the previous day was a dream.

"Nope," Ash told both of them. "you wern't dreaming."

"Thank heaven," Eddie said, "I kept thinking that we would wake up and see that ugly woman to take us away."

"That ugly woman," Ash informed him. "Is sitting in an empty building, or heading out of the region as quickly as she can. Either way, you don't have to worry about her any more." Ash pointed to the bathroom. "now you two need to get washed up, brush your teeth, and get out there, because breakfast is going to be served in about four minutes."

Ash went to the table and saw Pikachu run out of the room followed by Misty. Together they set up the table just in time to hear a knock at the door. A nurse brought in the food trays, and left a small bottle of ketchup for pikachu, who accepted the bottle and sat on table near one end and munched on some poke chow the she sprinkled with the bottles contents. Soon the two kids came out and they all began to eat. Ash mentioned that he had to go out so he could get the satellite phones. Misty said they would be fine, and she wanted a bit of revenge at a game of sorry with Eddie and Tommy. Ash laughed when he saw Eddie giggle behind his hand. The Nurse came with the Wheelchair, and took him to the elevator. Ash took this time to check that he had enough money, and then waited.

He had to blink his eyes in the bright sunlight for a moment, and then the nurse started to wheel him down the street.

"I know the perfect place to get satellite phones, sir." She told him.

"Ash, my name is Ash." he reflexively told her.

They got to the store and in four minutes or so, Ash found the right phone that he was looking for. A man came over and when Ash told him that he needed ten phones, he informed Ash that that would fall under a business plan. He then told Ash that the plans covered six, twelve, and eighteen phones. Ash chose the twelve plan. He told the man to deliver them to the hospital and gave him enough to cover the first year for all the phones and they were done.

"Could we stop at this shop, sir?" the nurse pointed at the shop that had a plain sign in the window saying 'The Heart Shop'. "One of the patients told me about it a few nights ago and I need to get my husband a present for our anniversary. I won't take long, I promise."

Ash agreed and she wheeled him in. The first thing that Ash noted was the fact that there were psychic pokemon all over the place. And on a raised dais behind a counter was a metagross. At the counter was a man with ultra pale blue eyes and long white hair done up in a long ponytail. And Ash saw he was blind. The man smiled right at the both of them, and reached over to a drawer where he pulled out a dark wooden box with gold trimming.

"This is rare," he said in his soft voice. "Two soul mates entering together, but neither is mated to the other. I think that I have something that each of you could use." and he opened the box.

Ash was about to tell him that he was not there to buy anything when he saw a gold locket with two Milotic on it. They were made of crystal, and seemed to be touching at the tail and head, forming a heart shape with their bodies. He saw the nurse reach out and touch a ring that looked like a dratini holding its tail, and heard her gasp.

"This ring would be perfect." Then she sobered. "How much is it?"

"For you," He replied, "two hundred."

"And the locket, with the milotics on it?" Ash asked, not really caring about the price.

"Ahhhhh," The mans smile grew a bit broader. "For a young red haired girl, no doubt."

"HOW?!" Ash burst out, eyes widening in surprise.

"The young lady in question came in a few days ago," He answered. "She purchased a ring I carved in the likeness of a dragonair." he cocked his head to one side, "The ring, your wearing on your finger, right now Mr. Ketchum." He chuckled softly and pointed to the metagross. "I borrow the sight of my pokemon to see the world. Do you know why I called this shop The Heart Shop, Mr. Ketchum? I sell the items here to bind or mend hearts of people in love. For you two hundred."

Ash pulled out two hundred and gave it to the man. He also saw the nurse was counting out money for her purchase. Then he thought of something.

"Do you still make things, now?" Ash asked as diplomatically as he could.

"All the items in this shop were made by me." He said quietly. "The items in the box were carved by me in my younger days, just after my physical sight failed. My pokemon help me see the world, and I have always been able to see peoples hearts. What is it you wish made?"

"Three rings." Ash said, standing and pulling a small box from his pocket. "all the rings should used these." And he spilt the five tears that he had been carrying all this time onto the counter.

"I have worked these crystals before." he said, slowly reaching his hand toward the small pile. "For sailors and their girls. But never, did I find one as large as this one." and he picked up the largest of them. He inhaled softly. "Yesss," he softly hissed. "I can feel the shape buried in it. I assume that this is for the young red haired girl?"

"Yes," he answered hesitantly. "That I want to be unique. And I would need it in two weeks, is that possible?"

"I can feel the shape," He stated, quietly. "So I could have it done by Saturday with no problem. It takes much longer if I cannot feel the shape, or if the customer wants something different from what I see and feel. Will you trust me in this?"

"Yes, I will." Ash replied.

"You said three rings," he smiled. "What of the other two?"

"I need two wedding rings." Ash said slowly. "The metal part of the ring should be similar to what ever you will use for this one, but I want two star sapphires, one on each ring. And if you can use one of these on each, you can keep the other two."

The man smiled at Ash, and nodded.

"Place your trust in me, Young Ash." Was his soft reassurance. "All three rings will be ready on Sunday, by two o'clock."

"I'll have to figure out a way to get here then," Ash muttered. "I don't want Misty to know."

"That's my day off," The nurse told him. "I can pick it up for you, and deliver it to you on Monday."

"Thanks."

He got back to the hospital and found that the phones had arrived. So he began to hand them out. After that, as he knew it would happen, Max, May, Jessie and James said their farewells and headed off to Jubalife city to register for the contests that they were going to be entering. They left, promising that they would be at the competition to cheer him on. Then Wednesday came and Professor Oak was to take the boys home with him. Ash felt saddened but hid it as well as he could, until after they vanished in a little pop using the teleport power of his Alakazam. He stared at the spot where they had stood for perhaps a full two minutes before he saw Misty standing near him with her arms out to him. He fell into her arms and wept.

For the rest of the day he watched television, and then chatted with Brock and Susie. They noticed something different and asked Misty, since Ash wouldn't tell. She explained about Tommy and Eddie leaving and that he missed them. She missed them too, as did Brock and Susie. Thursday came and went with little to no change and Friday dawned bright and cheery. Ash was recovering from the loss of the two boys but it seemed to Misty to be slow. Then there was a knock on the door and Professor Oak, and the two doctors that had taken care of Tommy and Eddie entered. She saw he put on a happier face for them, but she could tell that there was the sadness. The two boys had worked their way into both of their hearts and it just wasn't the same without them. Misty also noticed that professor Oak seemed concerned.

"Ash, there's a problem." Professor Oak told him.

"Eddie's nightmares have returned." Professor Oak stated flatly.

"But, they don't have to worry about being separated, or that Pinchin witch." Ash snapped out. Then he looked to the doctor he knew to be a psychiatrist. "Why?"

"Not those nightmares, Mr. Ketchum." The doctor answered. "The nightmares about the death of his parents."

"Well, that did happen recently." Ash though out loud. "If it had been me, I think I would have nightmares too, this soon."

"No, Mr. Ketchum." The doctor told him. "Not about the car accident, though that's what I thought at first. It seems that their real parents died three years ago. The people that were in the car were their foster parents." They all sat down. "Tommy told us. Their real parents died when Eddie was five, and he had seen it happen. We don't have all the details on what did happen though. All we know is that there was an explosion and both parents died. They were soon fostered out and then returned quickly when the nightmares started. Their second Foster parents, the ones who died in the accident were on their way to a fair when they died. We always assumed that the nightmares were related to them. Tommy verified differently."

"Neither of them had any nightmares with us." Misty stated. "We kept both doors cracked open and never heard anything. I'm a real light sleeper."

"And Eddie crawled into bed with me the night that we met him and asked me to chase away the bad things in his sleep." Ash added.

"Apparently they feel safe with you." Professor Oak said. "They were falling into a routine very nicely at the lab, they would help with the pokemon, starting with theirs, and then moving on to the others. It was during the night that it seemed to change. Eddie woke up screaming in the middle of the night and it frightened all of us. Then last night he did the same and it nearly had their pichu frantic."

Ash turned away from them for a moment, concern etching his face. Eddie had never had a nightmare with Misty or him present, but when they weren't there, the nightmares returned. He looked at his pokedex and sleeve of poke balls. There was only one thing he could do. He knew that family helped each other. They were there for each other. He remembered what his mom had said about sacrifices that family sometimes made for other family. He looked at the Professor.

"I'll come home after I get released from here." he said, and strangely he felt better. Not great, but just better.

"Ash, what about the Sinnoh league? What about your dream?" Misty blurted out.

"It has to wait," Ash began. "Dreams are great, but this is reality, Mist. I can always try the Sinnoh league later, when were sure that Eddie is past this. He needs us now. Mom told me that family sticks together and there may come a time when you need to sacrifice something to help another family member or, in this case, Members."

"Ash," Professor Oak said, a slight tremor in his voice and pride in his eyes. "I have never, in my fifty eight years, heard a more mature and responsible answer from somebody as young as you are. You have made me, and your mother very proud right now." He gripped Ash's shoulder and squeezed slightly then looked him in the eye. "But I think there is another solution, and I need to speak to Chad on it." He turned to the doctor. "Can I use your phone again?"

"Professor," The doctor responded. "If it will help those two boys, and this young MAN, you can use anything in my office that you wish."

"If dad, can't find any other way, then I give up and go home. But promise me, Mist, that they'll never know why. I'll think of something if we need to."

"The poison that you got hit with, does attack the muscles, you know." The doctor stated, his eyes showing compassion. "It normally takes months to fully recover, sometimes up to a year."

Ash thanked him with a simple look, and sat down to wait. Misty regarded Ash with new respect and affection. He had been willing to put his dream on hold, or even cancel it completely for her, and here he was making another selfless offer. It was this same selflessness that had attracted her to him in the first place. He had put the welfare of pikachu before his own. It was that selflessness that caused him to jump between the attacks of Mew and Mewtwo and nearly cost him his life. And again that act of selfless help when he tossed Mewtwo into the healing lake risking injuries to himself. And again he had risked his whole being when he had retrieved the last sphere to restore Lugia, and calm Zapdos, Articuno, and Moltres. And according to what May told her he had selflessly offered up his life to save Mew and in the end a very loyal and caring Lucario had sacrificed his live and saved him. Misty vowed to herself, that she would help Ash in anyway possible.

"Well that went well," Professor Oak said as he came back. "Chad will be by in a few minutes with a power of attorney for me to sign. That will give you full authority to sign for Tommy and Eddie. That way they can come with you on your trip through Sinnoh. They, or Eddie, feels safe, and you get to go on and follow your dream."

"Dad," Ash was finding the word easier and easier to use, now that he had decided to call the professor that all the time. "Do you think it's fair to Tommy and Eddie to drag them around Sinnoh like that?"

"Drag?" Oak said staring at Ash. "They nearly had a fit of tears when they arrived at the lab. They wanted to be with you. I may be their legal father, but they want to be with big brother. I don't think that you'll have to worry about dragging them anywhere. Oh, and Brock says that having them along will not be any trouble at all. In fact he said it would actually help."

Ash thought a grand total of twelve seconds, after Misty nodded her assent.

"I'll try it." he stated, but then looked at the professor. "If it looks like it's too much for them though, I'll be back in Pallet Town with the boys."

"Fair enough," Professor Oak said and brought out his Alakazam. "Have Chad wait for me, I shouldn't be more then a few minutes." and he was gone.

Chad arrived a few minutes after Oak had left and started teasing Ash that he seemed to be doing more for him in the last week, then he normally did for the league in a year. Then there was a flash, and Professor Oak was there with two, now jubilant boys.

Ash was aware that Professor Oak was signing a document and so were the doctors. Then he was given a copy.

"Don't lose that, Ash." Chad said with a stern look. "That document is a power of attorney. If there is any need for a legal signature dealing with the boys, that is your only proof that you have the legal right to sign for them. If they need medical treatment; If they get caught out after curfew," He was looking at the boys directly as he spoke. "Of course," and he turned from the grinning boys to Ash. "We would expect you to brief Sam or Delia before making such a decision, but if you can't then the call is yours. If you can't get in touch with either your mom or your dad, I suggest that you talk to Brock. He has more experience with dealing with this sort of thing then you do."

"I would have done that anyway." Ash rubbed the back of his head.

"You boys listen to Ash." Oak told the two, while kneeling near them. "He, Brock, and Misty have much more experience dealing with the outdoors then you do. Your new mom and I will want reports of how you behave, too." He gave each a kiss on the forehead. "Have fun, listen to the older ones, and above all, do what's in your heart."

When Oak and Chad left, Misty and Ash took the boys to the other room in the hospice suite and got them settled in. They requested a larger dinner, and simply played a few game of uno, until the food arrived. Then they ate, and went to bed. Ash was deep asleep when he was woken by a scream so filled with fear and loss that it galvanized him into instant action.

*******

Sorry about the cliffhanger, but I am doing a six chapter upload this time so you don't have to wait for a week to find out what happened. Flygon