[ Love You Always -
                  By Karone ]

	Camping out was not a favorite thing of Misty's. Bugs, the
	ground, coldness; The images gave her shivers. There was
	another reason now, a more intimate reason, to dislike the
	vision of sleeping bags on the ground surrounding a campfire:
	closeness. She'd be only a few steps away from Ash Ketchum,
	something she once would have loved. He was the boy of her
	dreams . . . The one she pushed away the previous week.
	Once again, their journey had brought them to a camp fire
	outside in a forest. They were getting close to Viridian City,
	the last stop. Ash would be soon competing for his eighth and
	final badge, his Earth badge. Then, perhaps, he would decide
	to continue on to finish his dream to become the greatest
	Pokémon trainer in the world. As much as she argued with him,
	she believed if he really wanted to, he would accomplish his
	mission. After all, they'd gone through so much already,
	nothing could stop him now.

	There was silence as the two trainers began their hike for the
	day. Ash sighed to himself, glancing back at the form of
	Misty. She was quiet, head bowed, holding Topegi tightly as
	she walked. His mind flashed back to the previous week, just
	days ago, when they'd come so close to kissing. He felt it,
	they'd both wanted it. . . But what stopped it?
	Ash rounded the corner and paused, his dull brown eyes
	brightening despite his depression. Tucked away at the edge of
	the forest was a small waterfall, water sparkling brightly in
	the morning sun. Rocks were planted around it, making the
	grass that grew lightly on the outside more visible. He pushed
	past the hanging tree branches and walked up to the water's
	edge, staring down at it's crystal clear glaze.
	"Why are we stopping here?" Misty's voice was light, not
	really very interested. She walked up and stood next to Ash.
	Her eyes widened slightly, catching the sparkling clear water.
	Rocks were scattered among the algae covered ground and tiny
	fish swam on the bottom, unaware of the watching duo.
	Pikachu scampered up to Ash, watching with silence at the
	fish. Getting a quirky expression, he reached a paw into the
	water, batting it with the fish. Ash let out a small laugh,
	watching his Pokemon's antics. He turned a quick look at
	Misty, who also had a small smile on her face as she watched
	Pikachu. She has such a pretty smile. . . Ash thought, looking
	away before he was caught. I wonder why I never realized this
	until recently. . .Maybe I always knew.
	"Care if we take a break?" Ash asked her, turning his full
	attention onto Misty. "I know we just started walking but I've
	been tired . . . All week in fact."
	Misty glanced at him, and opened her mouth, but she sighed and
	turned away instead. "Whatever. Tell me when ever you're ready
	to go."
	Ash watched her walk ahead and he brought a hand to his
	temple, things were not going his way. They never spoke long
	enough to discuss what had happened. Would they even get a
	chance? He spotted a rotting dead tree trunk and leaned
	against it, his eyes still staring down at the waterfall.
	"Pika-pika? (Are you okay?)" Pikachu looked expectantly at
	Ash, waiting for him to reply.
	"Hmm? Oh, yeah, fine." Ash lied quickly. As much as he loved
	Pikachu, there was just some things you don't want to discuss.
	"Pika-pi! Pikachu! (You lie! Tell me!)"
	Ash glared down at his friend. "I'm fine, really." He
	insisted. "I just got a lot on my mind, okay?"
	Pikachu cocked his head, staring at Ash in worry. "Pikaaa...
	(Okay...)"
	Ash ran a hand through his mop of brown hair, glancing around
	again, suddenly noticing how bright the sun really was. Maybe
	I should just tell her. Knowing something has to be better
	then this.
	He stood up from his leaning and walked onto the path he'd
	seen her walk on. Ducking the branches and bushes, he came to
	the end, which lead to a small clearing where he found her
	sitting on a log.
	"Why can't I just tell him?" He heard her whisper out loud.
	Knowing this would most likely bring undesired results, he
	took a step forward and whispered, "Tell me what?"
	Misty's head snapped up at his voice and he flinched as her
	eyes narrowed. "ASH KETCHUM! How DARE you spy on me!"
	"I wasn't spying, honest," He managed to get out. He took a
	shaky breath, "I just wanted to come and see if you were ready
	to go now."
	Misty glared at him. "I don't know whether to believe you or
	not but I am ready to go, so let's get this on." Ash followed
	behind her, taking slower strides as he contemplated on what
	was going on.
	"Hey, how far are we from Viridian City?" He asked suddenly.
	She turned her and stared at him.
	"How would I know? Remember, SOMEONE lost the map here." He
	nodded, his mind flashing back to the previous week and
	argument.
	"I forgot." He muttered lightly.
	"You ALWAYS forget things." She commented icily. She picked
	her pace up, not glancing back as she joined Pikachu next to
	the waterfall.
	Pikachu eyed the vibrant and angry red-head then looked at
	Ash's following depressed attitude. He opened his mouth, to
	comment to his trainer but paused, cut off with the look of
	tears that were threatening to fall. So, instead, Pikachu
	jumped onto Ash's shoulder as the journey continued.

	***

	A couple hours later, the duo sat on fallen logs, eating their
	lunch soundly. A sudden flashback hit Ash, causing him to
	shudder lightly. Such happy times, so long ago . . .

	Misty squirmed lightly as she allowed herself to be led into
	the room, a training gym, in no doubt, and shivered lightly at
	the touch of Ash's warm hands covering her eyes. She stopped
	when she felt Ash do the same and he brought his hands off of
	her. Misty took that as her cue, and she slowly opened her
	eyes.
	A red bicycle sat in the center of the room; A huge blue bow
	was wrapped around it, and sitting on the handle bars sat
	Pikachu, a smaller blue bow also adorned his head. Her eyes
	flew open wide, and she stifled a giggle as she approached it.
	"Wow." She murmured.
	"Do you like it?" Ash asked anxiously. She smiled and nodded
	shyly. Ash let out a long breath he'd been holding inside.
	"I'm glad."
	Misty walked up to the bike, inspecting the handle bars where
	Pikachu sat. She let out a small giggle as the small mouse
	like 'rodent' jumped off and to the ground. She turned back
	and looked at Ash, "Why?" She asked softly, "I've been nothing
	but a jerk to you all week."
	Ash smiled lop-sided. "Well . . . " He looked down, then back
	up with a bigger smile, "I know you've been wanting a new
	bike, and well, I did owe it to you . . ."
	Misty smiled, a genuine smile, and walked over to him. "Thank
	you." She leaned closer and brushed her lips across his cheek
	in a small kiss. Hesitating for only a brief second, she
	continued, "You're the best."
	"Aww, gee, thanks . . ." Ash blushed crimson and Misty
	giggled. There was a pause, then he smiled sheepishly, "You're
	pretty cool too."
The two smiled, knowing that things would always be pretty good
between them, after all, what could happen when you're 12?

	You get set up for a fall, that's what happens. Ash thought
	bitterly. He sighed, glancing down at his half eaten sandwich.
	So much for his appetite, long gone now.

	Misty stared down at her sandwich, wincing lightly as her
	thoughts trailed to the previous week. How do you explain to
	the one you love things aren't how they seem? She had no deep
	dark secret, or an excuse, but she was afraid. So very afraid.
	She'd known Ash since she was 10, five years . . . She'd
	fallen head first for him. Then, it was just a general crush
	you got on guys. The stage all kids go through . . . Then, it
	grew deeper. Now, she felt strongly about him, much more than
	a silly crush.
	But, at the same time, she was afraid. How do you take that
	step, then not regret it at all? If things didn't work out,
	she'd lose her closest and best friend. That thought terrified
	her.
	"Bri? (Mom?)" Misty looked down and had to smile at her egg.
	"Hi Topegi."
	"Brii-briii? (What's wrong?)"
	Misty smiled lightly, "Nothing really. Just thinking . . ."
	Topegi climbed up it's mother's leg and hugged it. Misty
	smiled at her small Pokemon baby. "Thanks, I needed that . .
	."
	Topegi smiled and scampered away a few minutes later, off to
	most likely con ketchup from it's "Uncle Pikachu."
	Misty glanced over at Ash, whose face seemed pale and a
	depressed frown on his handsome face. It's all my fault . . .
	If only I hadn't acted so stupid and pulled away. I wanted it
	as much as he did. . .
	"Ready to go?" Misty jumped at his voice and she nodded,
	glancing sideways at him.
	"As ready as I'll ever be."
	"We'll camp out for the night in a couple hours." He told her.
	"Then, we should reach the City. Or pretty soon, anyway."
	She nodded with agreement and let out a small shudder, "Thank
	the Stars. . . This will be the last campout for a couple of
	days. . .Then, nothing but soft beds." She smiled wistfully
	and Ash had to agree.
	They began walking again, only thoughts about the last week
	and fresh beds in their minds.

	***

Ash sat on top of his sleeping bag later that night, reading by
flashlight. He was leafing through an issue of a new Pokémon magazine,
Pokémon Gazette. It was quite interesting, at least it saved him from
thinking of Misty . . .
	His eyes scanned an article talking about Water Pokémon and he
	cringed, instantly thinking of Misty and her Staryu and
	Starmie. She's always going to be on my mind. He noted, and
	sighed again as he closed the magazine, obviously not going to
	be able to finish it.
	He glanced over at her peaceful form inside her dark blue
	sleeping bag. Standing up, he walked over to the sleeping bag,
	staring down at her with a small smile. She looked so
	beautiful, just laying there. He turned away after a moment of
	watching, not wanting to wake her up.
	"Ash?" He turned at the voice, glancing back down at the
	sleeping bag and at her almost still form. She was still
	laying on the bag, shaking lightly. She was asleep still,
	evidently, but she was talking in her sleep. "I'm so sorry."
	He heard murmured. He watched her with some surprise as she
	continued to lay there. "Please . . . I do love you . . . Will
	you forgive me?" She was wracked with sobs.
	"I've got to wake her up," He murmured lightly, watching her
	with some worry. "Misty..." He crouched down in front of her,
	shaking her arm lightly. "Misty, wake up."

	Misty slowly opened her eyes at the sound of a voice and her
	body shaking. She blinked a couple times, and looked up,
	seeing Ash's form above her. "Ash!" She cried. She saw Ash
	smile and he leaned backwards, out of the way so she could sit
	up. She blinked a few more times before her vision focusing
	all the way on his form.
	"Are you okay, Misty?" Ash asked, a hint of hesitance
	intertwined in his voice.
	She nodded slowly, yawning. "Yes. Thank you for waking me up .
	. ." She turned her full attention onto him, watching him as
	the low crackle of the fire nearby sounded. The flame's glow
	played on his face, illuminating his dark eyes. She reached a
	hand to his face, pushing loose strands of his brown hair into
	a place so she would have a better view of his face. "Ash . .
	." Before she could stop herself, she threw herself into his
	arms.
	"Mist, what's wrong?" He asked softly, pulling apart from
	their hug minutes later.
	"It's just . . . I'm so glad to see you." She sniffled
	lightly. She gave a half smile, "I also . . . Want to
	apologize."
	"For what?"
	"For the way I've been acting since last week." She murmured
	lightly. "I'm so afraid. . ."
	"Of what?" He slipped a finger beneath her chin, lifting her
	head so they were eye to eye.
	"Of . . ." She paused, not sure if she should say anything
	else or not. She looked up at him tearfully, "Of you."
	"Of me?" He gave her a surprised look. "We've known each other
	for five years . . . What's there to be scared about?"
	"Not of you exactly . . ." She trailed off, not really sure
	how to continue. She took a deep breath and continued. "More
	of what I feel for you."
	Now, at this comment, his attention was completely on her. "W-
	what do you mean?"
	She smiled at him softly, leaning closer to him, and drew her
	hand along his cheek again, and then kissed him softly. She
	felt her eyes close as their lips finally touched, exploding
	them both into five years of passion.

	Ash felt dazed, confused, completely happy. He stared across
	the sleeping bag to where Misty sat, a smile lighting her
	face. "I . . .Can understand why you're scared." He whispered
	softly. "I was... Am too. But, Mist, I love you and I want to
	take that chance. Will you?"
	"I . . ." She nodded, and grabbed his shirt, drawing him ever
	so near to her. "Yes, because I love you too." She whispered
	as her lips met his in another sweet kiss.

	"STOP!"

	Both teenagers froze in mid-kiss at the sound of the voice.
	They turned slowly, catching two leering forms a few feet in
	front of them. The shadows concealed their faces, but a small
	suspicion was there.

	To be continued . . .

______________________________
Pokemon is copyright to Nintendo and the WB Kids and who ever owns
them.
Love You Always ©2000 Krissy Moser (aka Karone)
See Long disclaimer in part one.