Disclaimer: Don't own pokemon!

A/N: Wow…when was the last time I updated this story? Anyway, thanks for the 
patience guys, I really, truly appreciate it! Well, on with the show!

Chapter 7

Reunion of Two

Ash fell silent for a moment and tried to answer back, but found that his voice 
was caught in his throat.

"You…your…the girl…," he stuttered.

Misty just nodded in response, what more could she do? 

"You're that little boy…the one I always used to play with…the one that would 
constantly stand up for me when I was bullied around for being a runt…," she 
whispered. "I can't believe it."

"No…that can't be. It just can't…," breathed Ash, who was now pacing around the 
room in a panic.

"Why not? The pieces fit, don't they?" questioned Misty, who was now standing to 
face the elite. "It's not impossible."

Ash slammed his fist against his desk, causing some loose papers and items to 
scatter across the floor. Everything was happening so fast. This girl was once a 
childhood friend and she would soon be dead at the hands of Giovanni.

"Come on," Ash announced solemnly.

"Where are we going?" Misty asked.

"You're going back to your cell," he stated. "I need some time to think."

"Ash, it's the truth, whether you believe it or not," whispered Misty.

"I believe it…I just can't accept it," he replied.

"I know it's hard, it's a big shock for me too, but we can get through this 
together. Please, deep down, you know Giovanni is the wrong one here," Misty 
tried to explain.

"No. I can't defy him. He's like a father to me," said Ash, shaking his head.

"But he isn't your father. He can't replace your father, he'll never be able 
to," she said. "Ash, please…" 

"I said no! I can't! I don't care who you are, no one will ever cause me to 
betray him," he shouted in frustration.

"Fine…" Misty whispered. "I'm sorry for bringing up any bad memories. Am I the 
next one to go? Well, I guess it really doesn't matter. I'll be dead either 
way," said Misty, in a low voice.

"Don't say that!" screamed Ash.

He was clutching his desk and shaking his head furiously.

"I can't handle much more of this!" he yelled out, grabbing Misty's cuffs. He 
reattached them to her wrists and turned her around. "Don't tell anyone you were 
here, understand?"

"Whatever…" said Misty, who was now staring at the ground.

 "Don't give me that! Come on, Misty," pleaded Ash.

Hearing the urgency in his voice, Misty turned to look at him. His eyes showed 
nothing of his current Team Rocket reputation, but that of his young, innocent 
childhood days. Misty thought that after the death of her parents those days 
were lost forever, but seeing the look in Ash's eyes rekindled a light that had 
been out for far too long.

"Okay, I won't tell anyone," she replied softly.

"Thank you," smiled Ash gratefully.

"No problem," she sighed. "Well, let's go."

She started to head for the door when Ash's voice caused her to stop.

"Misty…" 

She turned to look at him once again.

"What is it Ash?" she asked, waiting for a response.

Ash just stared at her, not sure of what he was going to say in the first place. 
What had caused him to even call her name? 

"Never mind," he said, shaking his head. "Let's go."

He led her out of his office and into her holding room, where Brock was waiting 
eagerly. He placed her in her respective cell and locked the door. With one last 
look back at Misty, he swiftly left the room.

"What was that all about?" inquired Brock.

"I'm not sure," replied Misty, looking back at the door in which Ash had 
departed.

Ash was walking through the corridors of the Team Rocket Headquarters, thinking 
to himself.

'She can't be the same person, can she?' thought Ash as he made his way through 
the corridor.

"Hey Ash!" came a voice from down the hall.

Ash looked up and turned his head to see his partner, Matt.

"I thought you were supposed to be on a break?" asked Matt.

"I needed to check something real quick," replied Ash.

"Oh, well, is Rick back at his post?" Matt inquired, looking back at the room.

"No, its fine. The prisoners aren't going anywhere," he sighed.

Seeing the forlorn look in Ash's eyes, Matt placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Are you feeling ok?" Hearing Matt's voice, Ash looked up and swallowed the lump 
that had formed in his throat.

"Matt…did you ever stop and wonder if this is all for real?" whispered Ash.

"Huh? What do you mean?" he asked.

"What I mean is…have you ever felt like we're just being used, like this is some 
sort of game?" Ash asked.

"No, of course not. Giovanni would never use us in that way. He knows how hard 
we work and rewards us for accomplishing our missions," replied Matt. "What are 
you implying anyway?"

"Nothing," Ash sighed. "Things have just been different lately."

"Ash, by any chance, does this have something to do with what Koga said 
earlier?" inquired Matt, stopping his partner in his tracks.

Ash just stared at his partner, not knowing what to say.

"Come on, Ash. You know everything he said was a lie. You can't trust any of 
them, especially that girl from Cerulean City. I bet those two are in it 
together. Her parents probably deserved to die--"

"Stop it Matt!" yelled Ash.

"Huh? Hey, what's wrong bro?" asked Matt, who was now giving Ash a very confused 
look.

"Nothing…I just-I just need to get some fresh air, that's all," replied Ash, who 
continued to walk down the corridor.

"Okay," shrugged Matt as he returned to his duties.

'What is wrong with me?' thought Ash. 'I shouldn't be questioning Matt about 
these things. I need to figure this out for myself.'

"Ash?" said a low voice.

Ash looked up once again and saw Giovanni staring at him. Ash immediately bowed 
and spoke in a low voice.

"Hello, sir," he said.

"Is something the matter, Ash?" asked Giovanni.

"N-No, sir. What makes you think anything is wrong?" stuttered Ash.

"My mistake then," Giovanni replied, walking alongside Ash. "You know Ash, 
you're one of my best rockets. I would hate to lose you."

Ash took in a sharp breath at Giovanni's words. Had Giovanni heard his 
conversation with Matt?

"You won't lose me, sir. I will stay loyal to this team until the end," bowed 
Ash.

"I'm very relieved to hear that," smirked Giovanni. "I'm very sorry for what 
happened earlier. I know it must have been hard hearing all those lies from that 
heathen, Koga. I was the only one who understood your parents. They were good 
people; they really didn't deserve to die." 

"Thank you, sir," Ash nodded.

"Your welcome, I'll hold you to your word then," he paused and then continued, 
"Well, I must tend to some unfinished business. If you'll excuse me."

Ash nodded and watched as Giovanni walked back into his office.

"He'll hold me to my word…" Ash repeated. 'Is that really worth anything?'

"Pika pi!" 

Ash turned his head and saw his pokemon, Pikachu, running up to him.

"What is it, buddy?" Ash asked.

"Pika pikachu pi chu pikachu!" it wailed.

"I told Rick not to go back in that room," sighed Ash. "Come on, let's go before 
he causes anymore trouble."

Pikachu jumped on its master's shoulder and they headed off in the direction of 
the holding room. Upon entering the room, Ash saw the young rocket teasing Misty 
and constantly poking her with his pocket knife.

"Aww, come here sweetie. I only want to play," he taunted.

Having had enough, Ash lifted the rocket by the collar and threw him against the 
nearest wall.

"S-Sir!" exclaimed Rick.

"Listen and listen good. I don't ever want to see you in this room again, got 
it?" stated Ash firmly. "You will no longer be assigned to watch these 
prisoners."

With a final glare, Ash threw Rick to the side and opened the door.

"Get out," he stated.

Rubbing his arm and muttering under his breath, the rocket started to exit the 
room. 

"Stuck up punk…" Rick muttered.

"Pikachu!" exclaimed the pokemon angrily as it threw a thunder shock at the 
rocket.

"Pikachu, that's enough," said Ash as he closed the door in the injured rocket's 
face.

Sighing, Ash sat down in his chair and began to file through some papers left on 
the desk. He jotted something down on a blank piece of paper and handed it to 
Pikachu.

"Here buddy, give this to Giovanni," he said.

"Pikachu?" it asked, taking the note in its paws.

"It's a letter relieving Rick of his duties for the time being," he explained. 
"Go and give it to him."

"Pika!" it exclaimed, running out of the room.

Sighing once more, Ash leaned back in his chair to relax. Looking over at the 
jail cell, he noticed that Misty was nursing an injured arm. He walked over to 
her cell and opened the lock.

"Come here," he said.

"Why? Is it my time yet?" she noted sarcastically.

"Come on, let me take a look at that," he said as she stood up.

Misty walked out of the cell and stood in front of his desk. Ash searched around 
in a few of his drawers and found exactly what he was looking for.

"Here we go," he said to no one in particular. "Let me see your arm."

Misty looked at her injured arm and then back at Ash.

"I won't hurt you, I promise," he stated as she reluctantly let him examine her 
arm. "Hmm…it's not too bad. Just a little antiseptic and it should be as good as 
new."

After pouring some of the clear liquid onto a cloth, Ash applied it to Misty's 
exposed skin and wrapped it up in a bandage.

"There you go," he smiled, letting her arm go.

Misty looked at her arm and gave a faint smile.

"Thank you, Ash," she said.

"Your welcome," he smiled.

"I don't get it. Why help us when you know we're going to die anyway?" asked 
Brock, who was now standing up.

"Good question," replied Ash, looking down at the ground, "I don't really know 
myself."

"You know, you're not as bad as I originally thought," commented Brock.

"I guess your right," he replied, looking in Misty's direction.

"So, why stay with Team Rocket?" Brock inquired.

"Brock, just drop it," interrupted Misty calmly as she once again entered her 
cell.

"Misty…I'm really sorry about--" Ash stopped as a loud beep rang through the 
intercom attached to his collar.

"Ash! It's Matt. I could use your help down at the base level," announced the 
rocket.

"Sure, what's up?" he asked.

"Its Surge, we're having trouble restraining him," Matt exclaimed tiredly.

"You'll never take me down!" yelled a voice, that was unrecognizably Surge's, 
over the intercom.

"See what I mean?" said Matt.

"Okay, I'll be right there," nodded Ash.

"Thanks bro and bring Pikachu too." The intercom beeped once more and then died.

"Well, you heard him buddy. Let's go," sighed Ash.

"Pika!" 

Ash opened the door to let Pikachu out, but before leaving he took one last 
glance back at Misty. Several moments later, he disappeared through the door.

"What was that all about?" questioned Brock.

"I wish I knew…"

A/N: Yay! Yay! Yay! I finished it and all in 2 days too! Err…okay, um, you guys 
know the drill and once again I apologize for the long (gee, that's an 
understatement) delay. Thanks for your patience! AAML forever!