The Day Before You.

Disclaimer: I don’t own Pokémon, or the song in this fic. Pokémon belongs to a bunch of seriously rich guys at Nintendo and Game Freak, and the song belongs to Rascal Flatts and their respective copyright holders. Thank you.

Summary: Ash sings about a certain girl in his life, and what she really means to him.

Note: As I’m only focusing on the two main characters, I won’t bother with descriptions for anyone else, got it?

Extra Note: Ash is 18, and Misty is nineteen, okay?

Speech. Thoughts. Lyrics.

“Okay, we’re almost ready.” Delia glanced over at her son, who was nervously re-arranging, well, just about everything. “Are you sure about all this, Ash?” The tall, athletic young man looked across the table at her. “Yeah mum, I’m sure. If I don’t do this now, I might never have the courage to.” He ran his fingerless gloved hand through his thick raven hair, messing it up slightly, before he realized what he was doing and quickly smoothed it back down. Glancing over at his mother, he winced. “Are you sure you didn’t tell her anything? Cause she’s smart, just the slightest hint, and...” Delia sighed. “Yes, Ash, for the eleventh, and hopefully, last time, I only invited her down for the week. I don’t think she even knows that you’re going to be here.” Ash sighed. “Right. I hope everything works out like I planned...” Delia watched him move away to fidget with the decorations on the other side of the yard. ‘So do I, Ash, for your sake...’

“Wow Ash, this is a great party!” The tall, thin red haired young woman moved slightly to the beat, and Ash watched, almost hypnotised. “Yeah, great...” She glanced at him, and waved a hand in front of his dark brown eyes. “Hey, earth calling Ketchum, are you there, Ketchum? Come in...” Ash jumped and shook his head furiously. “Yeah, yeah, I’m fine, Misty. Just, tired, from planning this, that’s all...” Misty looked at him, one eyebrow raised as if she was checking his excuse for even the slightest trace of lying. “Hmm... okay, let’s dance.” “Huh, wha?” She grabbed his arm and dragged him out of the chair. “I said, let’s dance. Or do I have to get my six-shooters?” Delia watched as Ash was forcibly dragged out to the makeshift dance floor, and self-consciously started dancing. ‘How is he supposed to do this when he can’t even dance in public?’

Finally, sometime after Misty had let Ash sit down again, Delia signalled to him that it was time. Ash nodded and nervously stood up, glancing over to see Misty laughing with his ketchup-covered Pikachu at the snack table as she tried to clean him up. ‘Should have seen that one coming...’ Quietly, he reached the stage and motioned the band to stop. “Um, hi everyone. Er, welcome to the party. I, hope you’re having fun...” He paused for a chorus of yells, and he was happy to know that Misty was one of the whistlers, as her piercing note rang across the yard, causing several people near her to cover their ears hurriedly. “Um, I just have a little announcement to make, hopefully. But first, I need to do one thing...” He turned and nodded at the band, which slowly started playing a wistful tune. Ash turned back to the microphone and inhale deeply. ‘Here goes...’

“I had all but given up

On finding the one I could fall into,

On the day before you.

I was ready to settle for

Less than love and not much more.

There was no such thing as a dream come true...

Oh, but that was on the day before you.”

Ash closed his eyes and broke into the chorus, his voice almost dancing over the scale like never before. He’d put a lot of practice into this song, and just hoped that it was worth it... ‘This is Misty, it’s worth it.’

“Now you’re here and everything’s changing,

Suddenly life means so much more.

I can’t wait to wake up tomorrow,

And find out this promise is true.

I will never have to go back to,

The day before you.”

Ash opened his eyes and stared across the yard at Misty. She was standing with her mouth wide open, simply amazed by Ash’s sweet singing voice. He realized with a smile that this was the first time she’d heard him sing since his voice had broken, and winked at her. Misty blushed briefly and continued staring, amazed.

“In your eyes I see forever.

It makes me wish that my life never knew,

The day before you.

Oh, but Heaven knows those years without you

Were shapin’ my heart for the day that I found you.

You’re the reason for all that I’ve been through,

Then I’m thankful for the day before you – yeah, yeah.”

Misty suddenly noticed that Ash hadn’t stopped staring at her since that wink, and realized with shock that he was actually singing to her, about her, for her... She blushed deeper as he went back into the chorus.

“Now you’re here and everything’s changing,

Suddenly life means so much more.

I can’t wait to wake up tomorrow,

And find out this promise is true.

I will never have to go back to,

The day before you...”

“Was the last day that I ever lived alone

And I’m never goin’ back

No, I’m never goin’ back.”

Ash unhooked the microphone from its stand, stepped down from the stage, and walked across the yard towards the snack table. Reaching Misty, he slowly took her hand and smiled, staring into her blues eyes like he never had before.

“Now you’re here and everything’s changing,

Suddenly life means so much more.

I can’t wait to wake up tomorrow,

And find out this promise is true.

I will never have to go back to...

Yeah, I will never have to go back to,

The day before you...”

“Misty, will you marry me?” He murmured into the microphone. Misty stared at him, and for a moment, Ash wasn’t sure that she had even heard him. Suddenly, just as he was about to ask again, she threw her arms around his neck, kissed him and screamed. “Yes!” The crowd cheered wildly as the new couple hugged, and their friends were cheering the hardest. Ash brought the microphone back up to his mouth. “Which brings me to my announcement...” he added with a grin.

Ahh, what we do for love... The song is ‘The Day Before You’, and it can be found on Rascal Flatts album, ‘Feels Like Today’.

PROFESSOR WOLFSBANE.

27-May-09.