A/N: Here’s the next chapter. Sorry it took so long. I have finals next week.

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon.

The figures upon the floor immediately looked up. Haruka stopped screaming as she tried to keep her tears from rolling out of her eyes. "B…Brock," mumbled Haruka. Realization suddenly hit her she knew exactly what she was seeing now. Haruka immediately backed away to the restaurant door and pulled it open and ran out the room.

The restaurant was stone quiet at the scene that just took place in front of them. One of the figures got up from the floor and ran out. "Haruka," shouted the figure. He sighed for he knew he made a mistake. A light pat was felt on his shoulder before it moved up to his head. He groaned and yelped in pain as he felt the hand slap him hard on the face.

"God Takeshi! I thought you would have learned by now," said the voice. Takeshi turned around in fear. He knew exactly whom the voice belonged to.

"Kasumi… I can explain," muttered Takeshi. The girl growled.

"It isn't me that you should be explaining things too. Except WHERE WERE YOU THIS MORNING!" shouted Kasumi. Takeshi immediately cringed. Even after traveling with Misty for most of his teenage life, he never got over the harsh way she sometimes acted towards him.

"I…I…" muttered Takeshi. Kasumi rolled her eyes. Once again she slapped Brock on the head.

"Well go talk to YOUR WIFE. We'll discuss your absence and social life later," snapped Kasumi.

Brock made no indication to go off in the direction that his wife took off in. "I…I can't. Haruka is really mad at me. If I go talk to her now, I'll just make things worse." An idea struck Takeshi as he eyed Kasumi funnily. "Uh… Kasumi… could you go talk to Haruka for me?"

Kasumi sighed. She simply nodded. "Fine, I'll cool her down, but you got to talk to her."

Takeshi immediately grinned as he gave Kasumi a hug. "Thanks. You're the best."

Once again Takeshi received a hard slap. "Ouch! What was that for? If you treat your compliments like that, I'm dying to see how you treat your enemies," said Takeshi with much sarcasm in his mouth.

"You rock head, that's what got you in this mess in the first place," snapped Kasumi.

"Sorry," muttered Takeshi. Kasumi sighed as she left Takeshi at the restaurant.

In the shadow a duo could be seen giggling. In one of their hands was a small bottle with the word pepper printed on it.

She ran down the streets knowing exactly where Haruka must have gone. Haruka loved the forest outside of this town. Kasumi was sure that's where she would find Haruka. Just as she predicted Haruka was in her favorite tree.

"Ruka," shouted Kasumi. It was a nickname that Kasumi had gotten use to calling her over the years.

"Go away," muttered a small voice.

Misty sighed. She knew this wasn't going to be easy. "Ruka, we got to talk."

"'Bout?" asked Haruka.

"You know what," said Misty.

"I don't want to," snapped Haruka. Misty sighed. Haruka was acting like the brat she was when she was younger.

"Won't you come down here, so we can talk?" asked Misty.

"Did he send you?" asked Haruka.

"Who's he?" asked Misty. She knew whom Haruka was talking about, but she wanted Haruka to say it first.

Haruka sighed. "You know who I'm talking about," snapped Haruka.

"No, I don't," said Misty. She knew that she would get no where down here. Misty decided it was time their talked face to face. Misty climbed to the branch that Haruka was sitting on and inched forward. Climbing trees hadn't been one of her favorite things, and it bought back memories of that night. That last night that she spent with him. From her spot on the tree, she could tell that Haruka had been crying.

"Ruka, you know you can tell me anything right?" asked Misty.

Haruka turned around and sighed. "I…I don't know what to say. What do you say, Misty when you see your husband making out with someone else in public?" asked Haruka.

"I'm sure there's a logical explanation for that," said Misty.

"Like what?" asked Haruka. She looked up at her friend's face. "Like what? What other reason could there be? He was missing all morning. Maybe…maybe it just wasn't meant to be," muttered Haruka.

Misty bolted her head up. "Don't you dare say that! You and Brock were meant to be. You believe it was love that bought you together don't you?"

"I…I don't know," muttered Haruka. Misty sighed as she inched closer to comfort one of her best friends.

"Look Haruka. I know you love Brock, and I know he loves you…."

"But…but what about every other girl that he made out with?" asked Haruka.

Misty chuckled as she remembered her childhood. She had to drag Brock away from everyone. "They didn't work out. You remember how it was, don't you? Brock loves you. He wanted you. He tried soo hard to get you to like him at first. I remember. After I returned from Cerulean, I knew Brock had a thing for you. He never looked at any girl the same way again…"

"Until today," muttered Haruka.

"Ruka, I know there has to be a logical explanation for this. Listen to him, if you really love him," muttered Misty.

"Misty, you're soo lucky," said Haruka.

"Why?" asked Misty.

"Because you have a tomorrow, a hope."

"Huh?" asked Misty. She clotted her head in confusion.

"You have hope. Your love life in like a fairy tale ending," said Haruka. Misty immediately went quiet. How wrong Haruka was Misty didn't know. Haruka didn't know that at long nights early on she would cry herself to sleep. When Thunderbolt was first formed, she cried every time she saw a Pokémon trade. Every time they lost a battle, she would know she was one chance shorter in being reunited with him. Her hope was near demolished now after seven years. She hated to admit it, but she was beginning to forget what he even looked like. What he sounds like. But there was one thing she didn't forget, what his love felt like. What the kisses that he implanted in her were like. The memories they had. Lately she had been wondering if it was time to move on. Haruka and Musashi both had been encouraged her to go to the dinner with Ziggy. She didn't know if she should. Would she be betraying her love for him? Would going out with another man make him disappear?

Right now she wished more than ever to see the stars. He had told her that when she felt alone to look at the stars, but she couldn't. She hadn't seen a single star for five years now. The last time she saw the stars was the night before Thunderbolt was moved underground. At the beginning nobody had thought of moving the base underground. It was until Yuurki, and Sakaki joined forces that the idea of moving underground was bought up. Misty went against it cause she knew by doing so she could never see his mark or the stars again. Now, she longed to see the stars one more time.

********

It was getting late when Haruka got home. She and Misty had a long talk on everything. Haruka smiled as she walked into her suite. It was quiet. The children must be asleep. Haruka walked to her son's bedroom and found his carousal moving and playing a lovely melody. She walked to her son's bed and sighed. He was sleeping peacefully. He looked soo cute. Haruka stroked the baby's forehead before leaving the bedroom. She walked to her daughter's room to find her cuddled up with her doll. The child's face was rosy red.

Haruka stroked the girl's face before leaving the room. She sighed knowing that she would have to face him sooner or later. Haruka lightly opened the bedroom door to find it lit by a single candle. She turned her face this way and that and saw that he was no where to be seen.

Haruka sighed. She wondered where he could be. Deciding it wasn't important now, she went outside to take her daily bath.

********

Two weeks had past since the incident at the restaurant. Haruka and Brock still didn't see eye to eye. Brock moved in with his father and mother while Haruka and the children stayed in the suite. Brock tried convincing Haruka what really happened, but she wouldn't believe it. Thanksgiving was closing in as the soldiers in training were preparing for graduation. Among them were Jessie and James. Sakaki had accepted the two in his clan much to Yamato and Kosaburou dislike. After witnessing one of their practice battles, Sakaki agreed that they weren't that useless. It was Musashi and Kojirou dream come true.

Today was no different as generals prepared for the Thanksgiving dinner. It was always a tradition for the three founders of Thunderbolt to organize the dinner. Shigeru, Tooru, Kenji, Kojirou and Musashi had all volunteered to help put up the remaining decoration today on their one-day off.

Kasumi sighed as she watched the coldness that Takeshi and Haruka showed towards each other. Kasumi heard Takeshi's so called explanation, which Haruka totally didn't buy. She put another banner in the grand hall before walking over the Haruka and Musashi. The two talk were busy putting the sound system together. Kasumi touched the girl on the shoulders. A light jump could be felt as Haruka turned around.

"Kasumi, I didn't see you there," said Haruka.

"Yeah, well," said Misty uneasily. "Just wondering how you and Jess were doing on the sound system."

Misty looked at Haruka, and she knew the girl didn't buy her story. "Misty, I've known you for a long time, and I know you're fibbing right now. You want to talk about him right?" asked Haruka coldly.

Misty rounded her eyes then nodded. "Duh."

Haruka responded coldly again. "I don't feel like talking about it." Misty groaned as she picked up a piece of wiring. This was going to be harder than she thought.

Haruka gave Misty a small glance before continuing working. Her mind wasn't on the sound system anymore. She never till this moment gave much thought to what Brock told her.

As Haruka looked back on the incident now, she felt guilty for what she did. Maybe she shouldn't have treated Brock that badly.

"Haruka," a far away voice called to her. Haruka turned her head, and she saw Kasumi giving her an impatient stare. "Finally, could you please pass me the wire?" asked Misty. Haruka looked down at her hands and immediately blushed red. She had somehow without meaning to gotten the wires tangled up.

"Uh, sure," said Haruka. She handed Misty the only wire that wasn't tangled up.

"Kasumi, Haruka, you want me to get you guys something to drink?" asked Musashi.

The two girls nodded as Musashi left them. "Okay! What were thinking about?" asked Kasumi.

"What? I wasn't thinking."

"I've known you long enough. I know you were thinking about Brock," said Misty. Haruka sighed then nodded.

"I feel like we've been drifting apart since Senri was born. I don't have time for Brock anymore. Crystal and Senri keep me busy all day. Maybe if I spent more time with Brock, we wouldn't be like this," said Haruka. Kasumi sighed as she patted Haruka on the shoulder.

"You love him. Every marriage goes though a time like this. If you really love Brock, then everything will work out."

"I guess." Haruka face immediately lightened up as she realized something. "You going to take Ziggy up for his offer?"

Kasumi rolled her eyes. "I don't think so…."

"Kasumi! Don't you think its time to move on?" asked Haruka. She had been worried about Kasumi's love life for a while. She was still in love with him. Haruka could see that. Those two had a special bond that not many people had. It was as if their love was a match made in heaven. But now Haruka cared for Kasumi's sanity, it had been seven years and not once had she shown any interest in another guy. Haruka didn't want one of her best friends to spend her life alone. She wanted her to find happiness again. Kasumi insisted that every time someone got her a date, that she couldn't accept. That he would be back. Kasumi had founded Thunderbolt first as a search party. Later it became what it is today, but Haruka could tell that Kasumi still longed for him.

Misty turned her head away from Haruka. "I could… I'm not ready." Haruka sighed as she placed her hand on Misty.

"A long time ago you told me to find true happiness. Now I ask you the same thing. Go to the dinner with Ziggy. If it works out, great, if not just forget it."

Misty turned around to face Haruka. "But what will I do when he returns?" asked Misty.

"Misty, I'm sure that he never had any intention of being gone soo long. I'm sure he would have wanted you to find love again. He would want you to be happy."

"But I'm happy with him…"

"Misty, go with Ziggy to the dinner. Do it not for me, not for anyone, do it for yourself." Said Haruka encouraging.

Misty sighed. "Fine… but you got to make up with Brock. But I wouldn't like it though."

Haruka sighed then nodded. In the distance Jessie smiled as she heard Misty say she would go with Ziggy to the dinner.

A/N: I already wrote the next chapter. After I finished this chapter, I realized that this it was way to long. It was over 20 pages on hmtl. So I decided to cut this chapter is half.

Ziggy---- Rudy