Doctor

Disclaimer: I don’t own Pokémon.

Summary: Misty needs a vacation. Bad. A trip to Pallet Town. Good.

Speech. Thoughts.

RING-RING-RING, RING-RING-RING, PHONE CALL, PHONE CALL.

Misty shuffled over and picked up the receiver, pressing the video button in the process. “Cerulean Gym, Misty speaking.” Ash’s face popped up on the screen. “Hey, Misty... whoa, you don’t look too good...is everything okay?” Misty sniffed and pushed a strand of her bright orange hair behind her left ear. “Yeah, I’m just a little, overworked, that’s all. Too much stress always makes me a little ill, but I’ll get over it... I hope...” Ash frowned. “Well, working there won’t make you feel better any quicker, that’s what started this... I know!” His face lit up. “Why don’t you come down here, to Pallet Town?!” Misty raised an eyebrow. “Huh?” Ash nodded enthusiastically. “Yeah! It’ll be like a vacation for you!” Misty smiled and shook her head sadly. “I can’t. What about the Gym?” Ash dismissed it with a wave. “Ahh, let your sisters do some work for a change. Come on, nice clean air, plenty of time to relax, think about it...” Misty smiled. “Fine, if it’ll get that dopey look off your face, I’ll come. Besides, it might be fun...”

“I wonder what’s taking her so long?” Ash fiddled nervously. “Well, if she’s a sick as you said she was, she’d have to take it easy coming down here.” Delia commented, stirring the pot of her special, sure-fire chicken soup in preparation for Misty’s arrival. Brock nodded. “Yeah, and she’d have to find a sister to take over the Gym for a while... that could take a while.” Pikachu’s ears pricked up. “Pikachu-pi!” he called, racing for the door. Ash leapt up and opened it to find Misty standing there with one hand raised, ready to knock. “Wow... I don’t remember knocking yet...” She looked a little confused. Delia came over and placed a hand on Misty’s forehead. “Hmmm, she’s burning up!” she escorted Misty over to the table and sat her down. “Have a bowl of soup, then it’s straight to bed for you, young lady!” Misty nodded and looked around. “Lady? I don’t see no lady...” she murmured, her blue eyes crossing slightly as she fell forward. Ash rushed over and placed his hand under her falling forehead just in time. “Man, she’s really sick!”

Late the following morning... “Hey, sounds like she’s finally awake.” Brock glanced up at the ceiling. (how can you tell?! He has no eyes!) “Maybe she’s feeling better after a good night’s sleep.” Ash jumped up and stood at the bottom of the stairs. Misty shuffled slowly to the top of the staircase. “Slept in. Gotta open Gym...” she mumbled, stepping off into space. Ash rushed forwards and grabbed her, half-sliding backwards from the force of the impact. Misty opened her eyes as Delia and Brock gathered around to check on her. “Oh, I almost fell in the pool... Ash, what are you doing here? And how’d you get in, the door’s loc...” she trailed off and went limp in his arms. Small snores verified that she’d fallen asleep again. “Wow, she is overworked... she thought she was still back at the Gym...” Brock breathed, still in shock at the close call. Ash carefully lifted Misty up and carried her back up the stairs. “We’re gonna have to keep an eye on her, just in case...”

Over the next few days, Ash kept watch over Misty, bringing her water whenever she asked for it, and making sure she had plenty of soup. He alone knew the true power of his mother’s Sure-Fire Chicken Soup... “Ugh.” Ash looked up from where he was studying his Pokedex. “Misty?” he said, going over to her, brown eyes filled with concern. “Uh-huh...” she nodded, just waking up. “How are you feeling?” Misty carefully, not to mention slowly, sat up. “Um, better, I think... what day is it? How long was I out for?” Ash checked her forehead as he handed her a glass of water. “Thursday. You’ve been in and out for almost a week...” Delia walked in the door. “Oh, thank goodness, you’re awake! How are you feeling, dear?” Misty stretched her arms until her joints popped. “Better. Much better. And a little hungry...” Ash straightened up. “I’ll go find you something...” he said as he ran out the door. Delia smiled. “He’s been sitting here next to you for days now...” she said, feeling Misty’s forehead. “I’ve even found him asleep in that chair a few times...” she added, seemingly satisfied that Misty’s temperature was back to normal.

Misty sat quietly as Delia left the room to start dinner, passing Ash in the hall. ‘He really... oh, Ash!’ Misty looked over as Ash returned, carrying a bowl. “I didn’t know what you wanted, and Brock said girls usually inhale chocolate when they need to feel better, so... I brought you a nice, heaping bowl of chocolate ice-cream! Pikachu tried to put some ketchup on it, but I managed to stop him in time...” Misty smiled as Pikachu jumped up onto the bed and looked sadly at the bowl, his black-tipped ears angled down. “Don’t worry Pikachu, when I’m able to stomach fries, then the ketchup will be a big help. Besides, this means more ketchup for you, am I right?” she grinned, taking the bowl. Pikachu’s face lit up. “PIKA!”

Ash sat awkwardly as Misty slowly ate the ice-cream. She watched him fidget nervously over the top of the bowl. “All done?” he asked as she started licking the bowl clean. Misty nodded and smiled. “Yep... What’s so funny?!” Ash stifled a laugh. “You’ve... you’ve got chocolate on the end of your nose...” Misty crossed her eyes, trying to see. “What? Where?” Still laughing, Ash took out a hanky and wiped it off for her. “There. See?” he added, showing her. Misty blushed. “Oh. Right.” “And you say I eat like a pig...” “You do, Ash. You do.”

Misty waited as Ash took the bowl downstairs to be washed. “Ash?” she asked as he returned. “Yeah Misty?” She nervously wrapped a corner of the sheet around a finger as he came over to the bed. “Um, I just wanted to say... thank you... for looking after me...” Ash blushed. “Well, you would have done th...” he was cut off as Misty leaned up and kissed him gently on the lips. “...Same.” he finished lamely. “Yeah, but I would have bullied you into getting better. You didn’t. Thank you.” Ash grinned and turned bright red as Misty smiled warmly at him. “Anytime, Myst. Anytime.”

Right. I think it’s lucky this one was written at all. My inspiration was the fact that I feel as sick as a dog right now myself. My tonsils are acting up again... But I shall never surrender to the doctor! Never, you hear me. Never! (Pants and hacks up a lung) Okay, maybe if I get any worse... Going to sleep now... Sleep good... (SNORES)

AUSSIE WOLF.

26-Apr-08. Revised 28-Apr-08. Fixed typos 3-Apr-09.