The days became weeks and Ash began to adjust to his new life. He told everyone of the situation (his mum had told him that she wanted to meet Aya as soon as possible. She had been delighted with the news she was a grandmother), moved to Vermillion, found a new job, but he was still at Misty's, unable to find an apartment. He knew he had to move as soon as possible. He could see that although he and Misty had both told Aya that there was nothing between them, she never lost her hope. Anytime her parents spoke happily together he could see her display one of the widest smiles he'd ever seen. He hated the fact that one day she would finally realize the truth, and be hurt even more.

But, did she have to be hurt? He could stop it from happening.

****************************************

He stared at the newspaper, glancing over the classified adverts, but still he could find nothing. All the apartments were over his price range or too far away. " Damn."

" Still no luck?"

" No. But don't worry, I'll find something."

" You can stay here as long as you like. I...like the fact you're here."

He hesitated a moment, unsure of what to say. He decided that it would be best to tell the truth, and not to hurt her even more. " And I like being here too. It almost feels like we're a family, but you know the reason I have to move out."

" Yeah," she forced, trying to hide the instant flood of emotions that had enveloped her. But she didn't succeed. The tears came like a tsunami.

He turned to her, his attention being alerted by a sob, and saw her holding her head in her hands. " Mist." He was taken aback by the word. He had always used it when they were younger as a term of endearment. Instantly he said ‘Misty’, hoping that she hadn't noticed the slip. " Are you okay?"

" No," she cried. " How can I be when I'm such a terrible person?"

It hurt him to hear her say that. He tried to battle the urge to embrace her, but his common sense was defeated by his concern and care. He gently held her in his arms, his mind almost consumed by the euphoria he felt by touching her. It was the closest the two had been in so long. Any touches shared in the past month or so had been awkward and fleeting, but, to him, this somehow felt right. " Misty, you're not a terrible person. How can you think that?”

" I abandoned you...never told you you were a father...kept our daughter from you, that's how. I've lied and cheated both of you. What was I thinking when I left? I knew if you found me, you would hate me for what I did. And if you hadn't saw me at the festival that day, what would’ve Aya thought of me when she got older? She would blame me for her never knowing her father. She would hate me as well. But then again, someday she will realize what happened. Then both of you will hate me."

" I told you before, I don't hate you and she won't either. She doesn't even need to know."

" What do you mean?" She looked into his wide eyes.

" At the moment she is too young to understand this, and when she’s older she will forget about the fact I have only come into life now. Most people don’t remember their early childhood. If we tell her that we just broke up and not the truth, she won't know what you did."

" But she should know the truth. And... and why would you want to protect me?"

" 'Cause I don't want to hurt Aya." But there was another reason - he felt that Misty had tortured herself enough for her own crimes and believed that she needed no more punishment. But then why did he still punish her? Why couldn't he let go of the past? Why couldn't he forgive her even though, with each passing day, he wanted to more and more? But maybe he could. Wasn't love more powerful than hate? The realization fell upon him that he couldn’t go on this way. “ And...” he stared deep into her eyes,” I don’t want to hurt you anymore.”

“ Wha...what?”

“ I can sit here and try to punish you for what you did...but...I forgive you. And...and I’m still in love with you. I never stopped loving you.”

Her tears began to fall heavier, her face a picture of shock.

He took her hands in his and held them with a stern, but tender, force. “ The past few weeks have made me realize that. Yes, what you did was wrong, but I can understand why you did what you did. I understand you’re fear. We were young. We weren’t ready for this. But now that it’s happened, we should make the best of the situation. I could sit here and accuse you, ruin your life, my life and Aya’s, but why should I do that when the alternative is so much better, when if I let go of the pain we could be a real family. Misty...I want us to give it another go, for us all to be the family we should be, the family we would have been if you hadn’t left. Please.”

“ Ash.” His name came out as a whisper from her lips. She didn’t understand what was going on. Was it another dream? Was he really saying these things, the things she wished he would say? Whether he was real or a ghost, she had to answer. “ Oh, Ash. I’m the one who should be begging you to take me back.” She stopped for a moment, a smile spreading across her lips. “ Of course, Ash. Of course.”

He pulled her into a hug again, his tears now crawling down his cheeks. “ Oh, Mist. I love you so much.”

“ I love you too, Ash. God, you don’t know how much.”

For a moment, they just held each other, before slowly pulling apart and looking back into each other’s eyes. They then closed in, placing their lips together. It felt like the first time, soft and tender, before it became more passionate and intimate. But after a few moments, Ash pulled back and placed a finger on her lower lip. “ One minute.” He stood from the sofa and opened his bag, that sat at the other end of the room, desperately searching for that box he’d kept for all those years. “ A-ha,” he smiled when he had it in his hand.

He walked back to Misty and sat on one knee in front of her. She instantly realized what he was about to do, and tempted with anticipation.

“ I should have done this years ago instead of chickening out every time I tried. Maybe then you wouldn’t have left. But all that doesn’t matter now. The past is past. Misty, will you marry me?”

Her lips shook as he said the words. She still felt like she was still in a fantasy world. She could only say one word. “ Yes.”

He quickly pushed the ring on her finger and placed his hand behind her head, bringing her into another deep kiss. He then moved to hold her whole body, and pulled her into a standing position. He moved his lips from hers and moved down to kiss her neck and shoulders.

She rubbed her hands over his back, allowing soft moans to escape from her mouth, and then held onto his neck, wrapping her legs behind him. The kissing became more frenzied, and Ash, gripping tightly onto her, walked, holding her up, towards her bedroom.

****************************************

Aya slowly opened her bedroom door, and walked into the living room, hoping to surprise her father, as she had done everyday since he came into her life. She knew that no matter how many times she did it, he still enjoyed it. But as she approached the sofa, she saw that no one was sleeping there. It was empty.

She looked around, panic awaking in her small head. Where could he be? He hadn’t left, had he? He said he would, but she had never believed it. He couldn’t go. Mummy and daddy had to get back together.

She ran to her mummy’s room, quickly fumbling with the door handle that was above her head. And there he was, lying in her mum’s bed, holding her in his arms.
Did it mean...did it mean they we back together? She knew it would happen. Didn’t everyone who loved each other end up together? She didn’t understand it, but she was happy just to know that now they would all be together forever. She closed the door again, know that it was best to leave her parents alone.