'Why?'
By cultnirvana

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***Chapter 7– The Start of a New Beginning***


Misty began to stir from sleep. She had thought she had heard the door open, but now looking in it's direction, she saw that it was closed. Thinking no more of the noise she closed her eyes again, but noticed a pressure upon her side. She looked down at the area and saw a hand draped over her. Then the events of the previous night flooded back to her.

A smile came to her lips as she looked down at her left hand. The ring shone in the morning light. She couldn't believe it. He had forgiven her, something she though would never happen. She knew she didn't deserve it, but there was no way she was going to let her guilt get in the way of her family's happiness.

She turned around to her fiancé and stared into his sleeping face. She touched his smooth cheek tenderly, and he responded to her contact. His eyelids fluttered for a moment before opening fully, focusing onto her eyes.

" Hey," he said.

" Hey," she replied.

Ash pulled her closer with his arms, letting her place her head on his bare chest. They spend several minutes in silence, just enjoying the warmth of each others bodies, until Misty broke the cessation. " I love you so much...and I can't believe we're getting married."

" I only wish I had of asked you all those years ago. Then maybe all of this wouldn't of happened." His tone was tinged with sadness and regret.

She lifted her head off his chest so she could look at his face. " But as you said, Ash, past is past. And it wasn't your fault. It was mine," she chided.

" If I had of asked you to marry me before you found out you were pregnant, would you have left?"

She didn't want to answer the question, but she had to be totally truthful with him. " No. If we had been engaged, I don't think I would have been so afraid of your reaction."

" Again, fear caused these years of pain."

" Ash, none of this is your fault. You couldn't see the future. Aya was totally unexpected. We always used protection. Don't blame yourself for this. Just think that all of that is over now. We're back together. Everything is going to be alright.

He finally smiled again, and with an wavering voice he agreed, " I know." He moved his lips to touch hers, and kissed her intensely. Withdrawing their lips ever so slightly, so they were still lightly touching, he whispered, " I love you, baby." He moved closer to her again, but she quickly pulled back, a mischievous grin on her beautiful face. " What?"

Misty giggled for a second before beginning to answer his query. " Ash, there is one condition you have to agree to before I marry you."

" Yeah?" His confusion was evident.

" You have to go back to training. It's always been your dream to become a master, and I don't want you to throw that away. It's your passion. If you agree to start Pokémon training again, I'll marry you. And don't worry, me and Aya will be cheering for you in the stands."

The confusion disappeared. " How can I refuse?" He moved to kiss her, but again she pulled away.

" We better wake Aya up, tell her the great news."

" We can tell her later." This time he made sure he could kiss her by placing his hand behind her neck, letting her melt in his arms.

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" Hi, Misty. Were you sick yesterday?"

Misty looked up from the medicines she was cataloguing. " Ah, no."

Jack looked towards her and noticed her cheerful expression. He couldn't remember the last time she looked so happy. " Is everything alright?"

" Everything's great."

" What happened?"

She knew it would break his heart, but he would find out eventually, and it was better that he found out from her. " Ash asked me to marry him."

" What?!" He couldn't hold back his shock.

" I know it's all a bit sudden, but it just kinda happened, and we couldn't be happier. I took the day off yesterday 'cause we wanted to spend the day together, planning things. And to tell Aya. You should have seen her face. She was ecstatic, but I could notice a little 'I told you so' look on her face. She never give up hope, no matter what we told her. We're going to get married in two months. Just about enough time to get a wedding arranged." With every word she said, she became more excited.

" Oh."

She could hear the disappointment in his voice. She didn't like to hurt him, but he always knew that there was no possibility of a relationship between her and him. " I'm sorry, Jack. I know how you feel about me, but you have to understand I don't feel the same way." She kept her voice low and compassionate. It wasn't his fault he had feelings for her. " I love Ash. I have ever since I was a kid and he has forgiven me for what I did to him. That alone shows me how much he loves me. And now we have a child together. If Ash wasn't around, I know you would be a perfect step-father for Aya. You almost treat her like your own, but you knew that if something did develop between us, that would be all you could be. No matter how much I could try, I could never love you. I could never love anyone but him. If Ash hadn't found or forgiven me, I would have happily lived the rest of my life alone, because I know that no one could recreate the spark I have with him."

" I know. I know I was fooling myself into believing that you could have a fraction of the feelings for me that you have for him, but I guess love blinds you to that fact. I'm sorry. I knew your past and I shouldn't have even tried."

" You could helped it. But I hope we can still be friends and I am going to complete my medical training. I really want to be a Pokémon doctor. And also, I want you to come to the wedding. You are one of the few people who I have been able to become close to over the past few years, and I want you there with me. And I hope you can be happy for me."

He give her a friendly embrace, making sure he wasn't holding her too close. " Of course I'm happy for you. And I'm happy for Aya, too. She finally has what she wanted so much."

" Thanks. And don't worry, Jack. You're a great guy and someday you'll find a woman who will make you happy."

" I hope so. But just promise me one thing."

" What?"

" Make sure Ash knows how lucky he is to have you."

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Misty looked out into the fragrant garden infront of her, where the wedding guests were gathered. She quivered with nervousness. There were many of the people she hadn't seen in years, her old friends and both of their families. They all knew of the history between the two and she was worried what they now thought of her. At least she knew a few of them would look on her with eyes of tenderness. They were three people she had always held close to her heart - Brock, Pikachu and Mrs. Ketchum. The fact that Ash had forgiven her was enough for them, and they had instantly accepted her back into their lives. She smiled looking them, Ash's mum in the front row with Pikachu sitting on her knee, and Brock at Ash's side, doing all he could as best man.

Then she glanced at Ash, looking more handsome that she could remember him being before. In mere minutes they would be husband and wife.

" Mummy?" Misty looked down to see her daughter pulling on her traditional red kimono.

" Yeah, honey?"

" When are we going outside?"

" In a few minutes, Aya." Misty looked again at herself in the mirror. The kimono was quite comfortable, but a little tight, and her hair, although the short locks were gorgeously styled and held in place by simple silver clips, felt a bit strange. She was used to wearing it down. But she had to admit she looked beautiful. Aya was dressed similarly but in cream, fine embroidered flowers of the same colour adorning her kimono, her hair also up. She knelt down to her level and kissed her child on her forehead. " Are you ready, baby?"

" Yes, mummy."

" Okay, lets go." Misty stood again, walking over to the canvas flap of the tent with her daughter close behind. She reached out to move the flap, and gently pushed it aside.

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Ash saw the her come out from the tent, and gasped. She looked amazing, more beautiful than he could recall her ever being. She began to walk towards him. He then noticed little Aya behind her, carrying a bouquet of flowers, stepping uneasily over the grass in her dress.

She was now a mere pace away from him. He took her hands, drawing her even closer to him and looked into her gleeful eyes. She stared back, the two never moving their eyes from each others throughout the whole ceremony. As they said their vows, it seemed as though no one else was near, like they were in their own little world. They just told each other how much they were in love and how they would never part again. Their life was now to begin anew, finally able to leave the pain behind them in the past.

As they kissed to seal their vows, a little giggle echoed from below them. Looking down they saw their child looking back, with those beautiful blue-green eyes. Misty leant down and picked her up holding her securely, but adoringly. Ash touched the girl's reddened cheek, and then put his lips to it. The three of them standing there, together, Ash and Misty realized that it wasn't just their day, it was her's too.

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