Choices

Part 32:

This Ruined Puzzle

Note: This chappie’s just a teensy bit longer-not too much though! Still, only 3 chappies plus the Epi left now! We’re nearly there! *dances happily*

Ash: 22 ½

Misty: 22 ½

Dan: 23 ½

May: 19 ½

Amy: 2 ½

Anna: 2 ½

Sharon: 22 ½

Damien: 22 ½

Brock: 26 ½

Britney: 26 ½

Richard: 2 ½

Hallie: 22 ½

Tyler: 22 ½

Angelo: 22 ½

Drew: 21 ½

A/N: Song, “This Ruined Puzzle” By Dashboard Confessional (I’m so original with titles aren’t I? XD)

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“Congratulations on the engagement!” Angelo grinned at Dan. “Lucky guy- got the hottest chick of all the Pokemon masters!” he winked at Misty and she smiled, quite accustomed to Angelo’s flirtatious remarks after having traveled with him for a time. “And Damien, dude! It’s about time you and Shar finally got together!”

“Now it’s official!” Sharon replied cheerfully. “I’m Damien’s and he’s mine!” she clung to him fiercely. “no one take him away from me!”

“Good to now I’m owned.” Damien grinned wryly. “but you’re right about one thing-you’re mine…”

“Aww you guys are so cute!” Britney laughed. “You guys are still the same couples after all these years!”

Misty smile she listened to the conversation of her friends. Everyone was here-after all it was the engagement party and she would have been disappointed if they hadn’t. She smiled as Dan tugged her closer to him, pointing out their daughter and niece both dancing with their Pichus.

“Cute…” Misty murmured softly.

“Amy takes after her mother.” Dan nodded.

Suddenly the lights of the room grew dim as a softer song began to play. Misty smiled brightly upon recognizing the familiarity of it. She looked at Dan out of the corner of her arm with twinkling eyes and upon catching it, he smiled, extending his arm mockingly towards her which she took, gracefully.

Misty rested her head on Dan’s chest as they moved slowly to the song-their song, singing softly under her breath. She could see Sharon and Damien sitting at their table, holding hands, watching them with smiles on their face. Britney and Brock sat next to them and they waved enthusiastically at the dancing couple. She looked up at Dan and saw him smiling down at her, humming light under his breath.

She grinned up at him-he knew the song just as well as she did. It was the song that had been playing when they had their first kiss, so long ago. She remembered the day so clearly. She had been so young-still in love with Ash yet she had learned to love everything about Dan as well-she wasn’t in love with him but it was enough for him and her.

They smiled at one another. They cared so much and they didn’t want to lose each other-refused to. The comfortable life the two had established together would crumble-no, just as long as they continued together, everything would surely be all right.

Even if both knew perfectly well she didn’t love him as much as he ever would. He sighed as he leaned his forehead against hers, closing his eyes. But she had agreed against her own happiness and instead for his own happiness-was he doing right in doing this to the one he loved most?

‘Well she did choose me.’ Dan reasoned with himself. ‘But she loves Ash…’ he felt his throat close in on him. ‘She doesn’t-…’

‘I’m doing this for Amy and Dan.’ Misty thought with a sad smile. ‘They deserve the best-I can never be happy so I might as well make them happy in any way that I can. I love Dan… maybe not quite like Ash but maybe… Soon I will… Maybe…’ Misty squashed the word ‘maybe’ ferociously. ‘Of course I can learn to love Dan. I can and must try If not then what’s the use?’ She set her mind determinedly. ‘I have to try really hard! For their happiness… Only for theirs… Mine was lost… long ago…’

Had he really ever had Misty’s heart to begin with? No, Dan knew this-Misty had always been Ash’s and all he had was the ghost of her-her true spirit belonged wholly to him. He shouldn’t be doing this he shouldn’t. Yet would he stop her? No, he wouldn’t, yes it was the selfish choice but so what?

It was Human nature to be selfish and he was no exception. This was his chance to be happy and he wasn’t about to let it go to waste, no matter how bad he felt… But if she backed out would he let her go? Yes… Dan fought the lump in his throat, viciously. Yes he would . Her decision was important to him and if she decided to leave him, he’d let her even if it hurt hum. He wanted her to be happy and if she couldn’t be happy at his side then so be it.

She was going to go through with it, she had to, no matter what. Even if those loving chocolate eyes were following her as she danced-she didn’t care if he was here-all that mattered was that she was with Dan, here and now, making the engagement official, there was no going back-no, there wasn’t, there wouldn’t be…

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Note: Kinda short but a little longer though right? It’s all coming to a close! Wee! ^-^

Also there are a few things I’d like to all inform you of- WE HAVE A CONTEST!! Yes, I have decided to give you all a little prize from the very dear DayDreamer-that’s me of course! ^-^- Here’s the contest:

For those of you that have been following Choices since the beginning-this should be a piece of cake, I am asking merely for the episode that inspired me to start writing this fic-it was one of the Advanced Battles Episodes in which there‘s a Romeo and a Juliet. Ash is forced to wear a dress by May XD And yes that‘s the prologue of this entire fic that I‘ve been writing. If you are of the top three that can give me the date that it aired in the U.S to answer this you will get the following: