Too Late

AAMRN

By: DayDreamer

Note: For the second place winner of my contest here! ^.^ But get the tissues people, it’s a tear-jerker!

Characters:

Ash/Misty/Sharon/Damien: 20

Brock: 24

Jessie/ James: ??

A/N: Song “Goodbye My Lover” By James Blunt

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Misty was gone… Ash still had a tough time believing it. He absolutely refused to believe even when Sharon, her twin sister confirmed seeing her death in her dreams-they weren’t identical but that didn’t mean they didn’t have a connection. Damien had tried to soothe her as best as possible but now at twelve months and counting not even he could fight back the depression that came over her ever time she had the same nightmare.

But Ash, being the stubborn person that he was, wouldn’t allow to let such an idea cross his mind-no it couldn’t be true. That’s why he kept searching for her, joining the Resistance against Team Rocket like Misty had done before she disappeared. The night before she vanished had been on of the happiest of his life but now was nothing more than a bittersweet memory.

“Where are you being transferred to?” Ash asked as casually as he could, trying to cover the worry in his voice as he watched his childhood companion, now turned woman pack her trademark red knapsack.

“Somewhere over Diglett hills” Misty muttered nonchalantly. “The Professor thinks Giovanni is trying to get new recruits-training them young and brainwashing their minds. I’m to go undercover as a trainer passing though.”

“Oh…” Ash fidgeted on the couch of her apartment. “So when are you coming back?”

“Dunno.” Misty shrugged as she finished packing. “Couple months, I suppose.”

“Ah…”

Misty turned to him with a funny look on her face before flopping on the space beside him, “You look like something’s on your mind, Ash. What’s up?”

“Nothing.”

“Ash, don’t lie to me-you’re not good at it.” Misty smiled fondly.

“It’s just…” Ash looked at her cautiously. “I wish you didn’t have to go…”

“Is that it?” misty blinked.

“Yeah…” Ash nodded sheepishly.

“You’re so cute Ash.” Misty grinned and suddenly she wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. “You worry too much though. I’ll be fine. As long as I know you’ll be waiting for me, I’ll be okay.”

“I should worry about the guys over there too.” Ash smiled wryly. “Your mallet would probably kill them.”

The two friends looked at each other then burst into laughter. After a while their mirth died down but they still continued to embrace.

“Hey Ash…?”

“Yes, Mist?”

“Do you mind…” she hesitated briefly but then continued on determinedly. “…staying over?”

“Why?” Ash looked down at her curiously. Was she blushing

“I…” Misty averted her eyes shyly. “I don’t want to be alone tonight…”

Ash stared but upon catching her shyness he gave her a warm smile and nodded, “Sure, anything Mist…”

Did I disappoint you or let you down?

Should I be feeling guilty or let the judges frown?

'Cause I saw the end before we'd begun,

Yes I saw you were blinded and I knew I had won.

So I took what's mine by eternal right.

Took your soul out into the night.

It may be over but it won't stop there,

I am here for you if you'd only care.

You touched my heart you touched my soul.

You changed my life and all my goals.

And love is blind and that I knew when,

My heart was blinded by you.

I've kissed your lips and held your head.

Shared your dreams and shared your bed.

I know you well, I know your smell.

I've been addicted to you.

Needless to say certain “things” had happened-thins that Ash wanted to believe would happen again. So that’s why a year later when he was searching for clue’s on her whereabouts he took the hostage’s words of knowing where she was as true. No one would convince him otherwise.

“Let me see them.” Ash ordered to the taller tan man before, guarding the door where the hostages were being held. “I want to talk to them myself Brock.”

“Ash, it’s dangerous.” Brock protested. “They’ve been with Team Rocket for as long as we can remember-they could be planning something!”

“They might know something about Misty…” As replied quietly.

Brock chewed his lip, nervously. Yes, he knew everything that had happened between him and Misty-it didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out something had gone on and Sharon only confirmed his suspicions. He grimaced at the sad look crossing his young friend’s face.

“All right Ash…” Brock nodded with a sigh. “But be careful please. They may seem harmless but… they’ve chance… They’ve changed a lot since we last saw them…”

Ash nodded briefly and watched as Brock turned around to enter the code on the electric box beside the door. Once he had done so, the door slid open revealing the three cohorts he had always encountered in his childhood: Jessie, James, and Meowth.

He walked in and listened as the door slid shut, leaving nothing but silence.

Goodbye my lover.

Goodbye my friend.

You have been the one.

You have been the one for me.

“No motto today guys?” Ash asked with a grin.

The trio looked at him blankly and Ash sighed heavily as he observed them. They were a wreck. Their uniform had tears here and there-dirt covering most of it-their faces likewise. The shininess they once had in their hair had faded and their eyes no longer shone with greed but had lost all its brilliance as the dullness behind their eyelashes looked up at him.

“So…” Ash sat himself in a chair opposite them. “You know something about Misty?”

“Yes. “ Jessie nodded. “But first before we tell you anything-you have to tell you that we’re not with Team Rocket anymore.”

“Oh, really?” Ash raised his eyebrows.

“Yes.” James nodded pulling restless at the cuffs binding his wrists. “They’ve abandoned us-especially when we tried to help you little friend…”

“Called us traitors.” Meowth muttered darkly. “Jus’ fer helping her…”

“Why did you help her?” Ash leaned forward hiding his eagerness.

“She was pregnant.” Jessie replied easily.

“WHAT?!”

“That’s not all.” James added bitterly. “Once the boss found out-he threw her off a cliff. We saved her.”

“Took her to a house-kept her der fer a while.” Meowth went on. “She had her baby three months ago-your baby.”

“But then…” Jessie closed her eyes sadly, at the memory. “The boss found it pretty suspicious that we weren’t doing our work and kept leaving headquarters. One day he had us followed.”

“All hell broke loose.” James continued, sorrowfully. “The boss shot her right before our eyes-we saved the baby just like she asked and ran for it. The baby-Amy-is with my cousin.”

“But den we had ter keep on da run.” Meowth added forlornly. “We were seen as traitors and would be treated as such. Da boss wanted us dead.”

“So when you found us-we surrendered easily since we hoped you guys would take us in and protects us.” Jessie finished. “You can have your baby twerp-we want a new life-nothing to do with Team Rocket.”

Ash sat there in disbelief. Misty… had died… He was… a father…had been a father these past three months and hadn’t had a clue…

“She left you a letter.” James fidgeted. “Also at my cousin’s.”

“She wished fer ya ta have been wit her but…” Meowth shrugged. “Da boss had other plans…”

“We’re sorry.” Jessie murmured and as Ash looked up, he noticed a tear rolling down her cheek. “Really, we are.”

I am a dreamer but when I wake,

You can't break my spirit - it's my dreams you take.

And as you move on, remember me,

Remember us and all we used to be

I've seen you cry, I've seen you smile.

I've watched you sleeping for a while.

I'd be the father of your child.

I'd spend a lifetime with you.

I know your fears and you know mine.

We've had our doubts but now we're fine,

And I love you, I swear that's true.

I cannot live without you.

***

Dear Ash

I guess you were right huh? I shouldn’t have gone. I should’ve stayed and saved all the guys here from my mallet. Sometimes I wonder what would happened if I had stayed I probably would be at home with you and Sharon, old sister fussing about Amy

Amy…I hope you like her name.. I didn’t get to ask you bout it but I guess I didn’t get to ask you a lot of things… God, I wish you were here right now but I guess wishes don’t come true huh?

Still it doesn’t matter. As soon as I’m strong enough Jessie, James and Meowth promised to let me go. They’re really good guys-I can’t believe we used to think they were bad. Oh well… I guess I’ll see you soon and Amy will be with me!

Love,

Misty.

P.S: I’ve got something I really want to tell you but in in person! It’s the only way to tell you how I feel!

Ash blinked away the tears in his eyes, Three years after getting her letter for the first time and he sill couldn’t stop himself from crying. Every time he read the letter he could hear Misty’s voice as she write in her small neat handwriting. And every time when he reached that last sentence his heart would break just like the first time.

Goodbye my lover.

Goodbye my friend.

You have been the one.

You have been the one for me.

‘Something she had wanted to say…’ Ash thought bitterly. ‘She wanted to tell me how she felt… Id she love me? Like I loved her…?’

They had never said it-not even when she left-they had smiled shyly but otherwise wished each other luck-parting with a silent embrace. What if she had love him then… that meant-

Ash choked back a sob as he looked up at the sky listening to the laughter of his daughter as she chased after Pikachu. Little Amy was the spitting image of her mother except her skin was very much like his-not hr fair whiteness of her mother but a light tan. But her eyes-oh her eyes… they were the same cerulean blue-green that lit up when ever they smiled and Ash couldn’t help but feel a dull ache in his chest whenever he saw them.

‘Oh Misty…’ Ash thought. ‘I love you… And I just wish… I could’ve said ti sooner…’ He caught his confused daughter in a tight embrace, burying his face in her long red-orange hair. ‘But now… it’s too late…’

And I still hold your hand in mine.
In mine when I'm asleep.
And I will bear my soul in time,
When I'm kneeling at your feet.
Goodbye my lover.
Goodbye my friend.
You have been the one.
You have been the one for me.
I'm so hollow, baby, I'm so hollow.
I'm so, I'm so, I'm so hollow…

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Note: Now I have just succeeded in making myself cry! T-T That broke my heart to write and I hope you feel the same way-this song was put in a SeishirouxSubaru AMV on youtube and if you know Tokyo Babylon or X/1999 then you should go see that AMV NOW! I cried so badly-along with another couple of vids but this one has the song of the story so yeah… -_-’

Byes & L8rs!

DayDreamer