"Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting, So… get on your way!" (Dr. Seuss)

I suppose life could be seen like mountains. Mountains don't move, they stand by idly waiting for someone to approach them and climb them. Then at the top the person can see just how far they've come. Life is real bitch sometimes but it can be conquered. Get that test grade, ask out your crush, stop smoking, climb that mountain. Why the talk about mountains and life's problems you ask? Well if you have been paying careful attention to the story you will have noticed where the characters are currently located and Serena's problem. The rest can be figured out yourselves. Now finally about my absence. I realize that at the end of the last chapter I said expect the next chapter soon...well that didn't happen. To be honest I lost interest in Pokemon for a bit and lost time to write but it felt shitty to just leave the story here. so here is the long awaited end of Nights Embrace:

"Oh wow…"

Serena gasped as she took in the view at the top. It was mostly bare rock and there was a small wind blowing consistently. Looking out she could see the shadows of the small clouds moving over the red, yellow, orange, and green trees below. There was a small lake embedded between two larger peaks and the sun was shining brightly.

"Really is something." said Ash, Serena glanced at him for a moment until a faint rumbling could be heard from Ash's stomach. The boy smiled sheepishly.

"Er I suppose we could eat lunch at the top." Said Clemont as Serena and Bonnie giggled at Ash's typical food requirements.

After a meager lunch consisting of peanut butter wrapped in tortillas as they were the few ingredients left, Ash noticed Serena sitting by herself at the edge of a large rock staring out at the horizon. The rock was good distance away from the group's main location and nearby the edge of the summit. He slowly walked over and sat down on her right.

"Hey whatcha thinkin' about?" Ash asked.

"Hm? Oh nothing important." Replied Serena 'That was a lie' she thought.

"That was a lie, I might not be very good at reading emotions but I can tell when something is bothering you...you are aware you can tell me anything and I would never judge you right?" Ash replied tentatively.

Serena breathed deeply and looked around to be sure Bonnie and Clemont were occupied somewhere else. 'I can't deal with this pain anymore I have to do this.' She thought 'Now or never'.

"I'm sorry Ash, you're right something is bothering me and I'm not sure how much longer I can deal with it alone. You see I...I….um." Serena breathed deeply in again and looked at Ash, there was genuine concern in his amber eyes as they showed support for her, the wind was blowing his messy raven hair into an even messier state. Ash gave a small smile and grabbed Serena's right hand in his left.

Serena blushed a little as she felt his warm hand close over her cold one, shielding it from the wind.

"Ash can I tell you a secret?" She slowly turned towards him. Looking past him she could see just how perfect this spot was. It seemed as if she had climbed a literal and figurative mountain. She had been dealing with all these pent up emotions for so long now, no more pain. When Ash had held her in his arms that night she felt like had experienced pure happiness and knew she wanted to spend the rest of her nights like that with this boy. The nerves were beginning to go away and she started to feel comfortable by his side with her hand in his grip telling her that he could never let go of her. Seeing Ash nod, she smiled back."

"You see Ash, I suppose it starts a really long time ago back at that summer camp, when I got lost I had felt abandoned and tired. You came over with no intention of finding me but you helped me up and took care of me." No going back now as she looked to see if Ash was paying attention and saw he was hanging on every word. When I left, I just couldn't stop thinking about you for so long and actually began to lose hope. She drew another long breath. "But then I saw you jump from Lumiose tower and knew it was you. It had to be you, only someone like Ash Ketchum could do such a thing for his pokemon."

Ash was quiet but felt his heart start to beat faster and faster as he slowly realised what she was getting at. Serena continued.

"I suppose what I'm trying to tell you is that I had...well...had a crush on you." The wind seemed to pick up and everything seemed to be louder as Serena suddenly became self-conscious. There it was out in the open but she couldn't stop there, not while she was on a roll.

"Shortly after starting to travel with you, the feelings never left and even became stronger. It began to hurt even, and I was too shy to ever do anything about it. Then after that night we spent together, I knew that…." She paused briefly as her face contorted into several expression trying to force the words out. "I knew Ash that I forever and always will love you. That's my secret."

Ash was a little taken aback as he heard what she said, then processed it properly, and was stunned. The girl he found himself having these strange feelings for just confessed the same feelings to him. There was some silence as they looked at eachother and Serena began to doubt herself again. "Listen Ash I didn't mean to-"

"No! No don't be sorry Serena, I actually want to tell you something too." Ash grinned anxiously and clenched Serena's hand a little tighter. "I have been feeling some feelings that I just don't quite know how to explain. I get butterflies in my stomach whenever I approach you and feel myself craving to hear your voice or see your smile. You've always been there for me and cheered me on at all my battles, and you always worried when I did something stupid like jump out of a plane or into a volcano." He started to blush and feel really warm all of a sudden. "I know I'm utterly crap at seeing things or explaining my emotions but I guess what I'm trying to say Serena is that." A pause as Serena began to nod and Ash looked into her eyes again and knew that this was right. "I guess I'm trying to say that I-I I'm i-in love with you."

'That word again. Love. It feels..nice.' Ash thought as it seemed a huge weight was lifted off his shoulders and he could breathe again.

Serena suddenly inhaled as she heard those words. She felt a whole new wave of happiness crash into her as she came to terms with what the boy of her dreams had just said. Looking down and noticing that their hands were still interlocked she slowly shifted until she was right next to Ash. Ash was grinning uncontrollably and slowly reached around and pulled her into his arms.

Serena closed her eyes as she fell into his embrace and squeezed her arms around his back. She was close to crying now. The wind no longer seemed to be blowing and a whole new warmth engulfed the new couple. Serena felt an enormous relief as her heart was freed from its shackles of silence. While Ash was still turned towards the landscape ahead, Serena was now looking at Clemont and Bonnies spot and noticed them watching the her and Ash. Serena suddenly got a sly idea and whispered into Ash's ear.

"Ash can I show you something?"

"Yeah sure anything Serena." Ash said quietly back.

Serena reluctantly pulled herself off until she was right in front of him then grabbed his face tenderly and slowly moved closer. She planted her lips tenderly on his own and closed her eyes at the sudden jolt of electricity between the two. Ash's eyes went wide for half a moment before he too closed his eyes and lightly pushed back returning the kiss. Serena again pulled herself away and could hear Bonnie's cheering in the background. She looked into the sky as the sun came out from behind a cloud and Serena knew that they would spending the night again in each other's embrace.

And on that bombshell… well I suppose I learned a lot. I know something I should have done was planned this out better, most of the writing was spur of the moment and just came to me as I typed it out, another was not setting myself up and having to improvise after Chapter 1. It was originally a one shot so I saw that as more of an ending then another starting point. Anyways I'll hopefully be writing again soon, Merry late Christmas and Happy New Year :)