Chapter 12: Embers

A/N: Once titled From the Ashes, now Embers is the final chapter to Drag Hunting. I have a feeling I am going to get a lot of steam about how this story ends, but keep in mind that the sequel is being written as we speak, and I did not want to write myself into a corner with this story. So without further ado here it is.

The midnight hours grew long as her eyelids grew heavier, and despite the sweet lure of sleep, peace eluded Dawn once again.

Her head sank deeper into the pillows, weighed down by the thousands of thoughts racing through her mind.

Two weeks. It had been two weeks since that awful night on the beach, but Dawn felt as if she were still living in that moment. Her mind always dwelled on the beach, that last place she had seen him. She couldn't leave that place; that place she had failed him. She had failed Ash. Dawn was stuck on that beach burdened with guilt.

Every night she would dream of that moment. Stuck in a never ending sort of hell chasing after him, and every night it would end with him being whisked away from her and every night since she had cried herself to sleep for him.

Tonight seemed as if it would be no different as the warm unwelcomed tears began to form blurring her vision of the moon lit room. She rolled over to her side as her heart broke again. Time only seemed to make it worse as Dawn wondered if she would ever see him again. She wanted to believe she would. She kept waiting for him to waltz through her door with that goofy smile, but as the days passed and no word was heard her heart broke a little more.

She tried to fight through the despair and hold onto her hope, but it was hard considering so much time had gone by. She missed him. Her heart sunk as she caught a glimpse of his familiar red hat basking in the soft glow of moonlight. Tears began to fall more freely as her heart cried for her to hold on to her hope, but the clutches of despair held her firm.

The last hours crawled on as she wept, for Ash, for her despair.

"Dawn?" A soft voice called out to her in the darkness.

Brock. She had had thought he had fallen asleep hours ago. His voice was weighed down with concern for her. Dawn wanted to answer him but found she couldn't. Just the thought of facing him brought more tears to her eyes. Surely he must blame her just as she had, how could he not?

"Dawn" Brock tried again as the silence ticked on between them. Brock was worried about her. She was trying to shut the world out as she drowned in her sorrows. He didn't know how much longer she could keep it up without having a complete breakdown.

Slowly Brock got up from where he laid and walked over to the sobbing pile of blankets. "Dawn." Tried once more as he sat on the edge of her bed placing what he hoped to be a comforting hand on her shoulder. She ignored his attempts to reach out to her, her gaze solely fixed on his hat and she cried.

Brock followed her gaze to find Ash's hat set on the edge of her night stand. He sighed as he thought carefully about what to say.

"You know." He began softly to her. "We never really did talk about what happened, and I am beginning to think that maybe we should." He waited a moment for her response, but she gave none. Truth was Brock had foolishly hoped that if he did not talk about it, then the pain of their loss would not be brought to light, but it seemed just the opposite had happen. They were both suffering silently in each of their own misery.

"It's not your fault." He took a stab in the dark wondering if she had been burdened with the same guilt he had. He seemed to strike a chord as the tears flowed more heavily from Dawn as she laid there still transfixed on the hat. He wasn't getting through to her, and he wouldn't this way. It was always easy telling a person it wasn't their fault, but making them believe it was an entirely different story.

"You once asked me if Ash knew how much I value his friendship." Brock began again breaking his gaze away from her. Dawn finally broke through her shell as she turned to face Brock, waiting for him to continue.

"I …" Brock faltered choking on his words. "I always hope he does." He began again. "But the truth is no one can really know what you don't tell them. I guess we all take our friendship for granted Dawn."

Dawn stifled a sob as she took in Brocks features and thought about what he said. "Thing is," he continued "I have to believe that one day I'll get the chance to tell him." He paused a moment and turned his gaze back towards Dawn. Their eyes locked as an intense wave of emotion passed between the two. "And you will too."

Dawn's eyes began to water even more, but she held her gaze. "We will find him Dawn." he told her, as if were a fact. "You have to believe that." he stressed to her through her watery gaze.

Dawn slowly sat up in her bed her distress screaming out to Brock as they came to eye level and threw her arms around him in a comforting embrace throwing Brock off guard, but only for a moment. He wrapped his arms around her and held her in a comforting embrace.

"I do." She whispered in his ear as she let out another stifled sob.

"Good." He replied as he unwillingly pulled away from her, slowly getting up and making his way back to his bed.

"Thank you." her soft voice called out to him.

He didn't turn around; as he answered back "what are friends for." He couldn't face her again; his façade might crumble along with his lie.

He heard her shuffle with the blankets by the time he had made it back to his bed. He wanted to believe what he had told her, but like he said, it was easier to say things than to believe, and sometimes, just sometimes, you have to look someone in the eye and tell them the truth that should be instead of the one that is [1].

Brock crawled back into his bed trying not to hate himself even more as he drifted off into in uneasy sleep.

Miles away

The early morning lights glowed softly off the pure crisp snow lining the forest floor. The brisk air cut through the many layers Connor had piled on, the cold settling into every bone. It was too early for this.

Connor couldn't explain it but something didn't sit right with his pokémon's behavior. One minute he was snuggled comfy cozy in a bundle of blankets, the next thing he knew Mightyena had grown anxious and eager. Before Connor could even wipe the sleep from his eyes, his loyal Mightyena had bolted out the door swallowed by the cold morning grays. His bark slowly fading as he ran further and further.

He looked sadly down to his daughter traveling beside him. It was quiet, and he wasn't to overly optimistic at the moment, but that sad look in his daughter's eyes drove him forward.

"Mightyena!" He cried out again, but still he heard nothing. The thick snow seemed to even muffle his cry. If it were any other circumstance Connor would have enjoyed the peaceful landscape Mother Nature had laid out for them, but Mightyena was still missing.

"Come on Lori." He said as they pushed forward, the only sound accompanying them was the crunching of the snow beneath their feet. They pushed on as the sun continued to break through the eastern horizon. They came to a halt at the edge of a cliff overlooking the vast landscape glowing in soft pinks and orange.

"Why do you think Mightyena ran off like that?" Lori asked her father, but he had no answer for her.

Lori stared at the scene in awe, as she took a step closer to get a better view. She scanned through the frozen forest the best she could for her beloved Mightyena, but to no avail.

"Migh- she began but stopped as the cold wind rushed past her. She had walked too close to the edge and the snow bank crumbled beneath her feet. She couldn't even scream as she slid down the steep cliff side into the forest below.

"Lori!" Connor cried out in panic as he watched his nine year old daughter disappear. He scanned the area searching for a way down to her when he spotted a possible way down.

"Lori!" He called down to her waiting for a response, but receiving none. "Lori!" He cried out again this time more desperate. His voice slowly traveled down to where she laid sprawled out in the snow. Slowly she got up at the sound of her father's panicked voice. Her eyes climbed the steep slope she had slide down vaguely making out her father's figure.

"I'm ok!" She called back up to him rubbing her sore back side.

Connor sighed in relief upon hearing his daughter's voice. "Just stay where you are, I'm coming to you!" He hollered back down to her, he didn't even wait for her to respond before he took off running as fast as he could with the thick layers hindering his progress.

Lori sighed as she watched his figure disappear. Hopefully he would find his way down to her soon patience was not one of her strong suits. She scanned the area she was now standing in and puffed out a frustrated breath. True her father had told her to stay where she was but Lori always did have troubles waiting, not to mention Mightyena was still out there.

She was torn in indecision when a familiar noise made her snap to one.

"Mightyena." she whispered in surprise upon recognizing his faint bark. Hopefully her father would understand she thought as she ran towards the source of the noise.

She ran for awhile fighting through the thick snow following the echoes of his bark. Lori's heartbeat quickened when she realized Mightyena had stopped barking. She grew nervous as she spun around realizing she had no idea where she was.

"Mightyena!" She cried out. She waited a moment in silence as the wind blew hollowly through the frozen forest, her gold locks fluttering under the warmth of her hat. After a moment longer Mightyena's cries returned.

"I'm coming!" She cried out as she began running again. Mightyena's cries grew louder as she got closer and before she knew it she found herself by a river.

Many ice chunks floated atop the slow moving river bed, sending a chill up her spine. She was almost captivated by the grey waters swirling around rocks and ice, when a bark brought her out of it.

Relief flooded her as her gaze fell upon Mightyena not much further from where she stood. She was about to run to him when she caught sight of something else; a prone figure lying at his feet. Cautiously she approached the two. It was a boy, about her age, and he was out cold. Not only that, he barely had any clothes on. Not that he was half naked or anything, but he definitely wasn't wearing any winter gear, so he might as well have been in this weather.

Mightyena gave a whine walking in small circles as she crouched down to examine him, when she suddenly realized he was soaked. He was beyond pale, a stark contrast to his jet black hair, and his lips were turning a new shade of blue.

"Dad!" She cried out as loud as she could, hoping he would find her fast before it was too late.

A/N: And that is it for Drag Hunting. Answers will be forth coming in the next story I think it is going to be called Road to Revelation. Thank you for all the great reviews and helpful critiques.

[1] a direct quote from the TV Drama Takin' Over the Asylum I have been wanting to use.