Tried to make this longer again. This chapter has a bit of fluff towards the end, but nothing shocking. It's just detailed. Try and imagine yourself as Ash or Misty in their situation, I really like it. Keep posting up the reviews, hoping the story is starting to take a bit of shape. Any ideas are always open for discussion! I'll try and get these chapters along ASAP for you guys. Enjoy!

Reunion

"YOU!" A voice bellowed from behind them. "You owe me a coffee you goon!"

Ash snapped out of his daydream and spun on the spot. A girl in denim shorts and a light blue shirt that was a few sizes too big, stormed towards them. Her bandana and sunglasses restricted the view of most of her face, and as she reached Ash, she ripped the shades off her face, staring at the boy. She was a pretty girl, and he recognized the tone of her voice. Ash looked across at Brock who had an uneasy look about him, with Pikachu tucked behind his leg, peering around at Ash and the lady. The little yellow mouse looked puzzled at the girl, trying to work out the characteristics.

"Oh that's just great, you can't even sum up an apology? Do you know who I am you little freak? Who do you think you -" Misty stopped dead in her sentence, her bottom jaw dropping marginally, and her eyes scanning to confirm the thought that suddenly infiltrated her mind. The face looked so familiar, but it couldn't be him. This boy had slight definition in his cheekbones, and his jaw was defined with a bit more shape, sculpting around to his pointed nose and tight, small mouth. The messy hair was the same, however, and perhaps it was this that threw the curveball into Misty's imagination. He had grown taller, he was of a similar height to herself now, which was fair as Misty was fully aware of her long physique. His body seemed to have a typical skinny teenage look about it, but with growing definition into the muscles as they filled into the adult frame. A Pikachu peered out, and Misty eyed up the owner of the leg that protected the little mouse. His tanned skin and spiky hair couldn't have belonged to anyone else.

"…Ash?" Misty whispered, barely audible.

"Misty?" Ash returned, his eyes glistening in excitement.

The two jumped at each other in an embrace, which ended abruptly as Ash squealed, falling to the floor. Misty followed suit, unable to hold her balance in Ash's arms. Pikachu jumped onto the pair in excitement, bouncing on Misty's back.

"Pika! – Pika! – Pika! – Pika!"

"Brock, it's been so long!" Misty said through gritted teeth, trying to push herself back up, much to Pikachu's shock.

"Yeah it has! We've missed you! Ash has a pretty bad case of sunburn actually, so its probably best any contact remains at a minimum!" Brock laughed.

Misty pulled Ash up off the floor as carefully as she could, observing his arms as he rose. They looked pretty raw, and had come up pretty badly. Misty had some special after-sun ointment that could help; besides, it would be more than a good excuse to catch up with her friends.

"Ash, this is awful! How could you get so burnt? Did you have no cream?" Misty showed genuine concern over the burns.

"I, err, it didn't really occur to me at the time, we were just enjoying the sun" Ash replied, his eyes glazing over Misty's mature physique.

"You're all coming back with me. I have something that can bring the heat down" Stated Misty.

Both Ash and Brock agreed, and Pikachu followed joyfully behind Misty as she led them back to Daisy's apartment. It seemed odd to Misty, that after so much time apart, the three of them were talking as though nothing had ever separated them, and she cherished that she had such good friends, that through thick and thin, they were always so close. They talked over what they had been up to recently and how life was treating them. They were laughing and joking like old times.

"So you mean to tell me that you're too dense to even notice it was me screaming at you this morning?" Misty giggled

"I genuinely had no idea, I just…I don't know! I was enjoying my breakfast, and wasn't really in the mood to chat to strangers!"

"Well watch where you throw your stuff Ketchum!" Misty warned. "You're a walking, talking accident, waiting to happen!"

"She's got a point Ash" laughed Brock.

The three finally made it to the apartment, and although in high spirits, Ash could start to feel the pain coming through his shoulders as even the texture of his shirt was making his skin itchy and uncomfortable. He tried to cool his body by flapping the shirt, blowing cooler air up over his torso which provided only an instantaneous relief.

"Come on Ash, I'll get you something to ease the pain a little." Misty assured him. "Daisy! It's me, I'm home."

"What on earth took you so long, it's nearly – Oh, hello all of you. Misty, can I have a word?" Daisy looked startled to find the visitors in her home.

"Its fine Daisy, it's Ash and Brock, my old friends?"

"Of course. I just, don't really appreciate the lateness, you know? Where were you?"

Misty blushed, trying to hide what had happened. Little did she know that both the boys knew too.

"Oh nothing, I just bumped into these two and we got talking. Ash is pretty sunburnt, so I was going to get him something to ease the pain"

"I'm sure you will…" sniggered Daisy as she wandered off through the house

Misty growled a little as her blush strengthened. Ash was a little confused over the whole situation, and wanted to blurt out and ask who the guy she was seeing was, but through his better judgement he managed to resist, feeling that Brock saw the man, so he would wait for his friend to put it to her. As Brock crossed his mind, he noticed him slowly start to follow Daisy into the doorway that she left through.

"Na-ah. Upstairs Casanova" Misty yanked on his ear.

"But I was merely going to confess my undying, eternal love for her?" Brock proposed. "She'll never know!?"

Misty felt a hint of familiarity with the statement. She ushered Ash up in front and proceeded to drag Brock up the steps, leading them to her room.

"Arggghhhhh!"

"Oh quit being such a baby, Ash! You should've thought about this before you went in the sun without sun lotion." Misty seemed stern and mother-like in her treatment of Ash.

"It stings! Bad!"

"It'll cool down in a minute, stop your whining."

Ash sat on the corner of Misty's bed as she sat cross-legged behind him on the duvet, carefully massaging the sunburn oil into his skin. She was careful not to press too hard, but tried to soothe it over the red parts of his shoulders and back without missing any spots. Brock was occupied with picking clothes up off the floor, which annoyed Misty in a humouring way. As the oil started to take effect, Ash calmed down, and started to find Misty's fingers covering his back quite therapeutic. He shut his eyes and focussed on the way she would glide around particular muscles, or around bones. She slid her fingers along the inside of his shoulder blades, and around to find the back of his ribs, moving her hands under his arms, following the line of the bottom of his ribcage. He didn't know whether to fall asleep in her arms or be alarmed at the awkwardness of the situation he found himself in. Ash tried to make eye contact with Brock, clearing his throat slightly, trying not to alarm Misty. Brock luckily caught on to Ash's cough, midway through folding some pairs of jeans on the desk.

"So, errr, Mist. Who's the guy you were with today?" Brock enquired.

Ash felt Misty's hands stop in their tracks, and slowly leave contact with his torso.

"I don't know what you mean?"

"We were at the pool today, Ash was asleep mind, but you guys looked pretty close. I'm glad you're settling down."

Ash wanted to storm up to Brock and push him out the window. He didn't mean that he wanted Brock to kill the mood, he just wanted something to stop the atmosphere going stale! He enjoyed having Misty look after him, it was sort of intimate, in a way Ash wasn't used to. He felt a little cold know that Misty had retreated a little.

"Oh, oh that's Wilson. Errr, nothing's really happening."

"Really? You guys looked like a couple." Brock was digging quicker than a Diglett.

Misty blushed, and her eyes flicked to Ash. He turned around and smiled to her.

"I'm glad you've started to find your way in life" He didn't mean it. Misty's heart dropped despite his kind words.

Why do I feel like I should be annoyed? He's being friendly.

Misty felt like she had when she was a twelve year old; desperate to confess to Ash what was on her mind, but scared that the words would pass right through him. He was only sixteen, maybe what she wanted from him was nothing more than an old childhood crush.

"…thanks Ash." Misty replied, slightly vacantly.

Ash in return felt a pang of disappointment in his heart. He couldn't believe she had fallen for some guy. Well he could, he'd been away for so long, he kicked himself for even considering that a girl like Misty would be single. Perhaps she was looking for an older guy, she was two years his senior, and it felt like as much of a longshot that Misty would fall for him as it would that Ash would become a Pokemon Master. Besides, he would be travelling again soon.

"Brock, we should probably go."

"Stay!" Misty blurted out. Brock and Ash both stared at her. "I mean, you don't want to have to venture out to the Pokemon Center now do you? It's night!"

"Hmm I guess, is there any space for us to stay?" Brock enquired.

"There's a spare room on the right, but-" Misty started.

"Then it's settled. Ash can have the room and I'll take to the company of-" Misty interrupted Brock with a shoe to his face.

"You're on the sofa for that." Misty bluntly said.

Ash lay awake in the spare room. It was pretty bare, just simple items decorating the walls and drawers. Different types of water Pokemon lined the top of the wallpaper. It was hard to make out which was which in the dark, but Ash was desperately trying to sleep. He closed his eyes and tried to dream away to a faraway place, but it seemed futile. Although the sunburn was much less painful, his skin still felt a little uneasy. He tossed and turned as quietly as he could, trying to find comfort in the small bed. He gave up and fell onto his back, letting out a whimper.

You're too late. She's taken, your leaving tomorrow. It's just not meant to be. Fate wasn't on your side Ash Ketchum. You'll travel to Pallet, visit your mother for a while, then head back to the stretches of the world to explore again.

Ash knew there was still so much to discover about the world, and much to discover about himself. He loved the excitement and unfamiliar territories of new cities, new islands, and new experiences – but as his journeys had expanded and his understanding of the world broadened, he found that perhaps continuing to travel further and further wasn't what his heart pined for. He knew he wanted to be great, be the best trainer in the world, but he kept feeling elasticated. It was as though he could travel as far as he could dream, but he would always return, he never found a place that he could consider calling home. Ash was still young though, still in his teens. He had time on his side.

Misty heard the groan of Ash as the rustle of pillows and covers rustled in the room next door. She couldn't sleep. So much was on her mind. Wilson, the return of her friends, Ash. So much crossed her conscience. It had been half a day, and the contrasting companies of Wilson, and Ash and Brock, was conflicting in her mind. Ash was leaving tomorrow, but she hadn't felt this sense of security and duty to someone in a long time, she felt like he needed her, despite what he may say or do. But Wilson understood the complexities of feelings, and wasn't scared to put himself out. Ironically, Misty considered whether he understood her predicament she was considering at this moment – she didn't.

The floorboards creaked as the slow footfall of somebody made their way across the hall. Misty lay asleep, facing the window of her tidy room. A quiet knock disturbed her from her dream, and she looked up at the ceiling, listening to see whether she was just hearing trivial things. Knock. She slowly tiptoed to the door, pulling on a nightgown and pulled the handle a little toward her.

"I can't sleep."

Ash looked down, embarrassed at his failure. He had given in to his torment. He put himself out, ready to be rejected. He didn't care, it may have been the fact that he was tired, or perhaps the escape of his leaving tomorrow, but he somehow mustered up the courage in his argument with himself. He felt a hand intertwine with his, and he looked up. Misty had her eyes half closed, but smiled as she walked backwards to her bed, Ash following. Misty curled up into Ash as he wrapped the covers over them, and encircled his arms around her shoulders. They both shut their eyes and found security in the smell of each other, the feeling of breath warmly touching their skin. The contours of Misty's forehead down to her nose mirrored against Ash's, and she opened her eyes, to see the boy with his eyes still shut, his hair pushed across his face along with her own. It was pitch black, but Misty blindly nudged her nose to overlap with the one facing her.

"Don't leave me tomorrow." Misty breathed

"Don't date the coffee man." Ash replied

Ash felt her nose lift slightly, and her face tighten. His eyes were closed but he felt her smiling. Hardly anything was said, but for once, they both felt content – as though nothing else was necessary to fulfil them.

"We met today, we're not dating. Brock got it wrong." Misty whispered back to the boy.

"…Loser." Ash snubbed.

He was so captured by the moment that he didn't at all doubt her. He slowly opened his eyes, to be met by two great blue orbs staring back at him. They were so close he could only look at one eye at a time, and the very sight of watching her look at each eye in return gave Ash a sense of warmth he'd sorely missed. He shut his eyes, and tried picturing the face he saw in front of him. Whether it was his heart taking over, or whether it was instinct, he found himself pouting a little, moving his lips a little closer. Before he could back out, or bail in fear, he had overestimated the distance, and found Misty's lips with the gentlest of touches. He opened his eyes in horror, to find Misty had closed hers and met his advance as a hand brushed his cheek. Ash's eyes closed as he relaxed into the kiss, and they continued, moving their arms into an embrace.

Ash slowly stirred in the dark room, picking red hairs away from his face. He checked his watch, 5:56am. He could still have an hour or two in bed. He nestled in between the girl's shoulder and neck and planted a kiss on her cheek, as she snuggled back into him. A hand searched around his waist before finally picking up his and tucked it tightly into her chest, bringing Ash into a close embrace.

He couldn't leave today.

Really enjoyed the last bit. Just seemed like a lot of trapped up emotions just being let off, nothing much needed to be said, it just needed to happen.

R&R!