Hey everyone, I've updated in a timely manner this time! Yay! Not only that it's the holidays and I decided to wrap up this fanfic with a pretty little bow today! Really hope you enjoy this chapter and thanks for being so patient for it! And Merry Christmas!

Chapter 12: Thank You

"Thank you,"

There was no response after those two words were voiced. The reason being that the one the words were address to hadn't expected them. So amber eyes blinked in confusion as he glanced down at the girl he sat next to. "What...what are you saying thank you for?"

"Oh, don't act like you don't know," A teasing smile tugged the girl's lips upwards. "You silly little kid." She nudged him.

"No...really I don't know."

"Ash, you can't be that dense. I'm just thanking you for everything."

"Oh! You mean the party? Yeah, that was no big deal." Ash said smiling sheepishly.

"Yes, the Christmas party was definitely something I wasn't expecting." Iris said with a giggle as she thought back to how she had woken up this morning only to see a swarm of people in her hospital room. At first she was confused seeing Cilan and his brothers, Shannon, Bianca, Stephan, Luke and his Zorua and Virgil along with Eevee all dressed up in bright and colorful Christmas attire. "I mean sure I bummed out I was going to have to spend Christmas day in the hospital...again." She shuddered thinking back to how those boys stupid game resulted in her spending Christmas day in the hospital with a fractured rib and a case of hypothermia. "But I wasn't expecting you to do anything about it, Ash."

Ash only laughed as he used his good arm to pull Iris close. "Well I wasn't about to sit back and watch my girlfriend be miserable on Christmas!"

Even though she had said it was no big deal, the raven haired teen still couldn't get the image of that sad expression Iris wore when the doctors said she was going to have to stay hospitalized though the joyous holiday. So since he had been released from the hospital with only three days after their accident Ash had went to work getting all their friends together to surprise Iris with a big party. Sure it was a hassle explaining why the two of them had ended up hospitalized to everyone, and yeah it was terribly embarrassing to have his friends asking if they were alright while at the same time scolding him for being so stupid. But despite all of it, the party had turned out great! Everyone was happy to see that the young couple were safe and sound, and spent the remainder of the morning laughing and talking. And with Mrs. Ketchum and the Striaton triplets cooking there was lots of food to go around, and they were lucky enough to enjoy a batch of the brothers' Striation Triplets Chocolate Covered Candy Cane Cookies which were even more divine than expected.

"I just wished you had given me some sort of warning." Iris said, chocolaty eyes glanced over to her bedside where a pile of gifts sat, most of them still waiting to be opened, along with a stack of get well cards that sat on the night stand. "I felt kinda bad not being able to give any of our friends anything while they just kept showering me with more and more gifts!"

Ash sweatdropped, Iris had seemed a bit embarrassed when the present wouldn't stop coming and although he managed to get something for each of their friends he had also gotten a fair amount of gifts as well. "I kept telling them that we were fine, but I guess that didn't stop them from going a bit overboard." Iris only nodded in agreement as she smiled down at the cast her boyfriend wore on his right arm and all the silly messages and cute pictures their friends had scribbled on it with festive colored sharpies. "Besides I'm just happy I got to spend it Christmas with them," amber eyes darted down at the purple haired teen. "But you have no idea how overjoyed I am to have spent today with you, Iris."

"Oh, Ash stop it," Iris murmured, averting her blushing face from him and focusing her attention the cute Stantler plushie Shannon had given to her.

"But I'm serious," Ash admitted as he adjusted his weight on Iris's hospital bed that they were seated on and used his good hand to gently lift Iris's face. His voice softer now he went on to add. "I...I was so worried for you when...when you wouldn't wake up."

"I-I know…" Iris whispered, feeling slightly bad that she had put her beloved boyfriend in such a stressful situation. "I promised I-I'd stay awake down in that cave b-but I guess I just...I'm sorry-"

"You got nothing to be sorry about," Ash insisted, pressing a kiss on her forehead. "I'm just happy I got to see that smiling face of yours."

It had been the longest wait Ash had ever experienced, but even so he didn't allow it to faze him. Everyday he sat at Iris beside, waiting for some sort of change while he held her hand and softly talked to her about random things. He was just in the middle of talking about how Pikachu and Axew had insisted on helping his wrap up presents when Iris stirred, and at first he was thought it was just one of the weird twitching things the doctor talked about. However, this option was quickly disregarded when he felt her cool fingers return the grasp that he held on her hand. After that time seem to stop and it was in that moment when this beautiful dark chocolate eyes peeked open and looked over at him. Too stunned to say anything Ash could only watched as something resembling a laugh emitted from his girlfriend as she whispered out how his expression made him look like a little kid.

"Thank you...for everything, Ash."

"Iris, what are you going on about now? You already thanked me for the party-"

"No...this time I'm thanking you for...the experience we shared together." Iris said. At this Ash opened his mouth and was about to ask Iris not to think back on that hellish week he had put her though but Iris silenced him by placing a finger on his parted lips. "Yeah, I know this was something that was bit painful for me to endure and I'm sorry for not letting you know about what happened back then sooner. But..." She paused to look Ash dead in the face, chocolatey eyes boring deep into bright amber ones, "I'm sincerely happy all this happened."

"Happy?" Ash exclaimed, jerking away. He frowned, almost angered that the girl he loved would be happy about having old wounds opened and exposed for a week straight. "How could you possibly be a happy about everything I put you though that week?"

"Because," Iris said, reaching out and wrapping her arms around him and resting her blushing face on his chest. "This time things were different. This winter I wasn't all alone. I wasn't cooped up inside. I wasn't even acting all grumpy and feeling sorry for myself. This winter I...I was actually laughing and smiling and truly enjoyed myself." She pulled away and gently cupped her boyfriend's face within her small hands. "And it was all thanks to you, 're my knight in shining armor and helped me through every single day of that week. You saved me from those bratty kids who threw snowballs at me, you saved me when I got stuck in the middle of that pond, hell you even took a beating from those guys when we went ice skating and endured that stomach bug those horrible cookies I made gave you." By now Iris was laughing and rested her forehead against his as she continued in a hushed voice. "And when we were trapped in that cave, you held me close and didn't dare let go…you saved my life Ash."

Ash could only respond with a small smile as amber eyes darted away in embarrassment. He didn't feel like he deserved such high praise, he was just doing what any person with a heart would do, after hearing Iris's story. Feeling blush warm his face Ash murmured. "Iris...y-you really don't have to say all that, I mean-"

"Of course I have to say this!" Iris exclaimed. "Besides thanks to everything you did, Ash, you made me see that I shouldn't hate winter despite my bad past with it. And even though that week didn't go as planned in your eyes...I now think it went absolutely perfect." She then pressed a kiss on his z marked cheek and smiled brightly. "And...I just wanted to thank you for all of it."

With hs face as red as a tomato, Ash could only return her smile. "Well...you're welcome, Iris." He pulled her close, gently fingering a few locks of her long purple hair. "I'm just glad that I was able to make you happy on Christmas day,"

At this Iris giggled. "What are you talking about?" She asked pulling away and tugging at his z marked cheeks in a teasing manner, "You make me happy every day of the year, you silly little kid," She then leaned close and whispered in his ear in a giggling tone, "and that's why I love you Ash."

Laughing he pulled his beloved girlfriend in a new position, that had her head resting in the crook of his good arm and the rest of her was seated in his lap."I love you to Iris," He responded in a hushed voice "And seeing you this happy during winter, well...I just don't know what could possibly make this Christmas day better than it already is," Yearning to close the space between them, Ash leaned in, close enough for their lips to gently brush against one another. But before they could enough their blissful kiss they were interrupted.

"Oh, I have some great news!" A sing song voice declared, startling the young couple and causing them to turn their attention to the open door of the hospital room. Mrs. Ketchum, occupied with Axew and Pikachu, rushed over to the bed. With a wide smile on her face she informed. "I just spoke with the doctor and he said that Iris will be ready to go home just in time for New Years!"

Amber and dark chocolate eyes both blinked in disbelief. "Are you serious?" Iris questioned, sitting up as the relief of being released from the hospital rushed through her being.

The brunette woman nodded vehemently, "Yup, he said if all goes well, you'll be out of her by the 28th! Oh, it's a Christmas miracle!"

"Ax axew ew!" Axew agreed, hopping up onto his master's lap and hugging her tightly.

"Pika pi chu!" Pikachu added, also happy to know that the one his master loved will be back on her feet soon.

Giving his girlfriend the best hug he could with one arm he smiled and said. "Guess today could get better-mmfth!"

His words were abruptly cut off as the girl he loved pressed her soft lips against his. Feeling heat rush to his face, Ash didn't hesitate to return the gesture. As Iris pulled away, chocolaty eyes twinkling with joy, she could only utter a few words. "Thank you Ash, for everything." She then poked his red cheek, "And Merry Christmas!"

Grinning at Iris's goofy expression he responded, "Merry Christmas to you to Iris. I love you."

Welp, that it! I finally finished this fanfic that should have been completed like two years ago! Ugh, I have no idea why it took me so long, but meh I finished. Hope you guys enjoyed it and I really do hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and a happy New Year! Hopefully 2016 will be filled with more compilation of stories but until then:

Lots of Virtual Hugs and Kisses: Toadettegirl2012