Side Story: Unexpected News by WyldClaw

Plot: better modified version.

this is an AAML ( AshxMisty love ) fluff filled animeverse one shot. It's seen through Misty's pov the night before Derek leaves. For those readers who haven't read my A Blast From Dad's Past fanfic there might be a few spoilers-

Mia1986: A Few?

WC: well... it doesn't totally give it away

Mia1986: that's totally fox dung and you know it! Get to it before people lose interest!

WC: very well... only if YOU do the disclaimer, vampire and kung fu boy lover- girl.

Mia1986 (face goes red): shush you! I'm going to have Ross bonk you hard with a Night Huntress hardcover and then kick your rear end badly

WC: uh huh... surrrre. Tell him to get in line once the self quarantine rule is over

Mia1986: oh I will. . I'm sure everyone will let him

WC: if they get me. I'm sure they don't want to get their hands too dirty. They need me alive for ... various things so maybe I'll be …spared.

Mia1986: to quote Ren from "Ren and Stimpy ": 'You STUUUUUUPID idiot! You bloated sack!"

WC: hey! I heard that! I'm not bloated..that's .. muscle fat .. err most of it (looks at her big half cat body). Well …so Maybe I've snuck a few extra treats while baking. and i may have chowed down on a bunch of chocolate since we're alltrapped...

Mia1986: you're proving my point you dolt. (In a rushed voice): WyldClaw doesn't own any characters asides from her OCs. Anyone flames her they'll face the mutts from the 75th hunger games. "" Are talking, italics have thoughts and () is translated Pokéspeech. There. Happy now?

WC: oh yes. Enjoy the Fic and please read and review.

last edited: April 2020

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"Derek ! Jaden! Aki ! watch out ! " I cried out as I bolted upright in my bed, panting as my heart beat as fast as a galloping Zebstrika. "run for...huh?" i blinked as I looked around and saw the outline of my darkened bedroom- the summer moonlight against the window panes lighting up the contents of the room."it wasn't real .Thank Arceus it was only a nightmare." I whispered to the air.

It was just a nightmare . It was just a nightmare it wasn't real. I shuddered recalling the awful dream. I'd witnessed a ghostly Hunter J- with injuries and burn marks aplenty on her white transparent skin and crazed piercing blue eyes- going after my two youngest kids DJ and Aiden. she had her huge ghostly Ariados attack them badly- the two little kids were too terrified to move. The gigantic spider Pokemon kicked Aiden to the side and DJ rushed over to him and tried to protect him but the spider scared her and she cowered. I heard their screams of pain as it lunged at them and used its attacks to subdue them. my heart thumped loudly remembering how the creature attacked Ash, Storm and i like that but a few months ago. I tried to yell as the Bug/Poison type sucked their strength using Leech Life and then tied them up with a powerful String Shot... but I felt like i was ether invisible and/or rendered mute. and before her Kadabra gagged them before teleporting away somewhere. .

The scene changed- i saw her attack Derek , Aki and Jaden as they were collecting firewood in a dense forest. Suddenly I found that i could speak again, I yelled before she really hurt them but she heard me. She'd turned her attention to me and threw something sharp at my stomach while the Kadabra was about to throw some kind of thick electric ring at my boy. There was a stab of great pain in my stomach...that was I had woke up.

"It was just a stupid bad dream. Everyone is safe. " I told myself out loud. "It was just a stupid bad dream. " I repeated under my breath. I calmed down as My breathing and heartbeat returned to normal a few minutes later.

I was still a bit freaked out by my nightmare. I'd never met Hunter J apart from her surprise attack that night three months ago. However what she did to Ash, Derek, Storm and Aki made her nearly as inhumane as Dr. Yung or perhaps worse. I knew it had just been a dumb horrible nightmare but I felt the need to check on my family members- all of them- human and Pokemon- to make sure they were safe. I'd better check on them.

"Ashy?" I poked my black haired husband. "I had a bad dream. I'm going to check on the kids, Taran and Aki. Okay?"

No reply. "hello? Are you awake?"

I poked him again but there was no reply asides from his deep breathing. I groaned. "Of course you're not .. You're totally sound asleep. ..." I sighed. He was fast asleep and nothing -not even a herd of charging Rhydons would wake him up.

I got up carefully as not to brush up against his injured shoulder and put on my fuzzy slippers. Before I left the bed I bent down- feeling a tiny bit of pain as i did-, brushed aside a lock of his black hair and planted a kiss on his forehead. " I'm going to check on the kids. I love you." I said. I got no response other than his breathing but that was good enough for me.

Absence makes the heart grow fonder. During those few days we'd been apart it felt like my heart had been torn in two. I had no clue if it was due to the Aura bond, our love or a combination of all three. During those few days without him-and after J attacked not to mention J's Kadabra locking my memory of it and the Dream Mist blocking our Aura bond until Rune unlocked it I'd felt lost and empty. When we'd been reunited at the hospital I pretty much flew into his arms. After that I didn't want to let him out of my sight unless I had no choice like when he was at the doctor's - in which his mother took him- or at work. I opened the door and went out - my full length nightgown near brushing against the floor-but I left it a little bit open just in case he woke up and panicked.

.

I walked into the den to check the on Aki, Taran and their parents, my slippers barely making a sound. i stopped in the den's doorway and saw a shaft of moonlight illuminate the fluffy soft Pokémon bed on the couch. Though i could only see Storm and Pikachu sleeping inside the bed i could just make out Aki and Taran's outlines next their parents in the darkness. i smiled watching the family sleep. The four Pokémon had endured so much with the incident that little peaceful moments like this were rare. i also knew it would be the last night they would spend together as a family for a while.

it almost seems harsh for Aki to leave with derek so soon after she's healed from the physical wounds Hunter J's vicious Pokémon gave her. I don't know how long it will take her mental wounds to heal. i feel bad for Storm too-she had to put up with J beating, threatening and abusing her. That in addition to seeing Aki take part in that horrendous forced battle must have left her with vivid mental scars.

no sooner had i thought those things i heard Aki and her mother whimper softy in their dreams, the cries magnified in the still room.

Aki-the littlest of her family-shuffled her paws and whimpered as she fidgeted in her sleep. (leave me alone you monster ... d-don't hurt him. ...Let us go. )

(no... please ... leave her be... no.. i won't help you. ) Storm whimpered.

I had a feeling they were having nasty dreams about the experience From what I heard about what happened between them, Ash and Hunter J I would be very surprised if they weren't having trouble sleeping. . My poor husband had had nightmares about what happened- and Hunter J's abuse of him when he first came back.

. Aki started fidgeting but i heard her brother's voice in the stillness. Taran opened his eyes and nuzzled his sister's fur. (Aki, Aki...wake up. wake up sis. It's okay. You're safe. ) He sleepily said as her head popped up into the darkness. She looked around.

(just a ...nightmare. Again) she panted.

He put his paw over his sister as if to reassure her. (It was just a bad dream ... it's all right. you're safe ...She's gone. She's not going to hurt you or mom anymore) he told her until her cries and shivering stopped. . I got the feeling that this happened an awful lot.

He did the same time with his mother- speaking softly and kindly - telling her comforting words. . Storm looked up, stopped , looked about the room and sighed with relief when she saw into her son's face. She nuzzled him and licked him and i felt her love for him spike through . She yawned and fell back asleep.

( N-nighmares... every night) Aki softly muttered. I felt a little pang of deja vu for this was what she and Derek had both separately said after Dr. Yung's attack all those years ago and what led to Ash and my decision to erase their memories.

(It's okay. Everyone's safe) he comforted her. (Think of something happy and wonderf . like all the new battles you're gonna win, new 'mons you're gonna meet and places you're gonna see with Der).

I sensed a huge burst of happiness come from the little mouse Pokémon .. (yeah... ) She yawned, closed her eyes, lay her head back down and within a few minutes she fell back to sleep.

Taran sniffed the air and looked toward me in the darkness . he jumped off the couch and padded over to me, his paws making hardly any noise. He stopped a foot in front of me in the outline of a window pane's shadow on the floor and looked up .. (M-Misty? Wh-what are you doing a-a-awake?) He yawned.

" Just checking up on everyone. That was kind of you to comfort your sister and mother. "

He looked over towards the couch for a few heartbeats before turning back to me and lowered his voice. (It's happened a lot lately … Mom and Aki still are traumatized from what happened . I think…hunter J torturing them and wh-what they h-had to do to her still weighs heavily on them.) I could sense the sadness in his tone and in his emotions. I couldn't blame him.

"I think you're correct. " I shivered feeling a bit cold despite the warm August night. From what I had learned of Hunter J's death from Sami and Ash it had been the only way to escape the viciousness and cruelty she had planned for us. J had also tormented the mice beyond belief-in battle in Aki's case and outside battle in her mother's case. . "Th-they've had to endure so much. memories like that tend to leave scarsthat Linger " I sighed and shuddered again, thinking of the faint white scar on Derek's right hand- a souvenir of his near fatal poisoning by the Ariapion. "S-some more than others. "

(I understand.) He nodded and I saw his outline of his head start to bob as if falling asleep.

I added, "You looked utterly wiped out. Go back to sleep Taran, you don't want to be exhausted for tomorrow. " I told him gently.

He yawned again. (Y-yeah...) he sleepily agreed as he sleepily walked back to the couch, jumped back onto it. he then closed his eyes, laid his head on his paws and was fast asleep.

I sighed with happiness. I loved and cared about the Pikachu and his sister like they were human kids of my own. He had been so compassionate and caring while Derek, Ash, his mother Storm and Aki had been recovering from their ordeal. He was a fairly decent fighter – -considering his father and training with the other pokemon - but he never showed any hint of wanting to leave our family with a trainer of his own. The electric type was also really good with my kids and all my nieces and nephews loved him. Such a caring little guy…

I headed up the i did I heard a light breeze blowing outside the windows and nighttime predators such as Hoot-Hoots and Noctowls going about their business. I should've been sleeping myself considering what was happening with Derek the next morning. the key word was 'should'. Stupid nightmare.

I opened the door to Aiden and DJ's room a little past the top of the stairs just enough to let a thin beam of moonlight come in behind me. Unlike Derek my two younger children were only about slightly over twenty three months apart in age-DJ was a little over a month away from turning two when I had Aiden. She had taken to her little brother fondly, which was a good thing since they shared a room. The shaft of light outlined my little girl in her bed on the right side, sleeping peacefully. My precious little girl."

I often felt a little protective of my daughter, probably due to her little Aura abilities. She was pretty intelligent for her age because of it but she didn't want to show off in front of her friends . She was on the small side since she had been . It didn't help for the first few months of her life I kept constantly looking over my shoulder and kept her close when I brought her out -worried that Christyana would show up again. luckily the crazed former model had been found guilty of all of her crimes including illegal tampering and kidnapping me, stripped of her Pokémon and thrown into a high security jail.

My gaze shifted to the other side of the room to Aiden's bed when I knew he was sleeping. I could just make out the outline of his thumb in his mouth and his red-brown hair thanks to the shaft of moonlight. Aiden was a happy toddler who reminded me a lot of Togetic in that he was typically cheerful and didn't seem to be really scared of anything. My sweet little boy . "My little angels." I smiled and sighed with relief again. "What were you worried about? They are perfectly safe and sound." I scolded myself.

Aiden yawned. "Wove Duckie..." the two and a half year old murmured in his sleep- his arms curled around his stuffed Psyduck Pokedoll Daisy gave to him. He carried it around so much Leavanny had to reattach one of its arms with his sewing skills. I rolled my eyes and shook my head as I closed the door. Go figure - he inherited my love of Water type Pokémon but his favorite happens to be Psyduck. He couldn't have picked a Dratini, Suicune , Vaporeon, or Samurott or any other Water Type?

.

When it came to checking Derek's room down the hallway I lingered for a lot longer. I even opened the door the whole way and stood in the doorway frame. Moonlight behind me illuminated his outline-a boy with untamable wild black hair matching his father's with just a bit of his pajama top visible under his covers. Luckily like his dad he was a very deep sleeper. The sight of my now thirteen-year-old fast asleep with Flamie the Growlithe asleep on the floor next to his bed-ready to defend him if anything happened - totally melted my heart. i felt my worries disappear . "My heroic handsome baby boy … well not really a baby anymore," I whispered. " He's been through so much in such short time."

The Growlithe sleepily raised her head at my words. She opened her eyes and sniffed the air, gazing at me, her new fireproof license glinting in the moonlight. (M-M-Misty? What's w-w-wrong?) She yawned.

"Nothing. Just had a bad dream."

She probably sensed my disappearing fear about the dream. (Was it about … that horrendous evil Hunter J?) She whispered.

I nodded. "Yes. It was just a stupid dream. I was just checking on the kids. There's no need to be alarmed -Everything's fine."

She looked from Derek to me. (A-Are you worried about letting him go?)

I nodded. " I know he'll be fine but I'm just a little nervous. It's for the best but."

(You don't want him to leave. especially after what happened?)

"Correct... but it won't be easy. "' I saw she looked exhausted. "Go back to sleep- you look beat. Everything is okay. " I reassured her. She nodded, yawning. She then rested her head back on her paws and closed her eyes. What a good loyal Pokémon I thought as I quietly closed the door.

.

i walked back down the hallway and was Amabout to go downstairs when I suddenly felt really sick- like I'd eaten something awful that didn't agree with my stomach. "Ugh! Not Again!" I muttered under my breath as I rushed to the bathroom, turned on the light and began retching my dinner right into the toilet. When I was done about twenty minutes later I flushed it. "What is ...the matter with me?"

I had been getting these quick sickness episodes a lot lately- sometimes in the morning sometimes at other times. I looked up into the mirror after I washed my face and gazed at my reflection. A pale faced weary thirty six and a half year old woman with limp red orange hair and viridian eyes and a large full-length sweat stained blue nightgown stared back at me. "You look like a mess, Misty. Pull it together. " I told myself. "Last thing you need is to be sick for Derek's big day. Its just nerves that's all. Nothing more. At least I hope it's nothing more."

I heard a soft knock at the door. "M-Mommy?" I turned around and saw my five and a half-year-old brown haired daughter in the open doorway. She wore a white nightgown with an image of the stars of her favorite cartoon show 'My Little Ponyta: Friendship is forever' on it and her fluffy blue ty-dyed slippers. " Wh-what's wrong?" She rubbed her brown eyes sleepily.

"Hi peanut. Why are you up at this early hour?"

"I heard you getting sick. Aiden didn't hear it but I did. "

She's such a light sleeper. She so didn't get that trait from Ash. "Did you wake up because of your.. gift?"

She shook her head. " no.. I was sleeping when I heard it. I tried counting Mareeps in my head but it didn't work. I was gonna get a cup of water. anyways What's wrong?"

I went over to her, bent down-which for some reason hurt a little- and hugged her. "Nothing's the matter. I'm just sick from nervousness.

"Cause of Derek leaving .." Her lip trembled. She didn't want her older brother to leave even though he told us he'd call us on the videophone weekly.

I nodded. "Yes."

She studied me. "Th-that's not all you're worried 'about. Were you thinking of what that Meany woman?"

I ruffled her hair- well I had woken up that awful nightmare of Hunter j. Luckily she wouldn't be coming back …ever. "You know …sometimes you are just too smart for your age Delia Jane Noelle Miracle Waterflower-Ketchum. I don't know if it's from Daddy or me or your gift."

"Thanks Mommy." She smiled at the compliment. When I used my kids' full names-numerous times with Derek and once in a while with Aiden -it meant one of three things. Depending on how I used it and my voice tone it either meant they were in trouble, a compliment or listen to me. "Why were you thinking 'bout that meany woman?"

"I had a bad dream about her so that's what I was worried about. I know it's silly but I had to check on you three."

"I th-" she yawned. "Thought I felt your presence at the door. Wouldn't Fl-Flamie woken up if something bad happened?"

"She's fast asleep at your brother's bedside but I'm sure she'd be up if she did heard anything."

"She's a good G-G-Growlithe" DJ tried to conceal her yawn behind her right hand.

I went over to the sink, filled up a paper cup with water then I went back and handed it to her. "Here's your water. Go back to bed sweetheart-I saw that yawn. Just try to dream of happy things. Don't worry I'm fine. I probably just ate something at the party that didn't agree with my stomach. "

She looked at me for a few seconds before yawning. "O-okay. Night mommy. "

"Night sweetie. Sleep tight-"

"Don't let the yucky bedbugs bite." She finished. She left the bathroom and I heard her door close.

It was a good thing she did too because a few minutes later I got hit with another wave of nausea which landed in the sink.

After i was done- about fifteen minutes later and i cleaned it up I looked in the mirror again and sighed. Why am i feeling so sick lately? I thought. It's not like there was any bad food at the party the other day. I don't think there's any colds or bugs going around. I would have heard from the other parents.

I hadn't been feeling like myself for a while- tired, and snappish at my husband and my emotions felt like a roller coaster. In other words not like myself. I had been sick a lot, extra hungry for food and had been late for my monthly cycle twice. I looked down at my stomach in the full-length mirror nearby and saw that it poked out a bit. I'd gained a little bit of weight lately but I wasn't chubby and exercised a lot. I also didn't overeat like my son and husband.

Starring down at the little bit of stomach that poked out a realization as to why i was feeling like this hit me -why I'd been acting so strange. A realization I last had a few years ago when DJ was only fifteen months old and i discovered i was pregnant with Aiden. "it surely can't be … I c-can't be pregnant again…" I looked at the small bump in the mirror. "C-can i?" i whispered.

There was one certain way to find out. I was glad I had an extra pregnancy test hidden away in the downstairs bathroom after Violet found out about her twins.

…

Twenty-five minutes later I was at the kitchen table in the kitchen, a cup of water on the table. I sighed as the kitchen clock echoed loudly. I drank from the cup and then put it back on the table. My hunch was correct: the proof was on the little machine in my lap. I gazed down at it. The image of the one purple line on it engraved itself in my mind as I placed it on the table with a trembling hand next to the water. "Why does this have to happen now? Oh Pokégods what am I going to do?" I asked the air.

With my three and a half pregnancies-my three kids and the baby Dr. Yung killed-I couldn't wait to share the news. But after what happened with Ash, Storm Aki derek and Hunter J months ago I was more bothered than excited about the news. Though the whole ordeal had left hunter J Dead –thus unable to come after Derek, he' had only just recovered from his almost fatal poisoning from her vile Ariapion I didn't want to see him go so soon after he had learned the truth about what happened to him as a kid but a promise was a promise. What if he encountered villains who would try to finish what hunter J started?

"Don't think like that misty," I told myself. "Hunter J's dead. But If Neo-Rocket or any other foes finds out about my condition it would be like a big target sign on my back."

I sipped my water shakily as I remembered my slight kidnapping by Violet's jealous rival the ex-model Christyana' Dusclops when DJ was about to be born five and a half years ago. The Ghost type had put a thick barrier around the bench area where my sister Violet's daughter's Glaceon Snowie and i were sitting cutting us off everyone else . it attacked and injured Snowie, threatening to do worse to him if i made a sound and then Teleported me to its mistress. Since i was wearing her jacket my sister's rival believed i was violet for a few minutes until she figured out the trutth

from the iceand attacked

*She assumed I was my sister because I was wearing her jacket & her daughter' e was next to me. Luckily Violet- who I had never, ever seen that livid before - had stopped her but not before she had told me what she had planned. Violet had distracted her long enough for my slightly dense knight in shining armor to sweep me off my feet and get me to the hospital. Since then I had a slight fear of Dusclops.

I looked down at the baby bump. I loved kids- loved my part-time job as a preschool teacher. Ever since Daisy had her daughter Dakota, Violet had Holly and Sakura and Lily adopted Kenji the feeling to have another was strong. Sami and Jaden were over so much it felt like they were my own kids. It was ironic considering how when we were younger Ash and I did all we could to avoid their parents and we hated each other. But this wasn't the right time to bring another kid into the world - in fact it was the worst possible time.

what am i going to say? How in the world am I going to tell him? It can't be worse timing what with him trying to recover, our jobs, DJ is starting school again , Derek leaving on his journey ….I sighed. Why does this have to happen now? I thought we were really careful. For Arceus' sake I'm thirty-six and a half years old .I'm too old to have another –

"Hey baby." I felt a warm hand on shoulder breaking me out of my thoughts. "Couldn't sleep?"

"Huh?" i turned around to see my coal haired husband come in behind me behind me in his sleeping clothes. His right arm was still in the sling- even three months later his shoulder was still wounded but it was slowly getting better. I had been so preoccupied with my own thoughts I hadn't heard him come into the kitchen. I shook my head, quickly covering the test with one hand- not wanting to reveal my newly discovered condition until I figured out how to break the news. "Hi Ash. No. Not really. How'd you know I was here?"

"I Heard you getting the water and felt your presence. " he said simply. He slid into the chair next to me, looked me in the eyes and squeezed my free hand. "what's the matter?"

I saw a pale faced woman with stringy looking red orange hair- reflected in those beautiful black orbs. I sighed . " i ..couldn't sleep. i had a pretty awful nightmare a-about Hunter J."

i went on to explain my nightmare. He was a good listener and his eyes went wide with fear at the right places. i could sense his brief fear up through the bond. " oh honey.. i don't blame you for not wanting to sleep after that." He kissed my hand love replacing the fear . "But it was only a nightmare.."

" i know Ashy. But it creeped me out so much i felt i had to check on the kids. im also a bit worried about tomorrow. Are you sure this is the right thing"

"You don't have to worry Misty. He'll be fine..."

"I know but I just can't help feel worried. I mean Derek is our first born."

"Sweetheart, he will be fine out there. Beside he's not going to be alone. He won't be alone. Aki, Sami and Jaden will be with him. ".

"But what if he runs into members of neo-rocket? Or lysander? Or Even worse-"

Ash ended my sentence off with a long kiss-, which made me feel warm all over. . "We'll just have to trust him. When J first threatened him and forced him to battle I admit i was terrified out of my mind. Sure I'd seen him battle before in school but never against someone like-"

"That despicable bounty hunter that made you knows who seem semi innocent?" I prompted and he smiled.

"…. Yeah. But as the battle went on I lost my worries. I saw a determination in him I'd never seen before. It was like i was seeing a new side of him. He didn't really give up or anything."

"Even when he got injured and poisoned by her hybrid?"

"Even when he got injured and poisoned by her hybrid, " He echoed, "I know it's hard but we have to trust him.

"I just didn't know how hard it would hit me that he's leaving tomorrow."

"Is that why you couldn't sleep?"

I felt my face burn. "Uhh... a little. I had a bad dream about J's ghost hurting the kids so I had to go check on them. Plus I've been feeling …off."

"So I've noticed. But you seemed all right at the party, "he remarked. "You were laughing and smiling. You didn't seem nervous then".

"I didn't want to spoil his day. It wasn't till later I didn't feel well. " I pointed out. That was before I knew for sure.

Ash looked at me. "A-Are you sure you're alright Mist? You've been acting ...odd for the past few weeks. Are you sick? Do you need to see a doctor?"

I guess there's no other way to spill the beans – he's going to have to find out the news sooner or later.I smiled. "Well… I do need to see a doctor. Doctor Hawthorne."

I uncovered my hand from the pregnancy test and showed it to him. "What do you mean-" It took him few minutes as his gaze ping-ponged from it to me and back again.

His mouth formed an O- shape as he realized what it was and what it was showing. "Y-you're-pregnant? " I nodded. "B-But who's the father?"

I gave him a look-resisting the tempting urge to pummel him.. . What an idiot! "Who do you-think the father is? Who's been the only one I've been married to for the past twelve years? Who's been there since I was ten and a half? Who did i follow all across Kanto? Who was the one who caused me to get Horsea, Corsola, Politoed and .." I shuddered. " Psyduck? "Who was the one who ended up destroying my bike? "

He grinned sheepishly und. "Oh. ...Right. "

I rolled my eyes and lowered the look. . " You're such a dense idiot." I voiced my thought and then kissed him. "My dense idiot."

"hey… I'm not that dense.." I gave him a look and raised my eyebrows. ".. uh most of the time, sweetheart . I know I can be a little dim sometimes."

"good ..you finally admit it."

"hey, nobody's perfect. Well that explains why you inhaled Mom's double-chocolate dipped raspberry pastry puffs yesterday but you looked away from the mini- meatloaves at the party. Plus now I know- "

I narrowed my eyes. "Don't you dare say I'm fat Ashton Ihsotas Waterflower-Ketchum "- he flinched - he hated his full name as much as Sami Oak loathed hers. ""Unless you want to be sleeping on the couch for the next few days."

"All I was going to say is that it wasn't flabbiness. ". My expression relaxed. "I can't believe we're going to be parents again …how long have you known?"

" Not that long. I took the test shorty after my vomiting episode when I went to check on the kids' and DJ asked what was wrong. I told her it was just nerves. You were fast asleep. Like you said I've been off for a bit. I've had a strange feeling for a while. "

"When did we-" a look of realization swept over his face. " Oh...I remember now .It was when I got back from the hospital with my arm and Derek was still there. And Dj and Aiden were still at Mom's and you pounced on me." I recalled that night of heated passionate love and sighed. "So if that was three months ago in May and it's August now..." he counted the months off on his fingers. " you should be due in February. "

"What are we going to do Ashy? What if someone finds out? It's too soon after what happened! I didn't expect this..."

I was tearing up. Blasted pregnancy hormones. He hugged me as i cried into his shirt. "It's gonna be okay Mist. Everything's going to be okay. "

"N-no its n-not. What if J has a partner that wants to a-avenge her death? And they find out and want-"

He chuckled. "Partner- Her? That evil psychopathic witch didn't rely on anyone but herself. Maybe some underlings in the past to work her machines but she truly operated alone

"Why does this have to happen n-now? I just found out. Derek's leaving for his journey tomorrow and-

"And it's a perfect time."

I looked up at him. "What-? Have you totally lost your mind? What do you mean it's a perfect tim

He ran his uninjured hand through his untidy black hair. "Think about it: We've been through a horrible event. We need something happy to lift our spirits. Derek's leaving and DJ's in school and Soon it'll be Aiden's turn to start preschool."

"That's right. I forgot." i admitted. Pallet City children started pre-school at age three/four and regular school at six with 'graduation' at eleven or twelve. Many other major cities followed this example. It seemed like yesterday that he was born." wow. It's already that time for him?"

"yep."

A tear escaped my eyes and ran down my face. "our little baby is starting school soon ."

. " yeah. " He wiped the tear away from my face. "he sure is. "

" he's not gonna have trouble making friends."

I shook my head, "no, he's not." Aiden was really carefree and happy go lucky. Nothing really fazed him- he wasn't even scared of Gyarados. "our littlest baby is growing up."

Uh water blossom …" he pointed down to my tiny baby bump. "Aiden's not our youngest any more..".

"oh yeah.. i forgot .. I'm still trying to wrap my head around the reveal. I can hide it for a few months… even next month when school starts up and I bring Aiden to preschool. The press is gonna have quite the field day with that."

"Not as much as they will with this news," he said as he rubbed my baby-bump lovingly. "Besides ... didn't having Aiden and DJ and Derek make you happy?"

I nodded. "Well. Yeah."

"You love kids as much as you love Pokémon - That's why you took the job at the school. " He continued, a bit serious. "Look, Mist, I don't know what J did to you while I was knocked out or what nightmares her Kadabra gave you. I know from experience that wounds take time to heal", he glanced at his arm, still in a sling. "Some more than others. But I think the healing process will go quicker if you have something else to focus on"

I sat back in my chair staring lovingly down at my baby bump,. Now that he put it that way it made perfect sense now. "You're right."

"Of course I am. When have I ever been wrong?"

I rolled my eyes and sighed. "You want me to make a list?"

He realized his mistake and grinned . "Uh…. Not really. It was a rhetorical question."

"But you are right about one thing: I'll definitely heal faster with this news."

(Huh? Wh-what news?) A drowsy looking Storm asked as she padded into the kitchen. The small yellow Mouse Pokémon walked to her water bowl and lapped some up before looking up at us

"Well-" Ash looked uncomfortably at me and then at the small Pikachu. "Umm…

(I'm guessing it's something wonderful because your auras are bright pink) Storm guessed.

"I-I just found out that we're going to have another baby" I beamed.

Her face split into a huge smile. (That's wonderful news!) She jumped carefully onto my lap and smiled at me, trying not to cry. This in turn made tears of joy face down my own face. (You deserve some happiness). She gingerly put a paw on my belly for a few seconds as if she were a nurse checking for the baby's health. (Yes…it's going to be a healthy baby with the kindest humans I know for parents)

"Thanks." I stroked her fur, shivering slightly when I came across faded thick whip marks on her skin. That inhumane monster! I hope Darkrai torments her for all eternity. Poor girl. She's brave as a Kangaskan

She felt my emotions at feeling the wound and licked my hand. (I hope she's tortured for all time too.) She said softly. (But despite the agony that. monster put us through it's best to leave it behind in the past and have other things to focus on.) She turned her gaze back from the bump to me and her voice returned to normal. (Like getting ready for this little one. Taran will be happy with the news. He's so close with your kids. Should I go tell him, Aki and My mate ?)

"No." Ash shook his head as he rubbed behind her ears. "Let it be a total surprise. We'll tell them all tomorrow."

(That makes sense.) She agreed.

"I'm surprise your mate didn't follow you in here… after what happened" Ash commented.

(He would-if he weren't fast asleep .He conked out watching us.)

"When I was checking on the kids I peeked in to the den and saw four of your sleeping. You and Aki were shivering and whimpering. But then Taran comforted you and you fell back asleep. " I told her.

(That my boy. he and pikachu both seem to have taken charge of making sure Aki and i are both safe. . They wont let either of us put of their sight . )

"Can you blame either of them after what happened?" I asked. "They were both pretty shaken up after the sneak attack.. i think Pikachu was hurt lots more though. he almost seemed .. broken without both of you.. " I felt tears form in my eyes a

and roll down my face and splash onto my nightgown. " W-We both felt broken a-and l-lost. We d-didn't know where y-you h-had g-gone..."

My husband wiped my cheek with his good hand as Storm gave my hand a nuzzle . " it's okay , sweetheart. Storm and I missed you both too. There's nothing to worry about. We're back home and safe ." He gave me a kiss. " Don't stress Mist. "

(You don't want to put stress on the baby) Storm added as I wiped my eyes. ( think of something happy. Like All the cute baby clothes and toys you can get now, picking out names and even guessing what the baby will look like.)

I sniffed my sadness giving way to happiness as I took in her words for a few minutes. i did like looking and buying cute non- frilly and fun clothes for Kenji, sakura and holly . it had been fun when i was pregnant with my kids trying to figure out what their appearances and personalities would be like. i smiled "Thanks Storm . That cheered me right up."

(happiness can be found in the darkest of times. Sometimes even a little hope can go a long way. That's what Pikachu told me. He knows what to say in the right situation."

"Well spoken. He takes that trait after me." ash said proudly. i rolled my eyes.

(So I've noticed. I think he's more worried about how she'll do out there with her disability...)

"She'll be fine. Ryan's parents told me that the tail is ready for her. I just hope it works"

"Really Ash?" I gave him a look. "Do you know how much research Gary, Dora and Ryan did on it?"

(I think it's wonderful what they did) Storm said (now she doesn't have to feel like such an outcast... like me)

My husband scratched behind her left ear with his good hand now and she sighed happily.

"You're not an outcast Storm. An outcast means nobody likes you at all. From the way you're treated, you'd think you were a celebrity: lots of love and attention, it's only gotten better after they heard what you went through"

She blushed (you're too kind. I meant her lack of a tail)

"I'm s-sure she'll be an inspiration to other "I commented. "I'll tell Daisy and Tracey to be harsh on any trainer who ridicules her while in Cerulean City"

"I don't think that will be a problem. Have you even seen how amazing that she is at battling now?" Ash asked.

(Indeed) Storm nodded. (That ... vicious battle with J really made her confident.)

"Looks like you have to step up your game if Derek decides to take the frontier challenge, honey" I joked

"He's taking the Orange Island challenge first. I can't wait to see how well he does."

Storm looked up at him. (Don't you mean winning battles instead of getting the badges for free just cause you are his dad?) Ooh nice one!

"Uh…."

"She's got a point there. I mean y-you only won the badges from Brock, Ericka, and m-my sisters out of p-pity. "

He pretended to be shocked. "Who me?"

"Who do you think I m-mean genius?" I failed in concealing my yawns. I couldn't help it, which got ash and storm yawning too.

We decided to turn in for none of us wanted to be tired for the next day. I emptied my cup of water in the sink and threw out the pregnancy test. I gazed down at my bump now with lovingly affection.

...

After Ash and I got back into bed and he pulled the covers over us I sighed. I was about to experience three huge changes in my life all at once : my oldest going on his journey, Aiden starting school and the new baby.

"Misty.. what's wrong? I heard you sigh."

"Noting really .. I'm just thinking about the three changes about To happen in our lives." I admitted.

" yeah... our lives are definitely going to be changing fast." I felt his left hand gently massage my tiny baby bump underneath the covers as I snuggled up next to him . " Especially with this great news. And I will be there for you every step of the way honey." He kissed my forehead. "boy or girl, this little one's gonna the greatest kindest family ever. I love you."

" and I love you too." I smiled as I snuggled up to him and fell back asleep - feeling much happier than I did an hour or two ago. And To think that a few hours ago I was worried about telling him the news.

The end