Epilogue?

Author's note: whether this epilogue is canon to the story or not is left to the reader's interpretation.

-o-

Shortly after Ash and Gary said their "I do's" and officially got married, the wedding reception in the Oak mansion's backyard was about to start; but Christine Oak decided to take a walk outside before celebrating her grandson's marriage...

She crossed the street, with her camera on hand, and crossed paths with a woman pushing a man in a wheelchair.

"Hi, mother," the man in the wheelchair said with a melancholic smile.

Christine couldn't hold up the tears and she hugged the man as the woman began crying too.

The upper right side of the man's face was covered with a bandage that surrounded his head and his forehead, his right eye was covered with an eye patch under the bandage. The woman who was with him had aged gracefully and looked as beautiful as she ever was in her youth.

"C'mon mother… we didn't come here to cry about this," the man said with a teary laugh.

"I'm sorry, you're right," Christine said, smiling, and drying off her tears.

"They looked so beautiful and happy together, especially Gary… he's so handsome," Christine said giving the camera to the woman.

"Let's see them," the woman said kneeling next to the man and they started watching the photos together.

And they cried. Happy tears. Proud tears. Their son was happily married to their best friends' son. Who would have thought of that?

"He looks just like you when we got married, honey," Adeline said with tears and a smile, caressing her husband's face.

"He does." Alexander sighed proudly.

"Christine? We need you for the toast!" Reid exclaimed getting out of the mansion and crossing the street.

"Shit!" Alexander exclaimed covering his face and Adeline quickly made a turn with the wheelchair to leave, but it was too late.

"Oh my God! Oh my God!" Reid exclaimed, astounded, running so he was now in front of Alexander and Adeline.

Despite the bandages covering Alexander's face and the years that had passed, Reid recognized his best friend; and it was even easier to recognize Adeline.

"You're alive! You guys are alive!" He cried with joy, kneeling, and hugging his old best friend.

"I'll handle this, honey... please go back to the car… and mother… leave us alone and make sure nobody else gets out of the mansion… and thanks for the photos," Alexander sighed, closing his eye.

"Wait! Where are you going, Blue?" Reid asked Adeline, grabbing her wrist before she could leave.

Christine crossed the street and returned to the mansion.

"Don't make this harder, Reid… I beg you, please" Adeline cried and ran away with the camera, then she disappeared as she turned around the corner.

Reid was confused… his best friends were alive… so why were they sad to see him? And why was Adeline leaving? Wasn't she going to stay at her son's wedding? Weren't they?

"Green… what's going on?" Reid asked Alexander.

"Stop using those damn cursed names!" Alexander shouted with anger.

"But…"

"Stop it!" Alexander yelled out louder this time.

"I… I don't understand… have you been alive all this time? Why?" Reid asked trying to connect the pieces of the puzzle… but he didn't have many.

Reid remembered attending to Adeline and Alexander's funeral… he remembered watching his wife, his son, professor Oak and Gary mourning their deaths… had they faked their deaths just like Christine had? No way… Reid also remembered identifying their burnt bodies… he remembered that because it had been a living hell.

But now he saw Alexander in a wheelchair… and the bandages in his face clearly suggested he had burn injuries… so probably the accident had been real after all…

Reid was confused… shocked… nothing made sense. "I… I don't understand."

"It's better this way, please… don't say anything about this to anyone, I am begging you…"

"But… you guys can come back now, can't you? Team Rocket's finally been dismantled… there's nobody who can harm you and your family now… think about Gary…"

"Exactly, I am thinking about him… Reid… how do you think he will react to the fact that his parents have been alive all along? He will never forgive us for leaving him like that… we're too ashamed to come back, please understand…" Alexander sighed, trying to be strong, but he was already sobbing.

"But Christine came back! And look how happy she is now! You have no idea how happy Gary's been since she got back into his life," Reid said, trying to convince Alexander.

"It's too late… it's just too damn late… Alexander Oak and Adeline Oak are dead… so as Green Oak and Blue Leaflight… so as Red Ketchum."

Reid could feel his heart stopping for a second.

"Don't do this… I don't want to lose my best friend again," Reid said, getting emotional, and crying on Alexander's lap.

"I'm… so sorry, Reid… you weren't supposed to see us today."

"I wasn't?" Reid asked, standing up and with anger on his eyes.

"Don't, please don't… you know I did this because I wanted to keep my son safe…"

"I know…" Reid sighed, immediately calming down. "So… where are you guys living now?"

"Can't tell you… I know you and you'd come visit us often," Alexander said with a smile.

"Would that be so bad?"

"I don't want Yellow… I mean, Delia, to suspect anything."

"I see…" Reid sighed, swallowing all the words he wanted to say because he knew it would be a waste of saliva trying to convince Alexander to stay.

"I'm sorry things turned out this way, old friend," Alexander said, crestfallen. "But look how happy our sons are together... that makes me feel relieved," he added with a smile.

"They are happy, indeed," Reid said looking to the mansion.

"Please tell Gary that Adeline and I would be so proud and very happy for him."

Reid sighed. "I will. I'll even tell some embarrassing anecdotes of us during the toast," Reid said with a laugh.

Alexander laughed. "I dare you, Ketchum."

"You can't stop me," Reid said with a cocky smile.

Then Alexander rolled his eyes. "I guess this is it," he sighed.

"Let me take you to your car," Reid offered.

"Just push me around the corner and then I'll go back to the car… I don't want Adey to get more emotional than me," Alexander said with a laugh.

"Fair enough."

Reid pushed Alexander's wheelchair until they reach the street corner.

"I guess I'll just… go back to the party," Reid sighed.

"Have fun," Alexander said with a nostalgic smile.

"Goodbye, friend," Reid sighed, hugging Alexander one last time.

"Goodbye, Reid, please take care of my son."

"I guess that's my son's job now," Reid said with a laugh as he started walking.

"Hey!" Alexander shouted before Reid turned around the block.

"Yes?"

"Thank you… for everything… Red," Green smiled.

"Always," Red smiled back.