Epilogue

Five years have passed since Misty and Misa's reunion. The last Misty heard, Misa was doing quite well at the University of Viridian City, and was ready to graduate that summer. The last Misa heard, Misty and Ash were celebrating Misty's 23^rd birthday. (A/N: I'm going to say her birthday is April 18.) Misty's letter was sent March 25, from Pallet town where the group was starting another three week vacation spree.

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"Boy, Misty'll just love it, Brock! I can't thank you enough!" Brock was still laughing. He couldn't believe Ash was getting into being such a charmer. "A hopeless romantic needs a romantic hope fulfiller!" he had said.

"Yes, Ash, you've said that ten times today, now hush up or she'll hear us! She's already been asking me questions about why there's so much food in the freezer, and if I try to tell her I have another banquet to cook for, she'll bonk me upside the head!"

"Oh, yeah, you're right," Ash instantly hushed. He pulled out a bottle of ketchup and shoved it in with the rest of the food. Pikachu gasped and leaped in, hugging it to his little yellow chest. If it hadn't been for Brock, he also would've been stored behind a full-sized capon.

"Ok, we have whipped cream for the dessert. Did you get enough stuffing? We did get plenty of ranch, right? She loves ranch. Will the chocolate still be good for dipping by then? We forgot the strawberries! Wait, they have to be fresh, so we can't get them yet. Ok, that's good. Did you get the right croutons? She likes those more than bacon bits, but they have to be the right size." He went on and on, putting things in the freezer blindly and leaving it up to Brock to sort things out before they were all buried. By the time the last bag was emptied (and properly stored), Pikachu had finished a third of his ketchup bottle. Ash was still finding things to run around the kitchen for, which Brock had to promptly replace. Finally, once Pikachu had his fill, he sighed and stood up. He knew the routine: Ash runs around like a Psyduck with a Shellder clamped on its tail, Brock picked up after him, he has his treat and then shuts his overloaded master down. The timing was the tricky part.

After a few missed shots, Pikachu managed to bolt Ash, who finally stood still for more than three seconds. Brock walked over to the table and patter Pikachu on the head.

"Good job, Pikachu. Just about two weeks left and we'll be done."

"Pika!" he replied excitedly. Brock chuckled as Ash struggled to stand again.

"Ouh, thanks little bud. Go a bit easier next time, will ya?" Pikachu pouted.

"Pika pi, kachu!"

"He's right, Ash. Any easier and it won't affect you. You're becoming shock proof!"

"Ha ha, aren't we funny today? Well, I'm gonna go check on Misty." The other two sighed. This was also part of the routine.

Ash made his way toward the living room and noticed the vid-phone wasn't in its usual place in the hall. Misa must've called, he thought. And as he expected, Misty was sitting on the couch, using the phone. What he didn't expect was her tear-stained face and Lily being on the screen.

"This is the sickest joke you've ever played, Lil!" He noticed Lily was crying, too.

"Like, I'm sorry little sister, but this isn't a joke. I could even have Violet call you from the hospital if you don't believe me." Misty dejectedly shook her head.

"No, I believe you. I just don't want to," she said in a strangled voice.

"I know, it caught us off guard, too. The hospital said they'd call once she came out of the coma, so we'll keep you updated and stuff, 'kay? You try and get some rest." Misty nodded and hung up the phone, disconnecting the video transmission. Ash sat down beside her, and she instantly buried her face into his shoulder. He let her cry for a while before asking what happened.

"Misa…Misa attempted suicide two days ago, on the first. I thought it was some disgusting April Fools' joke, but then Lily started crying and I knew she was serious. Her neighbor heard the gunshot and found her on the floor with the front door open. They didn't find a note or anything, but my sisters were the first number in her address book, so the Viridian police called them." She broke down and cried again. Ash simply held her, not knowing what to do. The brief time he had spent with Misa was not pleasant, but he knew how much Misty had cared for her. They were practically sisters, if not a little closer. Now, her best friend had attempted suicide for no apparent reason.

"What could've pushed her to do this, Ash? I just don't understand why she'd, she'd….stoop to this!"

"I don't know, Mist. There's obviously something she was holding in. I'm sure we'll find out as soon as she wakes up." She looked up at him, those shiny aqua eyes pleading, begging for relief.

"Do you really think she'll come out of it?" she whispered, so quiet that Ash barely understood her. He simply nodded and hugged her to him again.

I hope she does, Misty. For your sake, I hope to God she does.

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A week and a half later, things were, for the most part, back to normal. For the first few days after the news, Misty was quiet, subdued and tear-prone. But the boys were very sensitive around her, and she was quickly on the road to recovery. Ash's mom came home on the ninth, only to say she would be leaving again for an International Homemakers convention. Nothing had come in from the hospital, or from Misty's sisters. The wound was healing, but not forgotten…

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"AAAAAAAAAAAH!!!" Ash screamed, yet again. Brock rolled his eyes and turned away from his tenderloin marinade, seeing what was wrong this time. Pikachu, who was quickly running out of jolt-juice for the day, shocked his master to calm him down.

"Now what Ash?" Brock asked as patiently as possible.

"We're out of lemon pepper! The lobster won't be right without lemon pepper! I could've sworn I had a whole bottle left but I can't find it!" Brock sighed as Pikachu slapped his face in an extremely aggravated fashion.

"Ash, that would probably be because I'm using it for the marinade and the steaks. See?" he pointed back to the counter where he was working. "And besides, I can't even prepare the lobster until tomorrow afternoon, so we could've gotten another bottle had we actually run out." Ash nodded, wiping away a tear. "Got it, Ash? Now CHILL OUT!!" Ash snapped to attention, starting up a fit of "Pika" laughter in the background. "Good! Now go and get some rest, soldier! Leave the rest up to Brock, insert dramatic pose the Iron Chef!" Both Ash and Pikachu fell over, then promptly ran from the assault of pots, pans and various other kitchenware.

Misty was out shopping. Her parents and Ash's mom had given her a total of two hundred dollars for her birthday, and Ash insisted she go out and pamper herself.

"You need it, after all. Just go out and buy whatever you feel like!" He was rather happy with his suggestion, since his reward was a shower of kisses and a promise to a backrub (followed by a wink) later.

So she had taken a taxi to the mall, and now figured she'd need an extra taxi to take all of her stuff back! She had at least two bags full of clothes. There was a small bag filled with some herbs and cooking materials that she knew Brock would die for. Another, smaller bag, held three of her favorite romance novels. "I don't know what you see in those!" Ash had commented indignantly, until she informed him that some of his favorite "ideas" were from those novels. There were even a few things for her sisters! There was another bag filled with lotions, make-up and various other pampering products, including some seductive scents for Ash. We've been sleeping together for nearly a year and I still can't keep from blushing!

She sighed dreamily as she awaited the taxi, which managed to come too soon for her. After being screamed at for a moment, she woke herself up and smashed all her packages into the cab.

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Ash wandered around the kitchen, making finishing touches on the picnic lunch that he himself prepared.

"I bet Brock could've finished this in a tenth of the time," he mumbled sleepily. It was past midnight, but he wouldn't rest until he was sure everything was ready.

"Ash, honey, isn't it about time you came to bed?" He spun around quickly, adrenaline rushing at being discovered. Luckily, Misty was still rubbing her eyes and couldn't see behind him. He rushed the basket over to the refrigerator, making sure everything was stored and ready, then he made his way toward her. She jumped as he arrived in front of her once her vision cleared.

"I'm sorry, Mist, I was just working on a project. I'll go to bed now." She nodded, then cried in surprise as he lifted her up into his arms and carried her off to the bedroom. "But I couldn't sleep knowing I made you walk up all these terrible stairs!" She giggled and playfully hit him as he turned the corner into their room. Once he put her down, she stared up into his eyes with that same captivating glare she had used the year before.

"Well, now I have to put that extra energy to use," she said before pulling him down into her kiss.

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"'Can I take the blindfold off yet? Can I take it off yet?' I swear that's all you said the entire way up there!" Ash teased as they walked back toward his house, picnic basket emptied.

"Well since your navigating skills never exactly improved, I figured you might want to make sure you were going the right way!" They fought back and forth playfully, teasing and poking and prodding all the way home. Ash's hard work paid off, as Misty had completely fallen head over heels in love with his plan. The food came out perfect, the weather was just right, and the place where she fished him out of the river was the best location for all of it. Ash could only smile at how childish Misty was acting.

"I never knew you could be so innocent!" She swung her mallet at him, which, after years of practice, he dodged. They were like that the rest of the way, the happiest they'd been in a while.

They entered the house laughing, nearly tripping over on another onto the couch. Once Misty made herself comfortable, Ash settled himself gently on top of her.

"Ooooo, and just what do you think you're doing?" she purred as he buried his face in her neck.

"Why?" he said as he trailed his tongue up toward her ear. "Is this bothering you?" Her throaty giggle was all the reply he needed as he continued his teasing.

"Um….Misty?" Brock called from the hallway. Ash sighed at the ruined moment, and Misty just giggled as she wriggled her way out from under him.

"Coming, Brock! What is it?" Brock looked shocked.

"Uh….before you take the call, I just wanted to say happy birthday again," he mumbled as he walked out of the hall. Misty looked confused, but then picked up the phone. The doctor who had been taking care of Misa popped up on the screen, and she was instantly afraid.

"Misty? I'm sorry to tell you this, but…Misa passed away today, at 12:49 this morning. We did all we could," she didn't hear the rest, because she slammed the phone down and ran out the door.

Ash had heard the announcement, but he didn't try to stop Misty. He simply followed her, slowly, making sure she had the time she needed to be alone.

Misty had run back to the spot by the river. She hadn't completely intended to stop there, but she tripped, and didn't bother to get back up. The tears were flowing freely, the sobs wracking her poor little body. She simply laid there and cried.

"You did this on purpose, didn't you, Misa?" she called out to no one. "You were trying to get back at me, weren't you? Dammit, Misa why did you do this!? You were supposed to fight, you were supposed to fight back," she trailed as she gave in to the sobs once more. "I'm sorry, Mis. I'm sorry for whatever I did, just please, don't go!"

Ash slowly walked into the scene, leaning back on a nearby tree. A song came to mind, one that his mom taught him to sing every time he thought of his dad. Very softly, he started to sing it.

He finished the song, picking her up and cradling her to him as her sobs died down.

"Why, Ash? Why today?" He just continued rocking her back and forth, as gingerly as if she were an infant.

"I don't know, Misty. We'll find out some day, though. But you can't blame yourself, Mist. None of her choice was your fault. I'm sure she's watching over you right now, wishing you weren't so sad." She looked up at him again, breaking his heart.

"Do you really think so, Ash?"

"I do, Mist. I truly do." She smiled weakly, then rested her head against his chest. He got up and slowly started walking back home.

"You take a nice long nap when we get home. I've got one last birthday present for you. I hope it makes you feel a little bit better." She sighed pleasantly.

"Knowing I have you here for me will always make me feel better." He leaned down to kiss the top of her head, bringing a genuine smile to her face that warmed his heart back up.

Inside her heart, though, she still cried.

I don't know why this happened, Mis, but I promise I'll make you proud of me….

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There ya go. Hope ya liked it. Please review.