I guess I must've fallen asleep because Chuck gently nudged me awake sometime later. "Ash, get up."

I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and peered at him. "Nn...in a few minutes, okay?"

"No, you haveto get up now."

An irritable moan escaped my throat. "Why?" I whined.

"Because if you don't, you'll miss dad's punishment set up for Bill."

That jolted me awake. "H-his what?"

"Yeah, he's gonna make Bill pay for hurting you and….mom." He said the last part with a warm smile.

I grinned. "What's he going to do?"

"You'll see," he said with a devious smirk.

The van was oddly empty. "Where is everyone?"

"You'll see," he repeated. "Come with me."

I did what he wanted and got out of the van. I followed him around the street and recognized my old home. It looked exactly the way it did the day I left; old, yet sturdy.

"This is where we part for now. Go on in."

I looked at him confusedly. "You're not coming in?"

"I will later. You have to go in alone for now."

I gulped nervously as I ascended the steps. My eyes trailed back to where Chuck was standing, but he wasn't there anymore. My lungs forced out a shaky sigh as I brought a shaking paw up to the door and knocked. I was met with an unfortunate face.

"Nice of you to show up," spat my false father. He took a step back and signaled for me to enter. I did.

My old home seemed the same, just a little messier. Made sense that it would be that way without mom and I around to pick things up. Mom was in the kitchen, shaking and nibbling her bottom lip in fear. She winked at me to indicate she was acting. I was rather shocked at how good she was at it. Seemed as though I'd have to test to see if I inherited her talents.

Bill skulked into the room and grabbed a hold of my tails. "Living room. Now." Not that I had a choice in the matter seeing as how he dragged me there. He then loomed over me intimidatingly.

"Where should I start? Perhaps with the fact that you had the gall to shove my own meal up into my face? You think that was hilarious, don't you?" His paw quickly came up and smacked me. Hard. I fell on my side with a grunt. He wasn't done yet.

"Then you ran from your punishment and escaped with criminals like a coward. Smooth move, right?" He kicked my side, causing the breath to be knocked out of me.

"Once I finally find you, you mouth off to me right in front of the cops. Oh, so because you're a teenager now you think you can get away with anything you want, right? Well I've got news for you, princess." He picked me up and prepared to do one of his throw down moves, but I attacked with Ember, effectively burning his paw.

"Gah!" He dropped me and glared at the black mark on his paw.

I wiped away the blood from the corner of my mouth with my arm, finally sick of all this. "I'm the coward? ! ? You have to beat mom and I to make yourself feel better because you can't beat on Pokémon stronger than yourself! Yet I'm the coward?"

His gaze flared at me, trying to make me cringe but failing miserably. "You've got a lot of nerve to mouth off in your current situation."

"I'm not afraid of you," I hissed. "I might have been before, but no longer. You get your power from my fear, but it stops here! You won't ever get your power from me ever again!"

He didn't like that. Not at all. He charged at me, a fiery shield blazing in front of him. I recognized that move as Flame Charge and he was moving too fast for me to dodge. The impact was great and had me flying halfway across the room. It hurt, but wasn't nearly enough to knock me out. I decided to be cheap and used Confuse Ray. It didn't last long and I could only get in another Ember before he snapped out of confusion.

"Enough! You're my daughter, you shouldn't be fighting back!"

"You aren't my father!"

"Like it or not, princess, I am your father!"

"Victor's my father!"

He went pale. "Wh-who?"

"Victor. Remember? The guy you replaced?"

"He's not your father, I am!" he barked.

"Mom never did anything with you, how can I be yours?"

His red eyes blazed back at me, rage burning behind them. "How did you…?"

"Mom told me!"

"She lied!"

"No, she didn't! I'm sure a DNA test will prove that!"

"You think you're so tough? You think you're the boss now because you escaped by grasp once? I think it's time I broke apart this little fantasy of yours. By the time I'm done with you, you'll wish you were dead!"

"Like hell she will!" Mom ran in from the kitchen and stood defensively in front of me.

Bill's mouth hung open for a second in surprise, then shut as he resumed his pissed stance. "Get out of the way, Tory!"

"No," she stated simply. "You're not harming my daughter."

"Would you like to accept her punishment added to yours?"

"Try it. You know when it comes to fighting my kind are superior to yours."

"I'm stronger than you. I've proven that before and I'll do it again."

The room suddenly filled with a purple gas. We all started coughing and wheezing at the smoke as it swarmed over everything. When it cleared, Axel was standing next to us with an irritable look on his face.

"Dammit! I was hoping to perfect that shield, but it looks as though I have yet to master it." He winked in my direction to let me know he had failed it on purpose. "Looks as though I've got something else to tend to, though. We are well met, sir."

"Outta my way!"

He frowned. "After the way we treated Ash so nicely in the time she's spent with us you refuse to show gratification? How rude."

Bill bared his teeth. "You're that pesky Lucario who robbed my bank! I'm calling the police!"

"Mmm, I don't think so." Another purple fog filled the room, yet nobody coughed on this one. The fog suddenly absorbed to one point next to me and formed Chuck. "Phone lines are down, so nobody's calling anyone."

A crashing sound came from one of the windows and in rolled Kris. "Sorry about that, that was just too tempting. What'd I miss?"

Axel gestured towards Bill. "I was just telling Mr. Tennith here about how gracious Ashley was during her visit with us and that it is rather rude of him to threaten to call the police on his guests."

Kris frowned. "That is rather rude! And here I was thinking that Ashley must've gotten her manners from her father."

Chuck snapped his fingers and dad appeared from nowhere. "Oh, but you're not exactly her father, are you? If anyone here deserves that title," he paused and suddenly leapt behind Bill, holding his neck in a threatening manner, "it'd be me."

Bill twisted out of his grasp. "Victor? ! ? What the hell are you doing here? ! ?"

"Protecting my family." He held his arms out threateningly and brought one across his head blade, effectively sharpening it.

"They aren't your family anymore!"

Mom stood up. "We are now."

He turned to her, mouth agape. His entire kingdom was falling apart at his feet, and there wasn't a thing he could do about it. Bill the tyrant whom mom and I have long feared was starting to crumble.

He then narrowed his eyes on me. "Fine. You want me to leave, Tory? I'll leave." A black ball was shot from his fur and filled up the room with black smoke. My guess is that Bill used Smokescreen. We all coughed and hacked, but something else was wrong. When the smoke cleared, Bill was on the other side of the room and I was right under his left paw. "But Ashley's coming with me. She might not be mine biologically, but she's mine legally."

Before I could react, he flipped me over so I was on my stomach and bit on the back part of my neck. This was usually how Pokémon who walked on four legs carried their young. He then leapt through the broken window and took off down the street.

I kept kicking and struggling beneath the grasp of his jaw, but it was futile. Rain began to pummel the earth once more as he darted down the streets with me trying to claw at his neck and face, trying to do anything that would make him drop me. He suddenly turned down a street and found an old rusting cage that was most likely used for capturing wild Pokémon and threw me in it. The cage locked shut with a click and I couldn't break the bars with any of my moves. He picked up the cage with his jaw and started down the street again. A shadow at the end of another street made him stop in his tracks. Lightning flashed to reveal the dark figure's identity. It was dad.

Bill irritably set the cage down on the ground and sped forward. I watched in horror as he sank his teeth down into dad's flesh, earning him an ear-piercing shriek.

"Dad!" All eyes turned towards Chuck, who formed a Shadow Ball and hurled it with as much force as possible at Bill. It hit his side with a sickening crack and made him stumble backwards. Chuck took the opportunity to grab my cage with his grip claws and started to fly away. His flight, however, was interrupted when Bill shot a Flamethrower attack at him. It hit my older brother directly and his claws let go of the cage. I fell onto a rooftop and slid down to the ground, roughly landing on the pavement. I was a bit disoriented but unharmed.

Dad, now released, retaliated from Bill's Bite with Hammer Arm. It hit his back hard, but he fought back with Flame Charge. The close range of the attack most likely caused a lot of damage, making me worry like hell. He was all right and proved this by counterattacking with Thunder Punch. It hit hard and made lightning strike across the sky vibrantly and beautifully. Bill flew down the street and landed, most unfortunately, right next to my cage and reminded him just why it was he was fighting with them. I think dad mentally kicked himself for aiming his attack in my direction.

Bill picked up my cage with his teeth again and started running towards dad, a Flame Charge in the making. If dad didn't move, he'd be hit with a life-threatening attack, but if he moved, Bill would get away with me in tow. His entire future, as well as mine, had to be decided within the next few seconds and the result of either could bring unbearable pain to him. There had to be something I could do! I thought about using a move, but found myself at a loss. Confuse Ray was very hard to shoot at a Pokémon who was standing still and would only prove useless in this situation. Ember would hurt him but wouldn't be nearly enough to stop him. Faint Attack was a good choice, but, like Ember, it wouldn't be enough to stop him.

Then I once again had no choice. I had to use my fourth and final option.

I sighed sadly and sat on the bottom of the cage. It kept shaking from Bill's movements but it was steady enough so I could focus. My eyes shut tightly and I focused my inner fire. It built up in my stomach and continued to grow at a dangerously high rate. It kept building and building until I felt the peak of the amount I could hold hit my nerves, but I kept it in and made it build more. In order to do this right, I was going to need every cinder of fire that I could get.

Finally, I had my desired amount of flame. I glanced down the street and saw dad leap out of Bill's way and land on the far other side. Bill was faced with a dead end and turned on his heels in annoyance. He then began to charge at my father once more, fire building up for Flame Charge. When we were approximately halfway down the street, I let all my inner rage, and fire, go. It exploded loudly and caused enough of an impact to destroy the cage and send Bill flying. I fell roughly on my side and rolled over to my back. My head boomed loudly and my heart felt as though it was icy from the sudden lack of heat. Bill, no doubt, was knocked out. Me though? Well, I was on the verge of death. Using Explosion has that rather unfortunate effect on the user.

"Ashley!"

My eyes looked weakly up at dad as he knelt down and scooped me up in his arms, his mossy eyes scanning me worriedly.

"Ashley, hold on! Just a few more minutes and we'll be at the hospital! Just hold on!"

His voice was fading rather quickly. The last thing I saw was Chuck flying over to us as everything else faded to black.

"Clear!"

A very faint voice was shouting something. I felt my chest heave when something pressed against it, but I didn't move. The blackness was fading away and I recognized a hospital room with several doctors and nurses surrounding me.

"Clear!" the voice shouted again. My chest heaved once more, but something was off. I saw a computer-like screen next to one of the doctors. The screen was all black with a single green line stretched through the center. It was flat.

"C'mon…clear!" My chest heaved again. This time a beating sound filled my ears. After a bit of reasoning, I figured it had to be my heart. That, and the computer began to beep as the line had thunderbolt shaped waves pass through the line.

"She's back!"

I heard the doctors' order to get some sort of chemicals and an IV bag in the room and hook them up to me.

"Mr. and Mrs. Tennith, I presume?"

"Yes, that's us," dad responded.

"She's received several breaks on her arms and legs and the fur on her back is severely singed, but she's received very minimal damage considering the fact that she used Explosion."

"Will she be alright?" asked mom.

"She'll be fine given a week or two."

"Please, may we see her?"

"Right this way."

Mom suddenly rushed over to my bed and planted a large kiss on my forehead. "My baby!"

"Mom? Ugh…. what happened?"

"A miracle."

I watched as my biological father joined her side.

"You used Explosion and will live to tell the tale, kiddo." Mom sat up so he could gently kiss my forehead. "You had us terrified for the longest time, Ash. You feeling okay?"

"I'm fine. But what about Bill? What became of him?"

Mom smiled warmly. "You don't have to worry about him anymore, dear. When he regained consciousness, Alex, Kris, Chuck and Victor all guarded you and told him that unless he left he was in for a world of hurt. He left without another word."

My lips pulled into a relaxed smile. "So… it's over?"

"It's all over."

My mind wondered for a sec, then a question formed on it when I refocused on them. "Dad?"

He was a little shock to hear someone other than Chuck call him that, but he said after he recovered, "Yeah?"

"When Bill was charging at you and you had to decide whether or not to get out of his way, which would you have chosen?"

His hand gingerly rose and stroke my head curls. "I would've stood my ground and fought against him even if he was charging at me."

"But he could've killed you!"

"Doesn't matter. Like I said before, I'd protect your life with all my will and strength even if it meant the price of my own. You're my daughter, Ash. I love you."

Bewilderment shrouded me. My heart fluttered upon hearing that word and I had the urge to hear it again. "Could you….repeat that please?"

He smiled, understanding what I was talking about. "You're my daughter, Ash. I love you."

Tears sprang forth and filled my eyes. Finally, after seventeen long years of waiting, I heard my father tell me that he loved me. That was all I needed as far as apologies for his abandonment went.

He leaned down and carefully wrapped his arms around me. Though very painful to do so, I lifted my own and did the same to him. "I love you too, daddy."

Chuck floated into the room, looking somewhat nervous. "Ashley?"

I glanced past my father's shoulder and saw my older brother. "Chuck!" I called, my voice cracking.

He flew over and hugged my other side. "I'm so glad you're okay! I was worried I had done some damage with my attempt to escape!"

"I'll be fine. I'm just glad you're alright after that Flamethrower attack!"

He scoffed after he let go of me. "It'd take a lot more than some dumb Flamethrower to stop me!"

"Chuck!" dad seethed like he had done earlier after my first near-death experience, making both of us flinch. "You defied me and flew tonight!"

I bit my trembling bottom lip nervously. Surely dad saw that it was necessary, right?

"B-but dad, I-"

He was hushed by one of dad's hands. He smiled warmly at the ghost and poison-type. "I couldn't have been more proud," he whispered. He warmly hugged Chuck and I couldn't help but giggle at how relieved I was he wasn't yelled at.

Kris and Axel then walked into the room. After hugging me lightly, they checked my arms and legs to see if I could feel anything in them. I, unfortunately, could feel all of the pain in each. They said jokingly that it never hurt to check, but I begged to differ.

My hand reached up and felt the fur on my neck. "Oh no…where are my pendants?"

Mom gently wrapped one around my neck. It was the tourmaline one. Dad then turned back to me and wrapped the peridot one around my neck before showing me again the inscription on the back.

'Forgive me, my daughter.'

I smiled as I glanced about the room. My eyes went from mom, to Chuck, to Kris, to Axel, to dad, to the pendant. "I already have," I mumbled happily.

It felt too good to be true, like a dream. Bill was gone and my mom and I were not only going to be at peace, but we'd have the family neither of us have ever had. All it took was a fortunate burst of courage and a mad dash into a car full of criminals in order for my life to do a full one-eighty. I've changed a lot in this week; from a cowering child into a teenager with the bravery of a criminal. Somehow, though, I knew that being a criminal wouldn't be nearly as thrilling and fulfilling as living with a full family. My family.

FIN

A/N: Okay, I know it might seem a bit rushed, but I had been urging to get this over with before my vacation. Let me know what you think :D (whew, finally done ':D)