Exhausted and frightened, the young woman fell to a slump against the back of the door- the door which separated her from the people she loved- the people who fought against each other for her sake. Once hot tears now stained her cheeks in a crusty trail. She could do nothing but listen to the onslaught beyond the door.

Sycamore and his pupils stood in shock as they regarded the Gyarados. "But… how?" The professor asked. "How do you still have your pokemon?"

The red haired man swiftly reentered the battle scene after locking away Serena. "You think I would let them take away my pokemon?" He bellowed, his voice echoing through the halls. "I had released them before my capture, with the instructions to free me while I stood at the executioners block. Imagine my surprise when it was a beautiful young blonde came to my rescue instead!" He laughed almost sardonically as he regarded their shocked expression.

"That's a lie!" Calem screamed, fighting back the tears which pricked at his gray eyes. His grassy tank-like pokemon eagerly entered the fray, unleashing a powerful Razor Leaf against the water flying type. Knife-like leaves ripped through the air striking the large blue serpent.

"Open your eyes to the truth boy! She chose this!" Lysandre sat with annoyance. In a howled roar, the Gyarados unleased an arctic ice beam upon his foes causing devastating injuries upon the Chestnaught and the supporting Ivysaur. "Lysandre, listen to me!" Sycamore pleaded once more. "It doesn't have to be this way; you can still let Serena go!"

"It's too late for that now." He said coldly as the grass types fell into a bloody heap.

Shauna jumped forward with her Delphox, melting the continuous beam of ice which threatened to also strike the two men. The beam rapidly melted away as the burst of fire singed its crowned head. With a look of annoyance the sea serpent retaliated with a powerful blast of water, sending the fire fox rolling. If not for its duel type, the pokemon would have certainly been dead. "Please, let us see her; let us at least speak with her!" Shauna cried out as she returned her injured companion.

The red head narrowed his eyes into icy slits. "You would not understand." His voice was deep and unwavering as he instructed his pokemon to crush the girl with its powerful fangs.

"Shauna!" The four males harmoniously called out. Each fumbled with their pokeballs, unable to summon a pokemon in time to save her.

"It's because she loves you!" She cried out in desperation, eyes shut in fear of her impending doom. Jaws hung inches above her head as the gyarados froze as his trainer and the rest of the men stood in shock of her declaration. Taking a step back from the sharp fangs, she glanced at Calem. "I'm sorry." After everything that had happened since that holo call, everything had suddenly clicked. Serena was simply too strong to allow herself to be captured, she had to have gone on her own accord. "Please, let me talk to her." She asked again. "If she truly wants to stay, if she is happy here, I promise we'll leave." She swore. Considering her offer for a moment Lysandre reluctantly agreed, withdrawing his pokemon.

"Shauna," the professor added quickly in hushed tones. "Please, convince her to return home, her mother is worried."

The brunette nodded in understanding. She would do all she could to bring her friend home, but would that involve taking away her happiness too? She wondered.

Silence had consumed the hallway, leaving Serena to wonder what had happened and fear for the worst. She anxiously sat waiting on the ruby-red lounge, her hands clasped over her forehead as she head her hung. Hearing a soft click of the doors latch unlocking she bolted to her feet. Within moments the pigtailed brunette had rushed towards her, enveloping her in a tight hug. The blonde burst into a wide candid smile, it had been so long since she had last seen her friends. Lysandre stood in the doorway unnoticed. Giving them a small nod he shut the door, allowing them the privacy he knew they would want.

"Serena…" the ordinarily peppy girl called out softly, her voice muffled in her friends shoulder. "I missed you so much.

Serena could not help but laugh, her voice a blend of happiness and sadness. "I missed you too, Shauna." Prying the girl off of her she added, "I am so sorry. I wanted to tell everyone. I wanted to tell you! But-"

"It's okay." Shauna interrupted with a sympathetic smile. "I understand. It's not like you can choose who you fall in love with."

The girls spoke for nearly half an hour, Serena gushing over her new love and the new life she had lived. "And… he loves me." Serena finished with a smile. Her fingers traced the amber stone in the necklace around her neck.

Shauna had carefully listened to each word, without interruption. "Rena…" She cooed softly after her friend had finished her story. "That's no necklace… it's a collar." She ignored her shocked expression as she continued. "You mom misses you. You have to come home."

Serena sat in silence, her fingers clutching the chocker. "I can't."

"But why-"

"Don't you understand?" Serena burst, surprising the other girl. "Even if we were to return, what do you think the officials would do? Just let him go? I finally found a man that loves me, that would never abandon me… and I would never abandon him either!"

Tears welled up in the pigtailed girls eyes as she grasped her friends' hands. "Rena, I want you to be happy! I am glad you fell in love, you deserve it! But I am worried about you."

Serena pulled out of her grasp, clasping her own hands together. "You don't have to worry about me. Lysandre keeps me safe, he takes care of me."

Shauna shut her eyes, squeezing out the hot tears she had held back. "Then take off the collar."

"What?"

"Just once. All I ask is you take it off once." She opened her green eyes to give her a firm look. "Then I will explain to everyone how happy you are here and that you want to stay. They won't try to take away your happiness, I promise."

Serena bit her lip in thought. She felt like she was somehow betraying Lysandre by removing the necklace, but if she conceded to Shauna's request then they could finally live together in peace. "to do the right thing, you have to do the wrong thing first." Lysandre's words echoed in her head. Letting out a reluctant sigh, she reached for the clasp to find there was no release trigger. Her brows furrowed in confusion as she fingered the metal piece holding the chocker against her throat. "I can't get it off." She whispered in astonishment. Fear welled up within her. Sweet Arceus… it IS a collar. She traced a shaky fingertip against the tiny key hole in the clasp.

An unexpected noise brought the girls' attention to the open doorway. Leaning against the frame was Lysandre, his arms crossed, eyes ablaze. "Time's up." Shauna began to tremble in fear as cold sweat trickled down Serenas' face. "I trusted you." He said calmly despite the venom which crept into his voice. "But I do not blame you Mon Amore. This girl, your supposed friend is poison. Telling you lies to trick you into leaving." His face darkened as he shut the door behind him. "She must be punished for her treachery."

Shauna released a frightened cry as Serena stepped forward, blocking his path. "No! I won't let you hurt my friend!" Her face trembled as tears ran down her cheeks. "Just leave her out of it. She only came to tell me how my mom misses me!"

With a nod, the brunette looked at the ferocious man from behind her friends back. "It's true. Grace misses her!"

Lysandre stopped dead in his tracks, his mind whirling with this new insight. Examining Serena he could spot the striking resemblance. How had he missed it before? Grace, eight years his senior, was like an older sister to him. He was only ten years of age when she had married. A flash of memories came to him as he recalled that day. Augustine was crushed when she left him behind. He became an empty shell after that, refusing to love any other, denying himself any sort of happiness. A wave of indignant anger washed over his entire being. He would keep Serena to show Grace what is was like to lose the person you love. At long last Augustine would have the justice he deserved. He would come to thank him, and finally the two could become brothers again. "Serena."

"Yes?" She asked hesitantly, her voice wavering.

"Do you love me?" He focused his attention on her, his ice blue eyes were gentle and sincere as they probed her for the truth.

Serena smiled despite herself. "Of course I do."

With a nod he directed his words towards the shivering brunette. "You have your answer. Serena will stay here with me. Forever."

OMG YOU guys this has been such a long hiatus for me. I am so sorry! *falls on hands and knees* I swear this fic is not dead, my life has just been absurdly chaotic this past year. (Quit a job, started freelancing, moved across the country, bought a house, lost a car, and more crazy financial issues) So I haven't been up to much of anything, especially writing a romance fic. But seriously if it weren't for your support and comments I would not be able to keep writing. I freaking love you guys.