Welcome everyone to my tenth story, the long promised sequel to "How Lucky Can a Guy Get?" I actually had this started even before "Stars" was created but only finished it now, after about four different video game addictions. Including the demon that I swore I would never play for that exact reason, the demon known as WoW.

To be quite honest I am not expecting this to be as popular as some of my other stories for various reasons that I have witnessed during my time here at , but I still wanted a bit more of a completion of that two-shot and there were apparently other readers that did as well so I just had to empty my head of the different ideas and translate them all into script. I personally think that the story may be a little slow paced but as always I'll be leaving that up to you, the readers.

Before we finally start there are a couple last things. First would just be a reminder that as the sequel of my other story, it is in extension part of the timeline for "To Walk in the Shoes of Another" and there will be pieces in here that are referenced from that story. And the second would be the ever present disclaimer, enjoy the story.

Disclaimer: I am in no way associated with Pokémon or any of the related material. All names, places, and characters are trademarked property of Satoshi Tajiri and Pokémon Co. All rights reserved.

The sun was shining brightly as the family of five walked the short distance from the Pallet Town Port to their destination, the family home of the oldest member of the group. Even though they were a long way from home everyone was able to pack surprisingly light. The two heads of the family had years of experience beforehand of traveling and knowing what they needed and didn't need, while their twins had just finished a journey of their own and didn't have to do much to get ready for their newest one. Even still they were both so excited about following their father's original path they had everything ready weeks before leaving.

Accompanying the humans were several creatures walking alongside them. One, a large yellow mouse with a long lightning bolt tipped tail, walked next to his long time friend and trainer who was currently carrying the smallest member of their family. His wife had two Pokémon flaking her as she walked along, a golden-hewed fox on one side and a pink feline with a forked tail and a red gem on her forehead on the other. Even though she was the fox's rightful trainer the playful Pokémon seemed to enjoy the company of the man who actually caught her to almost anyone else. The final two that were following them were brother and sister, one a smaller version of her mother, along with her gem being a slightly lighter shade of red, while her brother was completely different from anyone else in the family. He was a little larger than his sister, in both bulk and height, but was completely black with only a few yellow rings around his body.

"Daddy how much longer til' we reach Grandma's house?" The youngest asked from her perch on her father's shoulders.

"Not too much longer Sarah, but before we get there I wanted to make a small stop at an old friend's house. I have something that I needed to drop off, and to talk for a little while as well," Ash told his daughter with a smile.

"Who's that Dad?" Alex jumped in, looking up at the two of them.

"Gary and Dawn Oak," he responded.

"Oak? As in Professor Oak?" Knowing that the name sounded familiar it took a couple seconds for the young girl to figure out from where. "Wait a minute, wasn't he the person who gave you Raichu?"

"Close, it was actually Gary's grandfather that gave me Pikachu. I know I've told you that story enough times but I have to say that it was the best day of my life."

"The best day?" His wife coyly asked.

"To that point," he carefully corrected. "But no matter what it is still one of the best. Isn't that right buddy?"

"Rai rai," the large mouse agreed.

"Guess that I can live with that, as long as our wedding isn't too far down on the list," May said to her husband, feigning a bit of annoyance.

"Nah, just second from last," Ash joked as May quietly laughed at the comment.

"It better not be second from last," she shot back with a smile. "But then again I guess I also don't consider it the number one day in my life."

"Really? So what was?" Considering how serious she sounded it easily peaked Ash's curiosity. Not as if he was worried about it or anything but he had always thought that nothing compared to that day, considering that May was the one who basically planned the entire thing from dawn to dusk, and of course she spared no expense in its execution. Even on things that he personally found completely useless.

"That one's easy, it was the day I met you." Leaning over for a kiss all three of the kids gagged in disgust of the sight. But as Ash leaned down to meet May he could feel Sarah's grip of the item sitting on top of his head start to slip slightly. Grabbing for the item she was holding Sarah nearly fell off of his shoulders, and she rightfully would have if Ash wouldn't have caught his balance right away.
"Daddy! Be more careful!" She cried out bringing the piece back into her careful grasp.

"Sorry dear, I know how much that means to you. You really have been taking good care of that haven't you?"

"Yep!" She replied with a quick nod.

The item that she was holding was nothing more than a glass dome with a metal bottom, but it was what was inside of the glass that she was treasuring so much. Situated inside was a white egg with brown spots of various sizes spread around its surface. It was a Pokémon egg, and was an early birthday gift from her parents. Like its two older siblings, Espeon and Umbreon, this egg was from Sarah's mom and dad's Espeon and Raichu respectively.

It was becoming tradition now for Ash and May to give their children one of Espeon's eggs a couple years before they turned ten and got their trainer's license. While watching over them it allowed the kids to learn what they needed for their journeys in terms of taking care of their Pokémon so by the time that they got their "starter" it wasn't as alien of an experience for them. Not to mention that it also gave them a sense of responsibility that May was hoping for.

"So Dad, Gary was one of your original rivals right?" Jake asked as the gears started to turn in his head.

"Yep. Although we didn't have a good start when we began our own journeys, after we battled in the Silver Conference everything seemed to fall back into place and we became friends again. Even if he had an odd way of showing it at times," Ash laughed remembering all of the times that he faced Gary after the conference battle.

"I think I remember him. He was the one who got Squirtle before you and it was his Blastoise who lost to Charizard in that battle right?"

"Yeah that would be correct," his father said somewhat carefully, wondering what was going to come out of this. "So you actually were paying attention while I told that story. And here I thought that you were fast asleep through every single one of them."

Ash and May's two twins were always in competition with each other, not only with Pokémon but virtually everything that came up. While Jake was undoubtedly the stronger of the two when it came to battling, Alex was smarter than him when it came to Pokémon tactics and strategies for virtually any Pokémon that one could think of, and she was, to his even further resentment, still noticeably taller than him. So if there was anything that he could one-up her in what she was known for he couldn't resist.

"Of course," he gloated while sticking his tongue out at an annoyed looking Alex. "There are always reasons to make sure that I listen."

"Alright then, if you remember that story so well; who did I lose to in the Silver League Championship?"

Jake's smirk quickly fell and his face paled slightly. "It was, umm…Paul?"

"Try again."

"It was Harrison and his Blaziken," Sarah proudly stated.

"And it was from that battle that Dad decided to travel to Hoenn afterwards. Of course it was because of this that Mom and Dad met for the first time in Littleroot Town when Mom went to get her first Pokémon," Alex continued while giving a smug look to her brother.

Jake was completely speechless while his parents grinned to each other as they knew what was coming next. "How can you remember stuff like that? The only reason that I remembered who Gary Oak was because last night I looked back at Dad's old…" Jake closed his mouth immediately as he knew what just came out. "Whoops."

Alex saw her opening and grabbed it. "Whoops is right. That's another point for me dear brother," she said with the same smug smile on her face. "And the reason that we remember that is because like I said, it was the first time that Mom and Dad met. Out of all the stories to forget I can't believe that you don't remember that one. It was one of the stories that Dad told the most. Not to mention it was the start of how they fell in love, how could you not remember the start of a brand new romance?"

"Well sorry for forgetting…"

"Sleeping," Alex happily corrected.

"Whatever," Jake waved off with a slight glare. "Either way, why would I remember a story focused on romance? Yuck, who needs it?"

While the entire family laughed it was only his parents who noticed that the tone he used was different compared to what he would have said a few months ago.

Blushing at everyone laughing at him Jake looked up and quickly changed the subject. "Hey isn't that the Oak Laboratory?"

"Yep, that would be it," Ash confirmed for his son.

"Alright then, if I can't beat you that way I can still at least beat you there!"

Taking off like a shot Jake ran straight to the complex.

"Hey!" Alex called out as she chased after her brother. "You always do that to get a head start!"

Looking at each other, their two Pokémon sighed before following their trainers. Although by this point they were quite used to the stop and go pace of their travels and unlike their trainers they got along without any of the rivalry that they had witnessed every day of their life.

Shaking his head at the predictability of his children Ash looked at his wife and made sure that she was okay before continuing up to the nostalgic building. Unlike her siblings Sarah was content with just sitting on her father's shoulders, watching over her egg, and enjoying the scenery of Kanto.

"Here May," Ash offered his hand as they started up the stairs to the Oak Laboratory's main building.

"How many times do I have to remind you Ash; I'm pregnant, not crippled," she told him with an exasperated smile. "I've been through this twice before and I don't need you watching over my every step."

"And as I've said before, I'll stop when our newest child is sleeping peacefully in my arms," he replied with his own usual trademark smile, once again offering her his hand. "So until then I just have to make sure that I take extra good care of their mother."

"How did I ever wind up marrying a goof like you?"

"Just lucky I guess."

"Um, Alex and Jake are already at the top."

Looking up both Ash and May had almost forgotten about Sarah during their discussion. The couple began laughing, much to Sarah's confusion, and headed up the stairs with Ash leading his wife the whole way.

"I told you, I won!"

"What are you talking about? I won!"

"No you didn't, I did!"

Reaching the top the three other Kechums found a sight that didn't surprise them in the least. Alex and Jake were standing there with their Pokémon, bickering about who beat who to the top of the stairs. Watching over them was a blue haired woman with a small child, no older than five, hiding behind her. She barely came up to the woman's hips while her pale blue eyes and her shoulder length brown hair was reminiscent from her parents, but both features were somewhat hidden behind a large Buneary doll that she was holding up in front of her. The woman currently sported a rather annoyed look on her face as her eyes moved back and forth between the two pre-teens.

Loudly clearing his throat, the two children stopped immediately as their father approached with May and their Pokémon right behind him.

"Hey Dawn. Hopefully my kids haven't disturbed you or Gary," Ash said to the woman while pulling the twins aside. "As for you two, how many times do I have to tell you to stop fighting? Now you better apologize to Mrs. Oak for causing such a racket right outside her door."

The look in his eyes told the two that there was no room for discussion. Turning back to the blunette the twins bowed to the older woman before speaking.

"We're sorry for disturbing you Mrs. Oak," they said in a nearly simultaneous voice.

"Well I can't say that I would approve of my first impression after all this time but it's okay Alex, Jake. I haven't seen you two in years, you've grown since the last time I've seen you. You're looking more and more like your parents."

The twins quickly looked back up at the now smiling hostess. Neither ever remembered seeing her before in person, even though they have heard about her in several of their father's stories. But there was something nagging Alex that there was more to her than just an old friend of their parents.

"It's been a while hasn't it Dawn?" Ash asked as he turned his attention away from his kids. The blunette had aged graciously over the years since Ash was last traveling with her. She still wore her hair long but the white beanie was long gone, and in place of the outfit that she wore throughout Sinnoh she was currently adorned with a long white summer dress.

"Yes it has Ash. I believe that it was our wedding, about ten years ago, wasn't it?" Looking over at May, Dawn walked over and hugged the woman. "How are you May? I've heard that you are expecting yet another heavenly gift, any ideas on names?"

"Contrary to what my husband might believe I'm doing just fine," May responded with a smile as she returned the hug. "Everything is going as scheduled and there are no complications as of yet. As for the name, we think that we'll wait a few more months."

"Would you like to say hello to Mrs. Oak, Sarah?" Ash asked as she and his wife stopped talking.

Taking a moment the youngest Ketchum put a courteous smile on her face before bowing her head slightly. "Pleased to meet you ma'am, my name is Sarah Anne Ketchum. Daughter of Ash and May Ketchum."

"I don't think that you needed to keep the last part in there dear," May told her.

"My, what a polite daughter you two have." Bowing in return Dawn couldn't help but chuckle slightly at the apparently mature girl. "It's a pleasure to meet you, I'm Dawn Oak, an old friend of your parents and godmother of your brother and sister. Now I have to ask, where did you learn to talk like that?"

"Mommy and Daddy sometimes meet with very important people so they said that that should be the way I introduce myself."

"Well that's a good skill to have but you don't have to be that formal around here."

"Kay!"

The young girl hiding behind Dawn's legs looked shyly at the new guests as the woman greeted them. Noticing her for the first time Sarah looked down at the child and instantly had a big smile on her face.

"Hi! What's your name?"

Hunching down to bring both him and Sarah closer to her level, Ash put on a friendly grin as well. "And who would this pretty young girl be?"

"This would be our youngest daughter, Caitlyn. Say hi to the Ketchum family dear, they are old friends of Mommy and Daddy's." Without moving the girl just pulled her mother's dress over her head. "She's just a little shy. Now why don't we all just step inside and I'll grab something to snack on. Gary and Anna should be around here somewhere; I think that they'll be happy to see you."

Moving into the living room as Dawn headed off to the kitchen, it wasn't long before a thumping sound was heard and a blunette girl came running into the room. Making a beeline straight for May the girl stopped as soon as she got close to her. Taking a quick look over of May she quickly turned her head and yelled back out of the room.

"Mom! I thought you said she was pregnant!"

Slightly uncomfortable by the sudden appearance of the girl it was Dawn who came to May's rescue. "Now Anna don't be rude to Mrs. Ketchum."

Walking into the room with a tray of cheese and crackers along with a pitcher of lemonade Dawn set them on the table.

"It's alright," looking down at the young girl May couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm. "I'm only a little over thirteen weeks into having the baby, or what is known as the second trimester. At this point the baby isn't moving all that much and you can't really tell how big it is just by looking."

"Aww, I wanted to see her big belly."

"Anna!"

Laughing slightly as she sat down, May just waved it off. Huffing a bit Anna quickly turned around and walked towards the kitchen.

"Guess we're now even," Dawn said with an embarrassed look on her face. "Sorry about that everyone, she's usually better behaved but she got all worked up after I told her that you were pregnant May. But that would be our oldest daughter, Anna. Her tenth birthday will be coming up here in a couple months and she can't stop asking either Gary or myself about Pokémon or babies. And seeing as how Gary and I have no real plans to have another baby, her interest in the topic has only grown even further. "

"I know the feeling; Alex went through the exact same phase. If it wasn't for Espeon having her own two born around that time Alex might have been asking even more questions than she did. But as for who will be our newest addition to the family, neither of us were planning on having another child. It was nothing more than an accident that turned into a blessing," May said without hesitation, much to Ash's discomfort.

"And with that I'm outta here," Jake gagged slightly while getting up and starting to walk out.

"For once I have to agree with you," Alex added following her brother.

"Oh come on, you two barely even know what we're talking about," the brunette teased her kids as Dawn started to serve the lemonade.

"We know enough to be disgusted by it," the two said almost simultaneously again. "We'll be outside."

It wasn't just the humans that were keeping watch over what was going on. Groaning slightly after just finding a comfortable spot, the twins' Pokémon grudgingly got up to follow their trainers. But the two of them had been following their trainers every place they went ever since they were born, so it was almost as much instinct as loyalty at this point and it was nothing more than a passing thought at staying where they were. The others just simply laid their heads back down, relaxing after the long journey.

After hearing the front door close and thanking Dawn for the refreshments, May handed a glass of the lemonade to Sarah and her husband before taking one for herself. "So where is Gary right now?"

"He's probably in the lab finishing up some research, but I think he could take himself away from it for a little while to see some old friends. Caitlyn, think you could go ask Daddy to come out and meet our guests?" Dawn asked her daughter who was still clinging onto her.

Nodding the young brunette got up, grabbed her Buneary doll, and headed further into the house.

"So what brings you all back to Pallet? Last I knew you two were living outside of Lilycove City am I right?"

"Yep, just about a half day's walk to be exact. But as for our main reason for being here it's to see Jake and Alex off as they each start their next league here in Kanto, it just seems like a natural choice that while being back home to visit friends and family," Ash responded as he started to run his fingers through Sarah's hair as she cuddled into him while still holding her egg. "That and Professor Birch wanted us to drop off some results that he wanted Gary to look over."

"Brandon is still trying to get used to taking over his father's position instead of just being his assistant," May continued for Ash. "I believe that he wants to get Gary's opinion on a few of his theories and thesis's before diving into any of them."

"Gary has been getting pretty famous with some of his ideas so this isn't all that uncommon to see others looking up to him and he has been starting to turn down some of them so that he can actually work on his own projects. But I doubt that he'll turn down anything that you bring Ash."

"Yeah I think that was Brandon's mindset as well," Ash stated somewhat flatly. "As soon as he heard that I was heading for Kanto he nearly forced me to take these here for him. Not that I really mind doing it, it just kinda feels like I'm being used."

"Oh well, either way in the end it's always who you know that helps the most." Smiling Dawn turned back toward May, hoping to change the subject to something a bit happier. "If I remember correctly you said that you were just entering your second trimester right?"

"Yep, according to the doctor I'm thirteen weeks along as of last Monday."

"And it's about time," Ash muttered somewhat unconsciously, still apparently down from the last comment.

"What was that dear?"

Ash quickly recognized that sickeningly sweet tone. "Nothing May."

Even if Ash tried to catch himself Dawn caught it without much problem, "bad mood swings or something?"

"I had a few odd tendencies here and there, but who doesn't?" May tried to defend herself.

"Right, I'll admit that those are completely normal and I never had a problem with trying to find something you wanted to eat at all hours of the night. In fact I dare say that I enjoyed some of it knowing what the reason was. What I did have problems with were some of your more extreme mood swings."

"Example," May stated firmly.

"Okay then, how about the time that, for apparently no reason, you began to chase me around the house with one of your cooking knives? And then a few minutes later dropped to your knees crying about how I wouldn't come near you anymore now that you were pregnant. I would say that is a bit on the extreme side."

"Oh don't be so dramatic Ash, it only happened twice."

"Yeah and you almost caught me the second time."

"But none of this happened lately right?" Dawn asked nervously, wondering if she asked the wrong question and opened up a bad can of worms.

"Not yet at least," Ash quickly spoke first, noticing May's increasing anger at his comments. Realizing that it there could be some bad repercussions if he let it continue as is, Ash tried to at least remedy portions of it. "And even if I have some bad memories of those moments I have to admit that for some reason I still wouldn't want to change them."

"And why is that?" May asked, raising an eyebrow slightly.

"Because to change that would mean that I would be asking to change you," he said with a small smile as he continued to run his hand through his daughter's hair. "And no matter how much you annoy or even scare me at times, I would never want to change who you are. I'm proud beyond what words can describe to say that you are the woman that I married, and I have never even once doubted my choice."

Looking back up at his wife, what little bit of animosity that she had for his original comments were replaced by teary eyes and a smile of her own. As he saw this the trainer gave a small sigh of relief and silently thanked the fact that the mood swings worked both ways.

"How the heck can you be that clueless little boy that I met all those years ago? No matter the situation you always know how to make me smile," she stated while giving him a playful smack on the back of the head.

"What can I say? I have plenty of experience in that area and know exactly how to push your buttons."

"Both the good and bad buttons," he told himself as an afterthought.

The two of them looked up at the sound of soft laughter coming from across the coffee table. Dawn was trying to stop but she just couldn't help herself.

"You two really are made for each other," she finally said. "And to think that I had a hand in finally getting you both to finally say something."

Ash and May looked at each other with a slightly self-conscious smile.

"Yeah that was an awkward day," May commented. "Awkward but definitely an eye opener."

Even in her half-sleep state Sarah was able to catch something in her parent's demeanor as May said that. "Mommy, how was that day awkward?"

Hope that wasn't too bad, as I've said many times before; I'm always worried about my work after a lengthy time in between stories. As per my usual I'll be following my constant update schedule of every other day. Reviews are always welcome for any reason and thanks for reading.