How Do I Put This...

"What!" Ash was surprised to hear the words from his friend's mouth.

"I'm serious, Dawn's not in the hospital! Max and I checked all over!" Brock exclaimed again.

"Why would she not be here? Family matter?" May looked at Ash as she listed possible reasons. Suddenly, Ash knew. Of course! How could he be so stupid?

"Alright, Brock, you and Max look around inside some more. May and I will take outside." Ash nodded to May, who smiled back.

"Okay!" she beamed determined. Ash smiled weakly, then jumped out of the bed and raced to the exit. They burst through the door and started looking around.

"Any sign of her?" Ash asked.

"No sign of blue anywhere...wait! I have an idea!" May suddenly ran around the side of the building. Ash followed her, then found her looking around.

"You think she's over here?" Ash asked as he looked down the hill into the thick trees.

"No, but I think I know someone who might have seen her." May replied. Ash watched as the girl searched for something, then her head shot up. She looked at Ash, then above them. Ash looked up to see a honeycomb.

"Vespiquen!" Ash said as he recognized the bug-type. Vespiquen buzzed happily and smiled as it saw Ash healthy. It gave him a hug. "Vespiquen, we need you help." Ash said as she puled away. "Have you seen a blue-haired girl nearby? Blue hair?" Ash pulled a bit of his hair to show the bug. Vespiquen thought for a moment, then nodded and pointed down the hill. Ash and May followed the bug quickly towards their friend. Soon, they came into a clearing as they pushed through the bushes. They looked around, then Vespiquen pointed further in the trees.

"She's even farther in?" May asked as she panted from running. Vespiquen nodded.

"May, stay here. I'll try this alone first." Ash nodded to Vespiquen, then she guided him into the trees again. Soon, a quiet sobbing noise was heard. Ash frowned as he recognized the blunette's cry. Vespiquen pointed at a tree, which Ash could make out a small patch of blue inside. Ash nodded to Vespiquen, then walked and stopped below the tree. He saw Vespiquen fly back towards May. "...Dawn?" Ash asked out loud.

"What do you want, Ash?" the feminine voice replied.

"I want to talk, Dawn. About earlier." Ash told her. A few moments went by, then her head poked out of the leaves.

"Fine. You have a few minutes, then I want to be alone." she told him. He smiled as she climbed down carefully the other side of the tree. She stepped beside him and looked in his eyes. "What do you want to say?" she asked him.

"Look, Dawn...I know you heard me and May talking." Dawn frowned as she nodded. "...But I want to explain something." Dawn's expression changed to confusion.

"What is it?" she asked. Ash hesitated for a moment, then took a deep breath.

"Dawn...I didn't mean it that way." Ash said, then Dawn raised her hand to stop him.

"I can tell when you lie, Ash. Besides, she's more talented than I am, prettier, she gives you kisses more often than me," Ash's eyes widened. "Yes, Ash, I know about those." Dawn told him.

"...Dawn...if you're saying those things about her...you're doubting yourself again." her second hand found her hip as he spoke. "Dawn, you know I don't like it when you doubt yourself." he cupped his hand on her cheek, rubbing it gently with his thumb.

"That's true...but it's what I do, Ash. Besides, she doesn't doubt herself and that's probably why you like her more." Dawn pointed out, but Ash shook his head.

"Dawn, that's not true. I love you, and only you that way." Ash said, but Dawn raised an eyebrow at him.

"That way?" she tilted her head.

"...Yes. Real love, Dawn. The only reason I said that to her is because..." he trailed off as he stared directly into her eyes. He took a breath, then continued. "...It was what my brain wanted." Dawn sighed and turned her head, but Ash brought her gaze back to him. "Listen, Dawn. They were right when they said we travelled together before, turns out I did travel with them...my memory of my old friends somehow disappeared. I now know what it was like just before I left...I did have a crush on May...but I thought she didn't feel the same. Since I thought she liked a jerk named Drew... I left them for Sinnoh. I still loved May...but knew I couldn't co-operate with her...it would never work out..." a tear rolled down Dawn's cheek as she heard his past. "...Then...I met you...and everything changed...I remember seeing something speeding down a hill towards me...then everything went black...and I met you and your mother, then our journey started." Ash took shalow breaths as he saw the expression on Dawn's face. It wasn't mad. It was sad. It was guilty.

"Oh, Ash..." she wrapped her arms around his neck, he responded with his arms around her hips.

"Dawn...you're the only girl for me. No need to worry about that." he whispered into her ear. He heard a few sobs, but they stopped when she pulled away.

"...Do you... do you mean that?" she asked nervously.

"...Yes." Ash replied with a smile, then she smiled too.

"...Thank you...Ash..." she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him into a kiss. He wrapped his arms around her hips again, embracing the romantic moment. When they parted, they both agreed to returning to the group.

"...Man, how am I going to tell May..." Ash thought sadly as he stepped ou of the trees. He looked up and saw Vespiquen and May waiting by the entrance. Vespiquen looked down at them, then pointed at them. May looked over, then started running down towards them happily.

"Thank goodness you're back, Dawn!" May said happily as she reached them. Ash felt a slight pain in his chest.

"Of course I'm fine, May. No need to worry, right, Ash?" Dawn looked towards him.

"...Of course." he replied, trying to manage a smile. Dawn immediately recognized it as fake, but kepy quiet when she saw May buying it.

"Okay! Let's tell Brock and Max!" she said happily, then started up the hill. Dawn followed, but Ash stayed. He stared at the trees, then looked at Vespiquen beside him. Vespiquen nodded slowly.

"...You have to stay, don't you?" Ash asked sadly, Vespiquen nodded. "...Your hive can't work the same without you...Vespiquen..." Ash spoke slowly. Vespiquen brought him into a hug, then slowly hovered towards the trees. "Goodbye, Vespiquen! I'll come back and visit!" Ash called out. Vespiquen looked back and nodded with a smile, then waved before disappearing into the bushes. Ash smiled as a small breeze blew through the area.

"Ash! You coming?"

Ash looked up to see his four friends waiting on him. "...Yes, I just want to take care of something." Ash said as he walked past them into the hospital.

"Don't forget to pick up Luxray and Pikachu! We didn't want to disturb them!" they called to him before the doors closed. Ash frowned as he walked down the hallway, then he stepped into Pikachu's room. He saw Pikachu sleeping peacefully on his bed, with Luxray's head beside him. Apparently, somehow, she got some sort of a large stool and sat on it beside the bed. Her head and Pkachu's were leaning against each other, with their paws connected below.

"...Pikachu..." Ash whispered with a smile, then noticed a gleam under the bed. Luxray's eyelids slowly opened, then she saw her trainer. She smiled happily. "Hey, Luxray. We gotta get moving now." Luxray frowned, then gently nudged Pikachu's cheek. His eyelids opened and focused on Luxray. He smiled and rubbed his cheek back against hers, then noticed his trainer. Pikachu quickly snapped up, a tinge of pink on his cheeks. "It's okay, Pikachu. You don't have to be embarrased." Ash told him. Pikachu nodded, then looked at their connected paws. Luxray drew back her paw and smiled, then Pikachu got up and stretched.

Ash returned Luxray to her pokeball, then bent over to see the shiny object beneath the bed. He reached out and grabed it, then pulled it out to see. He saw a half-piece of ribbon, then he recognized it. The Terricota Ribbon. The one he and May tied and won together. He held the ribbon to his heart, then noticed a piece of white paper attatched to the back.

Ash,

I knew you'd spot this beneath the bed. It was our ribbon, and I always hold it to my heart before I fall asleep and wake up. I heard you and Dawn talking in the forest, I forgive you. I always had a feeling something would hold us back. From what I know from our journey and your mother, that happens to you a lot, doesn't it? I understand you love Dawn, but always know I love you. Even you knowing it makes me feel better. I love you, Ash.

Ash smiled as he finished, then put them in his pocket, let Pikachu on his shoulder, and left the building. The others saw him stepping out the door. "You clear it up?" Brock asked.

"...Yeah, it's fine." Ash replied with a small smile. Brock, Max, Dawn and May started down the path towards Eterna. Ash started, then saw May's head turn around. She looked at him, then opened her palm and winked with a gentle smile. Ash looked in her hand and saw the half-Terricota Ribbon. Ash smiled and showed his half, then she winked again and looked ahead of her. Ash hurried his step and paced beside Dawn. She wiggled her arm under his and wrapped them together. Ash and Dawn smiled at each other, then walked happily with their friends.

END

A few things to say. One; I changed my mind from advanceshipping to pearlshipping, please don't complain.

Two; I know the ending may be a bit rushed, but please bear with me. We all honestly have that thought of me not being very good at these.

Three; I hope you enjoyed this fic, it took a while but it`s finally over. Sad, yes, but I don`t like pro-longued stories.

Four; (*important*) HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME! (tomorrow)