Rain

Ash sat on a swing. Rain was falling in the quiet town of Pallet, but the young trainer didn't even notice. He had He had only one thing on his mind.

Misty...

Yes, Ash could only think of her. The outgoing, tomboyish temperamental, water gym leader. He had always liked Misty. Sometimes more than he had known.
She had saved his life once too. On their first meeting. Ash would never forget that day. Misty was the one who had fished Ash out of the water. He would of kissed her right then and there, clearing so many things up, in gratitude, but he was too worried about Pikachu. Still he was grateful. Ash always was. But the young trainer never really had a chance to express it. Never got to show his gratitude-not his love for the water trainer. And there were many chances too. Especially that one time...
...

"...Ash!"

The fifteen year old looked up from his pokemon at Misty, who stopped only a few feet from him. Misty, panting from running so much, looked at Ash's face and smiled. She looked happy to see him, but also a little worried. Ash had been training, but he knew he had time to spare. So Ash gave Misty a reassuring smile, telling her it was all right.

"What is it Misty?''

"I was just wondering if you wanted to hang out," the gym leader asked, a shy expression crossing her face. "You know since we haven't seen eachother in so long."

All Ash could do was nod. Misty, overjoyed, grabbed Ash's arm and pulled him along with her. After about ten minutes of running the two of them stopped.

"Oh...wow...it's...um...wow."

Ash was at a lost for words. He was in awe. The two trainers stood on a low hill. Below them were millions of flowers all in bloom, that created a sea of color. The sun was setting, casting an orange glow onto the field. There was also a pond not too far off, but to the side, that caught the sun's reflection. It was something that seemed far beyond mere words. Like a picture of what the world should look like if we all came to peace and stopped polluting and littering. Ash also thought he stopped something far off, but it was too far to see what exactly.

"Come on," the red head yelled, as she began to run through the flowers, stopping to wait for Ash. Ash- for a second-was frozen in place, memorized by the scene before him. How the orange glow of the sun, shone around Misty, making her glow too. She looked like an angel.

'That's because she is,' Ash thought, not really thinking about what he just thought. He was too shocked right now to think clearly.
...

Finally they reached the place Misty had been leading them to. It was a small playground. Ash realized that this was the place he had spotted in the distance on the hill. The playground was interesting. It wasn't breathtaking like the field, but something about the rusty swings and slide, and the small, messy sandbox and everything else made Ash feel joyful. Like he was a kid again.

Misty was already on a swing, moving back and forth, her eyes closed. She too looked peaceful and still like everything else in the playground. Ash took the swing beside her and for a while, there was only silence. Finally Misty spoke, breaking the silence in a most suprising way.

"I love you."

The gym leader had said it so quietly and unsure, that at first Ash had thought he had imagined it. But the girl's expression of fear and hope, told Ash that she had really spoke those words. He stopped swinging, staring at Misty. Misty was looking at the ground, still swinging, slowly. She seemed to be thinking about what she had just did, most likely confused and conflicted about if it was the right choice to tell Ash.

"What?"
"I said, 'I love you!'"

"I heard that, it's just I don't understand."

Misty didn't respond. Ash saw that tears were welling up in her eyes, and immediately felt ashamed. He didn't have to say that, but it was too late. There was an awkward silence between the two trainers, and then...

"I'm sorry," Misty said, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Don't. To tell the truth I-" Ash paused, not knowing what to say. He was happy that Misty liked him, but he was also confused. He decided that it would be best to confess too, but he never got a chance to. Misty interrupted before Ash could finish.

"I'm so sorry," she cried, standing abruptly. "I mean you love May, don't you. I'm sorry to bring this upon you. You don't have to reject me, I understand..."
...

Then Misty ran off, without another word, tears streaming down her smooth cheeks, leaving Ash dumbfounded. It really killed Ash, what happened that day. How he should of done something. Ran after Misty and tell her that he, Ash, also loved her. But all he did, was sit there, watching her.

Misty refused to talk about what had happened at the playground afterwards; acted as if it had never happened. Like everything was ok, but Ash could see she was still upset. Still he did nothing. It haunted his mind for weeks though. Barely any thought, the pokemon master wanna-be had wasn't about the afternoon.

Ash had tried to date May too, thinking it was for the best, but things didn't work out. When Dawn came along, he thought about dating the young coordinator , but Dawn was too young for him for it to really work. No the only girl for Ash was the obnoxious redhead, and he had already broken her heart. Besides May had Drew now and Dawn found love in Paul. They would be ok.

Now, two years later, Ash sat on the same swing, in the same old playground, where Misty had confessed. Still thinking about Misty too.

"Is this seat taken," a stranger's voice asked the broken hearted teen. Ash only shook his head, not really caring for some stranger. The rain began to rain harder, but Ash didn't care. There was only silence, except for the sound of crying, that replayed in Ash's memories.

"You ok," the stranger asked. It was a female, as the voice sounded too feminine to be a guy.

"Of course," Ash lied.

More silence.

"So how did you find this place?"

Ash was getting a little tired of the stranger's constant questions, but he answered none-the-less. "A friend showed it to me two years ago."

"Tell me about her."

"Her name was Misty." Ash suddenly felt like telling this person, some stranger, who just happened to also be out in the rain today, everything. He wasn't sure why, but did it matter? Ash didn't even care to question why the girl had said "she". "Misty was my best friend, no more than that. She was amazing, strong, a little hotheaded and stubborn at times, but I loved her. I loved her ever since she saved my life."

Ash looked up at the sky, rain falling onto his already wet face.

"I loved her and I never told her. I was a fool for not doing so. A stupid, lonely fool."

At first no one said anything, but yet again, the silence was broken, surprising Ash.

"You love me?"

"No I-"

The teen turned his head, his blue eyes locking with her green ones. He choked back the other words he was about to say. For now there was no need for them. Looking over the taller, redheaded girl, Ash stood, shocked.
"Misty?"

The girl continued to swing, sheepishly as Ash moved to stand in front of her. Misty nodded at the also taller, black hair boy.

"What? Why? How? Where? When? Who?"

"It's really me. Misty Waterflower," she whispered to Ash, who seemed to look like he couldn't believe what was happening. In truth it was almost did seem untrue, but it was.

"What? Why? How? Where? When?"

"Been planning this for some time. Got here yesterday," said Misty, now avoiding Ash's stare.

"What? Why? How? Where?"

"Staying at a nice woman's named Betty's house."

"What? Why? How?"

"Um...I walked all the way here. From Cerulean and Betty's house."

"What? Why?"

"I wanted to see you again," the blushing trainer admitted.

"What?"

"I think you know what," Misty yelled aggravated. But when she stood, she found that that was a mistake, as Ash stood in front of her, their faces now only inches away. Both of them blushed and turned their heads a way.

"I-I have t-to go," Misty stammered, as she tried to back away, but in order to get away, she would have to climb backwards over the swing. Even though she was trapped, Misty still tried to get over the swing, but Ash pulled her into an embrace instead, shocking the poor, wet girl.
"I've missed you so much," the teen whispered into her ear. It made Misty blush even deeper. "I'm sorry for never knowing you felt the same way. If I knew, I would of had the guts to tell you. No I should of told you anyways. I was a fool and still am. Like I still love you. But you-"

Misty stopped Ash, by pulling away a little. At first Ash thought she was going to slap him or something, but all the girl did was looked into Ash's eyes. He stared back, his heart racing.

'What is she going to say? What is she thinking? Does she still like me? No, of course she doesn't. I'm an idiot for thinking so. A cold, wet idiot.'

But all that happened was that Misty laughed. Not a mean one or really a funny one for that matter, but more of a nervous laugh.

"Ash Ketchum, I still love you. And I always knew you were a bit slow."
The gap between then closed, finally. Neither of them really knew who made the first move, but in the end, it didn't really matter. For hours they stayed out in the rain, just being together.
...

The next day they both had colds...and eachother.