Serena POV

For two hours a day, twice a week, I volunteered at a place called Vanville Medical Centre's daycare.

Are you wondering why any sane person would even want to work with a babble of rowdy kids if they had the choice? So does Dawn, and I tell her the exact same thing I'm gonna tell you- I need to fill in my quota of community service hours before I graduate and I actually like working with kids.

Sure, they get loud, hyper and they never listen to reason, but I happen to think they're hilarious. My supervisor, Miss Jessilena, well-she's another story. I don't even think she likes kids.

If she does, she hides it well, and calls them 'twerps'

After working full time at the daycare for 6 years, you'd think she would be immune to the constant 'I don't want a pink juice box, I want an orange one', 'that's mine!' and 'I want my mommy' cries.

She was the most exhausted person I had ever had the misfortune to run into, constantly pulling at her long pink hair. Sometimes screaming back at the kids. I often thought the hospital would fire her, and stamped on her termination papers would be the words 'does not work well under pressure.'

But so far, she'd been lucky in that respect, even though she was on her third stress ball this year at least she had me coming in to help her out every few days, helping some of her stress.

"Put that down, Helen! William, don't touch that- stop poking me, Jerome!"

I looked up from the quiet corner I was sitting in, surrounded by a small group of children with fascination on their face who listened avidly in interest, as I entertain them with a story novel of Harry Potter in my hands on middle page.

In sight, Miss jessilina was also surrounded, but the kids who were clamoring for her attention weren't as well behaved as mine were.

"One at a time! William, get away from that table, those snacks are for later!"

I groaned to myself as her voice cracked. Sure sign of an impending meltdown, which meant that I had to step in and do something, and fast.

"Stop yelling at me! Use your inside voices! One at a- William! Get away from there!"

There were three difficult children at the daycare. One is Helen, whose sister was awaiting a kidney transplant; Jerome, whose mother was on dialysis; and William, whose brother was terminally ill.

William was the ringleader. He knew exactly how and when to push Miss jessilina's buttons and she hated dealing with him. Because all she did was yell at him to stop and there isn't a kid in the world that'll stop doing something just because you tell him/her to.

Closing my book in my hands, I got up to my feet and the magical spell that Harry Potter wove around the kids was broken.

They groaned, looking up at me with upset expressions on their little faces.

"Please, one more page," Lita begged, her brown orb eyes pleading with me.

"Another page? You guys need to go play!" I said in a mock severe voice
With my hands on my hips.

They all pouted at me, making me feel like a meanie, but I had to save the bigger kids before Miss Jessie caused them lasting damage.

"Tell you what. We'll continue the story next time, how bout that? But look!" I pointed across the room, to where Miss Jessie long suffering assistant, James, was laying out toys for 'playtime'.

"James has some new toys for you guys!"

Proving that all children have one track minds, they all got to their feet and ran off to bombard James, leaving me free to go and save William from Miss Jessie's wild eyed stare across room.

Jerome and Helen, lured by the toys, had left their ring leader to carry on alone, and that's exactly what he intended to do.

William was whining, knowing from past experience that this was the surest way to piss Miss Jessie off and judging by the grimace on her face, it was working.

I walked up to them mutely after putting the novel book back in shelf alongside other books, scratching my nose nervously as I get past each kid running around room. Miss Jessie was cool when she was normal. However, When she was angry- you didn't want to be there.

"Is everything okay?" I spoke as I came close. Gazing at the two with sound of laughter.

She turned to me, at the same time blindly swatting at William's hand as the little boy tugged on her skirt repeatedly.

"No, everything is not okay!" she exclaimed, her nostrils flaring sharply. Turning back on William, she barked "Stop pulling my skirt!"

"But I need to use the bathroom!" He responds. Then William turned his head slightly to wink at me. I shook my head, fighting back a laugh.

"You don't need- he went to the bathroom just five minutes ago!" Holding her head between her hands and looking like she wanted to collapse.

Miss Jessie looked at me. " I can't do this anymore! I can't deal with this child."

Arceus save me from overly dramatic daycare supervisors.

"Miss Jessie, it's alright, just calm down," I said soothingly, taking a step close and patted her arm to calm her down. "William's just restless, aren't you?"

The smug smile still on his face, William nodded and I turned back to Miss Jessie, who was squeezing the life out of her stress ball.

"I can take him for a walk, how's that sound?" I asked.

"Please," Miss Jessie said in a weak whisper as William gave an exciting Cheer. "Yay!" Swaying his small arms
up in air.

He looked up at me with a smile, slipping his hand into mine. "Can we get candy?" he asked, his grey eyes hopeful.

Miss Jessie rolled her eyes. I was sure I knew what the answer to that would be. "Definitely not."

William's face fell as she continued. "Just- take him up and down the hallway. Make sure he doesn't push any buttons and if you bounce that ball, young man-."

Her voice tapered off as she gave William a threatening look.

"Okay," I said hastily, seeing William open his mouth to make a stinging retort. "Let's go, kid."

As we walked out of the daycare and into the relative quiet of the hallway, which housed the reserved outpatient's rooms, I heard Miss Jessie exclaim, "That boy will be the death of me."

Somehow, I don't doubt that.

"I hate that old biddy," William muttered, squeezing his bouncy ball angrily in his hand.

I bit back a laugh. I was supposed to be a role model for the kid! Even though 'old biddy' is an astute description of Miss Jessie. But what kind of role model would I be if I agreed with him?

I settled for saying, "William!" in a slightly admonishing tone.

The tips of his ears turning scarlet, William looked up at me, an embarrassed look formed on his face. But his voice, when he spoke, was defiant. "Well, she hates me! She's always yelling at me!"

"That's coz you are always causing trouble," I pointed out as we slowly walked down the quiet hall with just the two of us walking. No one around us.

I resisted the impulse to peek in the open doors and take a look at the people who had the nerve to reserve thousand-note rooms for a one day stay. I heard they were served coffee and sandwiches in those rooms.

William puffed out his chest and looked up at me, his hair falling into his face and reminding me of Ash.

I blinked a few and he turned into William again. Weird. "It's not my fault I like talking," he defended himself. "And it's not her fault she hates kids."

So I'm not the only one who's noticed.

"Well, you need to back off on her, she's this close to having a nervous breakdown," I told him, patting him on the head. "And she could kick you out, then what would you do?"

"My dad would kill me," he admitted.

Now 5 years old, William would be starting elementary school in September, but his parents had spent so much on his older brother that they didn't have enough for his pre-school fees. If he got kicked out of the daycare, one of his parents would have to look after him constantly, and they already had their hands full with Kevin.

"Exactly. So what are you going to do?" I asked.

He smiled up at me. "Stop causing trouble," he said reluctantly. I nodded, pleased.

"And I'll get you candy," I said, even though I had less than 5 note in my pocket. Oh well. I would be getting my pay check soon, and the grateful look on William's face- that was priceless.

Squeezing my hand, he responds, "Yay! Thanks, Serena!"

"Sugar free, though," I amended hurriedly. We didn't want a hyper William running around the hospital.

His face fell, but just slightly. "Aw,"

"If I get you normal candy, Miss Jessie will kill me."

"Okay." He looked up at me. "I wish you ran the daycare." A shy smile. "It's more fun with you there."

I smiled back at him, the words warming my heart. "Give me a couple of years, I'll be working here full time," I told him, half truthfully.

Because what else could I do? University was out of the question, unless I was lucky enough to get a scholarship, and even then, I would have to sacrifice my dream of studying music. But even though Mom was optimistic about my chances of getting a scholarship, I knew I probably wouldn't be heading to university. I couldn't put all that on Mom's head. It would be so selfish, especially since she'd supported me through way too much already.

Maybe I could take over from Miss Jessie when someone checked her in to the psych ward. At this rate, it wouldn't be long.

"At least you don't scream at us. She acts like we want to be there," William scowled. Bouncing the ball on the tiled floor. "If Kevin wasn't sick, my parents wouldn't be here all the time. She could try being nice."

I sighed, squeezing William's hand comfortingly. "She's just stressed out," I told him. "How's Kevin doing?"

"He was super happy with the Sponge Bob DVD you gave him! He was so happy; he gave me this bouncy ball." He held it out to show me. "He never used to let me touch it before, it was his favorite thing. But now- he can't play with it."

His face saddened and I bit my lip, wishing I hadn't asked. Kevin had acute leukemia and was terminal. I used to babysit the brothers, which was why William was so comfortable with me.

"You can't even tell they don't have sugar!" he exclaimed excitedly, insisting that I have a bite.

"As long as it doesn't make you hyper, I'm cool with it," I replied, making a mental note to make sure his face was wiped clean, and the candy wrappers disposed of before we got back to the daycare.

As we walked back, William took out the ball, which he'd put in his pocket for safekeeping. "Hey, you wanna see how high I can bounce it?" he asked me.

I shook my head immediately. "Nuh-uh. Remember what Miss Jessie said? Don't bounce the ball in the-."

Too late.

William threw the ball onto the floor with such force that it bounced up to the ceiling, just missed hitting a hall light, and skewed off into a room with an open door.

"Crap," we said in unison as we raced to the room and hovered nervously outside the door, unsure of what to do.

"It went under the bed, I saw it," William claimed, hopping from one foot to another excitedly.

"Will, I told you not to!" I whispered, not to get attention from been caught.

"I'm sorry," William whispered back. "Can you please get it back?" His eyes filled with tears and my heart melted. "I don't want to lose it. Kevin gave it me!"

He sniffled, wiping his eyes on his t-shirt sleeve. I signed and knelt down till I was at his level. Looking at him with a smile rose on my lips.

"I'll get it back, William, don't cry. Go back to the daycare and tell Miss Jess I'm- in the washroom."

It was highly irresponsible, but it was the only way I was gonna get the stupid ball back.

William nodded in wide eyed, stopping from crying out. "And for goodness sakes, don't get sidetracked. By anything!" I added.

"Okay," William said, nodding violently. He took off at a run as I let go of him.

"Don't run!" I whispered loudly and he slowed to a walk, looking over his shoulder at me.

Nervously, I peeked into the room. It looked empty, the bed was made nearly and there were no bags, tea trays or half eaten sandwiches littering the place. I hoped it was empty as I tiptoed in, my eyes darting in different directions as I inched towards the single bed. The bathroom door was firmly shut and I kept my ears cocked for any approaching footsteps.

Getting down on my knees at floor, I looked under the bed. The ball was lying innocently on the far side in a few metered way from me. I got onto my stomach and wriggled under the bed, reaching my hand out.

Just as the tips of my fingers connected with the ball until footsteps in the room made me freeze.

"There's no money under there, I already checked," an amused sounding voice said.

"I wasn't looking for- I was just getting this ball for a kid- I'm sorry," I blurted, my heart leaping into my chest. Just my luck! I wrapped my fingers around the ball, preparing to wriggle out from under the bed and face the music.

"Sere?"

I froze again, frowning in the dark. Nobody ever called me Sere, apart from-

"Ash?" I exclaimed hesitantly.

The bed above me squeaked as whoever was calling me Sere threw themselves on it.

Suddenly. An upside down face appeared over the side of the bed getting my attention and for the millionth time that week. I found myself staring into a pair of gorgeous auburn eyes.

With a goofy smile on his face like he was happy to see me, the tips of his jet raven black hair almost brushing the floor, Ash responds, "We really need to stop meeting like this."