Serena POV

I was supposed to be doing homework at late night, but all I could think about was my confrontation with Ash, as my eyes flicked over at the long text in my book reading all the biology and stuff that weren't important. And now that I'd had a chance to simmer down and think logically about what had happened that afternoon, I was already wishing I could turn back time.

Did I react way too harshly?

Running my hand over my face, I sighed loudly. The illness was taking its toll on Ash, I knew that better than anybody. I had seen how pale he looked this afternoon. How could I have been so unsupportive? He was going through a lot, dealing with pain I couldn't even imagine. Maybe the headaches were messing with his thought process as well, hitting him so hard that he couldn't think straight. And he had the added pressure of his dad and friends not approving of us dating too- that had to be a difficult situation.

I cringed, remembering the torn look in Ash's eyes as he exclaimed, "But I didn't do it!"

Way to be a bad girlfriend, Serena. In my defence, I really hadn't been in the mood to hear Ash let slip a revelation of that magnitude. He practically told me that he'd been thinking about dumping me based on something his dad said. Was that supposed to make me feel good about him not going through with it? Because it didn't. All it did was make me feel cheap and used. And since I was in a downgraded state, I had used the incident as an excuse to lash out and get my anger out. Something I wish I didn't do.

Groaning out loud, I decided that there was only one way to move on from this. Call Ash up, act grown and apologize. How hard is it to say 'I'm sorry for blowing everything out of proportion'? Not very.

That being settled in my mind, I pulled the blanket away from me, leaving the warmness that circulated all over body and got up from my bed to grab my phone, which was laid on my dresser. As I reached for it, it suddenly started vibrating. Weird.

Without wasting time. I picked it up in right bare hand, not recognizing the number on the bright screen. A hopeful spark grew in my stomach regardless. Maybe it was Ash. Maybe he'd had the same idea I had and was calling to tell me that our relationship was strong enough to survive a misunderstanding like the one that happened this afternoon.

A big smile all over my face, I pressed talk and put the phone near to my ear, clearly hearing each word being spoken out. "Hello?" I spoke out first in a monotone and gulped quietly down my throat with myself restraining from excitement. But then, that soon turned upside down.

"Hi. Can I talk to Serena, please?" an unfamiliar female voice whispered through the line.

My smile slipped from my face, not getting a call from Ash but from someone else. Who was this? "This is Serena."

"Oh," She paused for a second before speaking out again. "Hi Serena. It's Hope." My eyes widened in trepidation as Hope continued, her voice sounding choked up with emotion. "I'm sorry to bother you, but-."

"What's wrong?" I instantly asked interrupting Hope from continuing on while my heart thudding louder that even both my ears could hear it. Then a first word came into my mind. Ash. What had happened? My hands were clammy as I gripped my phone to my ear. Please no... Forcing a false note of calmness in my voice, I swallowed hard before continuing. "It's Ash, isn't it? Something happened."

I knew the call was about Ash, it had to be. Hope had never once called me up to just chat and I could hear from her breathing that she was trying hard not to fall apart.

Hope's breath hitched in her throat as she answered. "His aneurysm- it- it." She stuttered her croaked words, hardening for her to speak out.

A dull roaring filled my ears as I staggered to my bed, flopping down before my legs could give out on me. Even though I had unconsciously been bracing myself for this moment since Ash had told me about his aneurysm, I still wasn't prepared for this. The blood in my veins turned cold and my eyes filled with hot tears that were about to overflow the edges in my eyes. "Is he- is he okay?" I replied, my voice sounding hurt and continuos.

"We don't know yet," Hope replied, sobbing lightly. "He's being stabilized right now."

Wiping my eyes clean, I said, "When did this happen?"

"Over an hour ago. I had to go home to get Ash's medical card and some other things and I got your number from his phone."

"Are you at the hospital?" I immediately asked. I wanted to go there if I could. I wanted to be by Ash's side so that if anything happened... No. I shook my head firmly, even as tears slid down my cheeks. Think positive. Nothing's going to happen to him.

"Yes," Hope replied. "I was hoping you could come. We're at Lumiose hospital. Dr. Brock says he wants Ash to be surrounded by family and friends." Her voice broke. "His mother's on her way as well. Ash's dad sent a chartered jet to pick her up. She was in Pallet town."

Ash's mother was on the way, sent for by Mr. Ketchum himself? That could only mean one thing...

"How bad off is he?" I whispered, not wanting to know because if Hope said what I thought she was going to say, then how could I possibly stay strong?

"I don't know. The doctors won't tell us. I know that he's in critical condition. He passed out right in front of us." Hope started crying again.

"I'm on my way," I said immediately, standing up and slipping on my hoodie. I had 5 note, enough to get a cab ride to the subway.

Sounding relieved, Hope said, "Thank you, Serena. I'll wait for you in the hospital lobby. Take a taxi, I'll pay for it."

Hesitating as I remembered one pivotal detail, I said, "Won't Mr. Ketchum mind?"

Not that I would let Mr. Ketchum's prejudices stop me from going to the hospital, but even Hope wouldn't be able to do anything if he tried to keep me from seeing Ash. But he wouldn't do that, would he? I hope not.

"He can't even think straight. None of us can. And you're Ash's girlfriend; you have the right to be by his side."

That was good enough for me. I slipped into a pair of running shoes, suddenly realizing that I was wasting valuable time. "I'll be right there, Hope."

"Thank you, Serena. Please hurry."

Hope hung up as I tied my laces, my hands shaking so much I had to stop and breathe for a second.

I zipped up my hoodie and walked out of my room, closing the door behind me. Just as my hand was on the front door knob, Alain spoke behind me, sending shivers down my spine. I totally forgot he was home.

"Where the hell you think you're going?" his words filled up the area we were in.

Quaking, I turned to face him. He was standing right in front of me, his arms crossed over his chest and a sneer on his face giving me an expression of an answer.

"Alain. I- I thought you were out," was all I could think of to say. He was sober, I could tell. His eyes weren't red, but they were narrowed in my direction. I didn't like the look in them at all and I took a tiny step back, hating him for making me so scared to be around him.

Glaring at me, Alain said, "And I guess that gives you the right to sneak out when you feel like it?" I swallowed nervously, spotting the evil glint in his eyes. "Answer my question! Where the hell are you going? To see that boy?" his words raised when he asked the last question. 

Where was my mom when I needed her? Trying to sound calm and unafraid, I respond "Alain, I have to go to Lumiose hospital. Something-."

"Oh, really?" Alain interrupted, sounding eerily understanding. "Why? Did the daycare you volunteer at tell you they need you to work overnight? Do you think I'm stupid, Serena?"

I shook my head no rapidly, my eyes not leaving his face. "No, Alain. It's not like that. My friend Ash, he's in the ICU." My voice broke. "He could- he could die, Alain. I need to go see him."

"Wow, this kid's really got you whipped, huh? You coming up with all these stupid stories, just so you can go 'hang out' with him." Alain gave me a fake admiring look, his lips turned up in a smirk. "You know, I should just let you go. Let you become another statistic. Just another teen baby living in Vanville. How would you like that?"

Wringing my hands unconsciously, I whispered "I'm not lying, Alain. Please, just let me go to him."

"Get back to your room," Alain snapped, his eyes turning hard. "I'm done playing."

My heart thumped in my chest as I shook my head, fumbling for the door knob. "I can't. I have to go."

"What?" Alain sounded more incredulous than angry as I finally managed to open the door, stepping out into the empty hallway. "You better go back into this apartment right now. I told you I'm done playing."

As he spoke, he reached out and grabbed my arm, dragging me back into the apartment. Adrenaline pumped through my body along with rage. Rage that he had the nerve to keep me from getting to Ash when that was where I needed to be. Rage that his fingers were digging into my flesh as he painfully squeezed my arm. Rage that he felt that he was the boss of me and could stop me from doing and going where I damn well pleased. I had a dad now, a dad who wanted to be in my life. He had never laid a hand on me. Why was I letting Alain abuse me?

"Let go of me," I hissed, anger churning up my blood. For the first time in a long time, I allowed myself to get visibly enraged at Alain. He just laughed at me, throwing me against the wall and slamming the door shut.

"Or what?" he asked, a taunting smile on his face.

It was all too much for me. What part of 'I need to get to Ash' don't you understand? With an infuriated yowl, I rushed at a stunned Alain, who held his arms up in apparent defense. But I wasn't going for his face. I kneed him in the stomach, noting his grunt of pain with a twinge of satisfaction as he bent over, both hands cupped over his gut. Quickly reaching for the door knob, I opened the door again and took off running down the hallway as my heart thudded inside of me and my mouth raising a little simper.

What have I just done? The hallway had never seemed so long in my life and I tried not to look back as I ran. Please let Alain be in so much pain that he-.

"Oof!" All the wind was knocked out of me as Alain tackled me out of nowhere. I did a fancy little twist in the air and ended up landing on my back, my bones jarred. My eyes widen with fear, I stared up at Alain, who was panting, his face a grimace of pain.

"Hehe, You little b*****!" he spat, grasping a handful of my hoodie and hauling me back up to my feet. "What the f***? You kneed me in the groin!"

He shook me till my teeth rattled, shook me until I was dizzy and all I wanted was for him to stop. And all the while he was yelling at me, screaming obscenities with his eyes red with anger.

Then Alain let go of my hoodie and slapped me across the face, the force so hard it made me stumble a few steps back. I stared up at him, shivers running down my spine at the look in his eyes. He looked like a mad man. I stumbled, trying to run, but my foot caught on the threadbare carpet and down I went.

Alain threw himself on me as I tried to scramble to my feet, catching me by the neck and slamming me down again. My face hit the floor, a searing pain shooting through my cheek as Alain continued cussing me out. I squirmed, trying to get him off of me, but he held me down, pressing my face into the musty smelling carpet. Dust particles went up my nose, making me sneeze.

"Alain, please," I blubbered, twisting in an attempt to shake him loose.

"I try telling you in plain English, you don't want to listen. So I guess I'm just going to have to show you," Alain told me, his emotionless, flat voice scaring me. I'd never heard him sound like that before and I went cold.

He rose over me, hitting any part of me he could reach with his fists. I raised my arms to my face, trying to block the attack, but he just pushed my arms aside and kept hitting me. Heavy blows landed on my face and I cried out, tasting blood.

There was a creak as a door in the hallway opened. Alain stopped hitting me, turning his sneering face towards the nosy neighbor who dared to intervene.

"What's going on out here?" Ruby Stone stuck her head out of her door. Her eyes bulged as she took in the scene in front of her. "Alain! What are you doing?"

Eyes pleading, I turned my face to her. "Please help," I wailed.

Alain stood up and stepped towards her, his bloodied fists clenched. "What does it look like I'm doing? This is a family affair, Miss Stone. You got five seconds to get your nosy ass back into your apartment or I'm just gonna have to deal with you as well."

With a high pitched scream, Ruby ran back into her apartment, locking and bolting the door shut behind her.

Alain snorted. "Scared her off," he muttered to himself, kicking me in the side with his steel toed boot. "Nobody's gonna save you, not your little boyfriend, not anybody."

He reached down and cuffed me in the face, rocking my head and making me see stars. I rolled my body up into a little ball as he continued hitting and kicking me, waiting for him to get tired, waiting for the pain to stop.

I didn't hear the stairs creaking as somebody came up onto our floor, but the strong, commanding voice I heard next was enough to jolt me out of the foggy state of mind I had been lulled into as Alain continued to rain blows on me.

"Alain Blaze! leave her alone!"

Groggily, I stared up as a tall figure passed quickly right by me and pinned Alain to the wall effortlessly.

Steven Stone.