Dedicated to PearlOfSunnyFlight

It was the morning of October 12th, my nineteenth birthday. Ash and I had gotten married on the sixth of April that year. I woke up and he was still asleep, I knew he would have to get up soon for work. He was an assistant to a pokémon doctor, Brock. He came to the wedding and Ash had known him for a very long time. Brock was a nice guy, but I'll admit it didn't pay well.

I wasn't working at all at that point. I was looking for jobs, but it was almost like Ash didn't want me to work. Maybe it would bruise noe ego? I don't know.

Either way, he worked pretty late, long hours. I checked the time on the digital clock in our bedside table. Eight o'clock. I decided to climb out of bed, slip on my robe and make myself some breakfast.

I decided on some egg and toast. It was a new loaf. Ash always like to eat the crust and I usually gave in and let him have it. But it was my birthday! So I took it and ate it and laughed to myself.

I washed my plate and the few that were lying in the sink. Ash was so messy, it drove me up the wall. I knew he would be down, soon. I was getting giddy, wondering what he had gotten me. It would no doubt he sonethinh thoughtful and meaningful.

I turned on the tv in our small, grubby apartment in Kanto where we were living, now. Just earlier that year we had been in our wedding garbs in Vaniville Town. Nothing good was really on. I ended up watching some contest in Sinnoh somewhere. Now that I think of it, it might have even have had Ash's friend, Dawn, in it.

I missed my mum a lot, and Bonnie and Clemont. Ash and I still talked to Clemont a lot, though, of course. He would tell us about what Bonnie was getting up to in her quest to find him a wife and now incidentally a husband for herself. She was getting older, you see.

I suddenly felt a soft kiss on my cheek. "Ash!" I beamed.

"Morning, Serena." I was waiting for a happy birthday or a gift, but I didn't get one. He went to the bread, "You are the crust! Aw, but you know I love it!"

I smirked. "Well... I do... But as it's such a special day...?"

"A special day? Huh?" He scratched his tired head and yawned. Seriously? He was kidding. He has to be. This was my husband. Of course my husband wouldn't forget my birthday! That was preposterous! Especially with how long I'd known him.

"Ash, stop faking it." Growing bored of Sinnoh contests, I flicked the channel over. Something about some fifteen year old kid from Hoenn who thought he could talk to legendary pokémon. Ha! What a headcase. "Of course you know what day it is."

He poured himself a cup of coffee, "Sorry, babygirl, you're gonna have to help me out." He sounded real. He sounded like it wasn't a joke.

"Ash you know it's my birthday." I blurted out.

"What?" He'd forgotten? He'd actually forgotten his wife's birthday? "I thought that was next week."

"Nope. Today." I felt so undeniably hurt. I knew his birthday off by heart, I was sure of my love for him.

He looked crushed. "I'm so sorry, Serena." He held his face in his hands. "I'm so tired all the time, I don't know what day it is."

I understood. It was indeed true, he got little to no sleep. He probably didn't even know what date it was, and if he did he would have known. I couldn't be too hard on him, he was the only one bringing in the money, afterall. And I knew I loved him.

But still, I was his wife, and he had known me since we were kids. A part of me felt like he didn't care. But I tried my hardest to shrug it off. We were perfect. Because I was his wife. Not Misty or that darned May or Miette. Me. Serena Ketchum. I had won. We were a fairytale couple and my young and naïve mind was adamant we were going to get our happily ever after by any means possible.

This little incident was just a mere bump in the road.

It ended with a kiss and him leaving the house. "I'll see you later, babygirl." I'd gotten so used to him calling me that that it just didn't have the same effect anymore. I just didn't swoon like I used to. Words with list meanings. That was how we were living.

I had forgiven him.

That was the choice I had made.

And I knew I was the right one as this shitty apartment was our castle. I was a princess and this was my throne. Ash was my prince and I'd finally gotten the one thing I'd wanted since I was a girl.

His love.

Around two hours passed before I showered, dried and curled my short hair and got dressed. Another day in wonderland.

I was sat on the sofa, skimming through a magazine when I heard a car pull up outside. Curious and nosey, I peered through the blinds to see who it was. My heart raced when I saw the sleek, red, electric car. It had a Kalos-number plate and I knew exactly who it belonged to.

I flew out the door and down the three flights of stairs. The slight breeze hit my face as I saw Clemont and Bonnie getting out of the car.

"Oh my god, you two!" I rushed over, giggling in glee. "What are you doing here?"

Bonnie came and hugged me. I noticed she wasn't getting much taller, but her shoes were. The now nearly fourteen year old was in tall, tall, tall, black ankle-boots. She was certainly growing up. "Serena! Happy birthday!"

They remembered. They came all the way from Kalos for me. But Ash couldn't even manage to get me a card.

No.

No, this wasn't right. I was aware id the difficult situation Ash was in. It wasn't his fault. He worked hard. I would just smile and be grateful to Clemont and Bonnie and forgive Ash. Nothing was going to ruin this for me.

Clemont opened the boot of the car. "How did you even get here?" I asked as I watched him pull out a small box and a large bag. He gave Bonnie the box.

"We came on a ferry!" Bonnie answered for him.

"Yeah, that way we could still use the car." Clemont added. He was still seventeen. He looked so young and uncorrupted. That was probably an odd thing to say. But he was only a few months younger than me, but his eyes were bright begind those frames and they weren't drowning in dark circles like mine.

Bonnie handed me the box. I opened it. It was a pink ribbon and I was sure the centre piece was pure gold. I felt my eyes welling up. She smiled. "I went to Hoenn, recently." Clemont grimaced, slightly. Maybe he got lonely. Maybe he missed Bonnie being a little kid. And perhaps the thought of her travelling to all of these new places and meeting all of these new people was a bit too much for her caring, older brother. "I saw this at Mauville City and I just had to get it you!"

Bless her heart. She'd literally spent her own money on it. She was such a thoughtful girl, I was watching her grow into a beautiful young lady before my eyes. I hugged her, again. I ran a hand through her hair. It was exactly like mine, just a constant reminder of how I had a teenage girl looking up to me. The weight was on my shoulders. "Thank-you so much, I love it." I was crying.

"Serena! Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Bonnie, just really happy."

"Here." Clemont passed me the bag. I saw an envelope on the top of the contents inside. I pulled it out.

The card had a picture of me, Ash, him and Bonnie on it when we were kids. I looked at Clemont and then at Bonnie, who rolled her blue eyes and grunted, "Yeah, I know, right? Like of all the pictures he could have used he chose one where I'm like seven."

I laughed, my eyes still a little watery. On the inside, it said, 'Happy birthday! I really hope you're enjoying life with Ash in Kanto. Bonnie and I really miss you. -Clemont B'.

I liked the knowledge that people thought of me, missed my presence and most importantly, remebered my birthday.

"It's lovely, thank-you." I placed the card back into the bag. I glanced at Clemont, tall in jeans and glasses. He nodded eagerly. My hands found his gift.

It was an incredibly expensive camera. I was shocked. "For you to document all of your adventures in Kanto." He grinned, proudly.

"Clemont, I love it, thank-you so much but you didn't have to spend all-"

"No, no! You're a family friend. We really miss you! You deserve it. You deserve to be happy. I'm glad you like it."

And I gave him a hug. But something made me think that I'd held onto him for just a little longer than a married woman should.

And it made my heart sink, as I already had my Prince Charming.