A lot of people had left, including most of my friends and other gym leaders. All that was left was me, Dawn, Erica, Gold, some other elite four members, most of Blue's friends, a few gym leaders, and Oak.

"You feeling alright, Kitty?" Karen kneeled down to touch my head while Dawn was wiping my sweat away "You're burning up!" I slapped her hand away, hating the extra heat and nickname.

"Our body temperatures are always high, so if we're in the middle of a crowd or just outside on a hot day, this sort of thing happens" Dawn explained, getting another wet rag to cool down my face "She'll be fine once we get coolness. Most of the people already left, so it's not as hot as before"

"That's a relief to hear" Erica sighed in relief "I guess it's time for us to head home" I frowned, sad that I didn't get the chance to see Red "The others who are left over are the drunk adults and Blue's friends from childhood. The excitement has died down after the Christmas games" yeah, the games are exactly what made me hot and sweaty.

Some of us had to do some weird game where we put wrapped gifts on a table and pick out a number from a bucket and match the gift to claim it. We can steal a gift from someone and... it was just a mess. People ended up running, and though it was fun, the room got hot very fast.

"Once we head outside, you should be fine" Gold patted my head a bit too hard. I glared, feeling irritated, and grabbed his shirt to shake him a bit before softly pushing him on the floor. He didn't take offense to this, since he was laughing.

"Don't pat me like that!" I glared, raising my voice a bit "And you!" I glared at Karen raising her hands to defend herself "Stop calling me that! What does it take for you to stop it!"

"Let's go" Dawn escorted me outside the lab "You really need that coldness to calm you down" she kept getting caught by surprise at my anger issues even after I told her about them. She thought it was best to help me get cold air and just go home like Erica said.

We all walked outside and I got myself to sit on a bench without heels to soak up the almost below freezing weather. I opened my arms and leaned on the bench, refreshed.

"You're not cold at all?" Gold rubbed his arms. Dawn giggled and shook her head for me.

"The night is cold. I feel that it will snow again" Erica said, sitting on the bench a little far across from us "Luckily I'm not so cold thanks to this kimono with warmers inside it. I'll leave at the same time you do" I stood up and walked around the field we were close by that had a lot of Pokémon roaming around even in the cold "Valerie" she called. I looked back at her putting her hands together like she was asking for a favor "If you don't mind... Would you dance?"

"What?" I was surprised that she requested me to do this.

"I never seen you dance and I figured that today is a nice occasion, it would be nice to see the dance I never got to see"

"Oh? Her famous dance?" Karen grinned "I haven't seen that dance in a long time! You're not going to make it sexy, so I want to watch too"

"Dance? Yeah!" Gold said.

"Yes, please!" Dawn begged "Only if you're feeling better!" I rubbed my head, not expecting this.

"Well..." I took out my red scarfs from my handbag "Your lucky I don't go anywhere without these" I smiled "Alright! No problem! I got a whole field out here to dance in" I peaked to the side, noticing Blue walking out the lab to speak to us, but saw that I was heading into the field and started dancing my relaxation that calmed my body and attracted some Pokémon to watch the show.

My body followed the rhythm that puts me in a trace of teleporting my mind into my calm place and reminds me that I'm in a good place with many people who care about me now. My family is growing and I have friends who care so much about me... What can be better?

"Pe" I heard Pichu call. I slowly lowered my leg from spinning around to make sure I didn't accidentally run into her. I looked around and noticed it wasn't Pichu that called me... It was a Pikachu.

"A Pikachu..?" Pikachu smiled and ran off to where my friends were, were Blue was standing next to the guy I've waited so long to see. My heart practically jumped out my body and my knees went weak, but I didn't let myself fall or show emotion. I kept myself up and slowly made my way to everyone.

"That was beautiful!" Erica came up to me. I smiled and blushed, feeling shy "I'm honored to have seen it!"

"That dance has much more meaning than before" Karen smiled, shooting me a thumbs up.

"I think I fell in love all over again" Gold smirked. I playfully pushed him, almost knocking him down to the ground.

"The talent you inherited suits you nicely" Dawn looked at me in awe. I nervously laughed and felt Pichu crawling away from my bag on the bench and run to hide behind my leg while looking at the boys standing by the door.

"Not bad" Blue smirked "For a stripper" I pouted, annoyed, then slowly looked over at Red watching me, wearing a red dress shirt and dress pants. I got extremely shy and looked down, playing with my fingers. This is so unlike me... What do I say?!

"H-Hi..." is that all you can say?!

"Pe" His Pikachu came up to Pichu and offered to have their tails touch. Pichu didn't know what this was, since she hasn't had a tail for the longest, but showed her tail anyway as a sort of handshake for the Pikachu evolutionary line.

"It's a cute handshake" I smiled at them. Pikachu smiled at me before running back to climb Red's shoulder. I couldn't look at him in the eye! How do I approach this moment without sounding like an idiot?! I've waited this long and never came up with a proper greeting!

"I... Uh..." I played with my fingers more faster, getting anxious "I-I don't know if you remember me... b-but..." this was difficult. Just come out with it!

I took out the check I had in my handbag and presented it to him while bowing deeply "H-Here!"

"What's that?" Blue asked. I stood up a little, but was still bowing my head since I couldn't face him eye to eye.

"I-It's the money I owe you for helping me with Pichu's hospital bill" I shut my eyes "I wouldn't have gotten her back without you... I wouldn't have been able to reunite with my family without you..." I stood up to look at him straight in the eye "I wouldn't have been able to go on a journey after regaining my freedom without your help!" I couldn't help but cry "I never wanted anyone's help on anything, and when you helped me, I wanted to become someone worth saving. You..." I shut my eyes, letting my tears fall "I wanted to give you back the money you gave me when I didn't deserve it. I trained and traveled so I could feel like it was okay for me to receive this help. I even disbanded Team Rocket because they were the reason for everything..." I looked away "I worked hard to get where I am... I couldn't ask for anything better. I waited for the day when I can repay you and show off how great I turned out" I shook the check he wouldn't take "That's all of it! Everything for Pichu to return to my life... even a little more for arresting that asshole" I lowered my hand, getting weak from all this shaking and crying "Accept this... please! You may not remember anything I told you, but I'll never forget what you've done for me" I bowed again "Please take it!"

"You're really weird" Blue said. I stood up and expressed how annoying he was "That's a big check. You shouldn't be giving out money like that-"

"Hey!" I glared "This isn't about you!" I held my chest "He didn't have to pay for Pichu's bill! I struggled to get her back for years and didn't get her back without his help! I couldn't do it myself because I didn't want them hurting my auntie! That day was the change of my entire life! You have no idea what I've been through! It's none of your business-" I froze when Red's body softly rested on mine and wrapped his arms around me "R-Red..?"

"I've searched everywhere for you" I flinched, feeling my tears balling into thick droplets and fall on his shoulders "I always asked the girls if they heard from you, and they didn't give me much information"

"Guilty" Erica waved her hand "I was going to tell you how often Red comes to my gym to know where you are, but Misty kept me from doing so"

"Are you serious..?" I looked back at Red looking down at me "You were looking for me..?" I looked down "I tried calling you... but you never had signal"

"That's what Mt.Silver does to you" he softly chuckled, making my heart pound hard. Pichu came onto my shoulders to smell him "This is the Pichu that changed it all" he scratched her chin, making her smile.

"Yeah... She's not able to evolve, but she's perfect just the way she is" I played with the check in my hands and tried giving it to him again "P-Please take the check!"

"Come on, V!" Gold yelled "Do you really think he did what he did just for you to pay him back! Knock it off!" I blushed more and looked up at Red chuckling again, petting my head gently.

"I don't need the money" he rested his forehead on mine "I just wanted to make sure you got what you deserved"

"Thank you..." I sobbed "Thank you... You completely turned my life around. I don't know how many times I can thank you!" He smiled gently for me and pressed his lips on my forehead, giving me chills and an almost heart attack. H-He...

"You don't have to thank me. I should thank you for listening to me. It was nice to tell my problems to someone who didn't care and nag me for my personality" He glanced at Blue. Blue rolled his eyes and went back inside "You listened to me all the way through without judging me. It may be simple, but that's all I really wanted" I smiled and hugged his chest, taking in his warmth and soft cologne.

"I believe this is yours" Dawn came up to me to hand me the gift bag I had Red's gift inside "I'll be going back to aunties house. Don't wait up!"

"Are you sure?"

"I'll be on my way as well" Erica smiled, waving.

"I'll take them home" Gold winked "Have fun" the three of them walked away while Dawn carried all my bags of gifts I received. I smiled and shyly looked back at Red still smiling at me.

"I didn't think you were in the party"

"I was hiding in the balcony. The cold doesn't bother me" I flinched.

"B-Balcony? So you mean..." he nodded.

"Yeah, I saw you sleeping" I cupped my burning cheeks "I wasn't staring if that's what you were thinking"

"That's so embarrassing!" He took my hand to kiss, which made my knees weak and almost drop if he didn't catch me "S-Sorry..."

"Want me to take you home?" I bit my lips and tugged on his shirt.

"I..." a snowflake slowly dropped between us "I live far away..." I looked at his gentle red colored iris "I don't know why my cousin suggested to leave without me since I brought her here" he chuckled. He was right in front of me now after so many months of thinking about him... It's like a dream come true. It makes me wonder if I really like him or just fangirling "H-Here..." I handed him the gift bag "I thought to make you this since you're always up at the mountain top..." he looked inside and took out the scarf that matched the ones I dance with "Since you liked my dance so much back then, I figured to make you something that reminded you of me" I held my hips to act confident "It is a pretty nice dance! My family always develop a talent from the person that marries into the family. I'm a natural born talent" as much as I want to stay humble, it felt weird to act so shy, so I had to perk up a little.

"This dance was different" I lowered my arms, watching him looking at the field of Pokémon beginning to play in the snow "It had meaning and told a story. Unlike the first dance where you forced it and showed how sad you were. You look alive now" he wrapped the scarf I gift him on his shoulder and pulled me in to hug me. I smiled and embraced his warmth, feeling complete after a whole journey of wanting to become stronger to show that I was worth saving. I finally can settle down and not worry about anything else.

"Glad you liked it..." I smiled "So..." I moved away to hand him the check "Will you take this?"

"Why?" He pet my head, catching me off guard "It's like your friend said. I didn't do it so you could pay me back. Money doesn't mean anything to me. I'm just happy you got the chance to be free" I shook my head.

"Take it!" He took the check and ripped it in half "Hey!" I pouted.

"You can repay me another way that doesn't involve money" he wrapped his arms around me again.

"What? You want another one night stand?" I huffed. I was mainly joking, which made him laugh.

"I was thinking more on the lines of watching that one movie we were playing in that hotel room?" my eyes widened "Get snacks, play a board game. I don't know. I'm not good with planning" I shyly looked up at him smiling at me "Whatever you like. And maybe breakfast in the morning, like last time?" I widened my smile and hugged him tightly.

"So you do want another one night stand?" I joked. He hugged me back closely.

"Well, one night isn't enough. I look forward to spending more time with you after a long time of searching for you" I smiled and relaxed my eyes. After all this time... He's been looking for me... I wouldn't think that would be possible. I would had thought that he forgotten me "I wanted to see how you've been doing" I carried Pichu to show him.

"I've been doing great with Pichu on my side. Pichu, this is the guy that brought us together. Say thank you" Pichu smiled and jumped his face to hug. I quickly moved her away as he laughed.

"Come on" He pulled on my hand "My mom isn't home for the next few days to visit family"

"Why aren't you with her?" I followed him.

"I'm not big on crowds" that's pretty obvious "But what better to spend my time? Come on, Valerie" I hid my crying face and quickly jumped to hug his arm. After so long... After a large set of years of struggles and mistreatment, after a whole year of training myself and building my team, after connecting with my friends and family, I'm finally at the end of the road where I can spend the rest of my days relaxed and show off how great I became to the guy who made it all happen. Thank you... I regret nothing.

Thank you for reading until the end! These last two chapters were pretty long, but I didn't want the story to keep piling on! Trust me, I can do that, but knew it was time to end it. Let me know what you think of everything! I love to hear it in the comments!

~frozenbeenie