"I..."

Hesitating for the first time since she had assumed her new identity, Wanona struggled to overcome her feelings of fierce independence...until she remembered what her past self had told her:

"Stop hating him, and move on. You can't stand alone forever."

And now that he knew everything...she suddenly felt her need to fight for independence, her fight to maintain her distance around him...just drop away into something more primitive and intimate:

She felt sad. Sad for all the lies, sad for all the hurtful stuff she had told him, all for her own selfish reasons of trying to be independent and be her own boss...when she couldn't stand alone all the time.

Sure, being able to stand on her own two feet is fine and all...but not at the extreme of trying to feign hate for those that have helped her before.

Taking as deep a breath as her recovering lungs would allow, she finally finished her previous statement:

"I'm sorry. For all of it. I was so stuck on being independent...making my own rules...that I forgot that I can't stand alone all the time. Plus with that...I forgot to listen to common sense when it comes to my breathing problem..." She admitted, her pride slowly melting...only to be replace with slow spreading relief.

Relief that she no longer had to hide, no longer pretend. He knew all and she honestly...couldn't feel any more relieved.

However, his face clearly showed he had some questions and concerns. Most probably about how she acted, if she had to guess. Taking a breath and sighing, she once more focused her sight on his eyes with the hope he saw her remorse in them.

"Go ahead, Brenden. Ask. I know I did a lot of bad things to hurt you...and I honestly am sorry about them." She told him weakly, as a coughing fit hit her. Noticing he was waiting for it to stop in-between coughing spells, she couldn't help berate herself for her actions.

He was always so patient and understanding with her, especially when fits like these happened...what did she ever do to deserve a friend and former rival like him? Absolute nothing...

And yet here he was, waiting for her coughing fit to stop. Which made her feelings of guilt that much stronger.

After about another minute the fit finally subsided, allowing Wanona her breath of air. Taking in a few breaths, she felt her breathing get stable. Nodding in approval, Brenden gave a small smile before his expression changing back to one of concern and sadness.

"Wally...Wanona...whatever you prefer to be called now..." Brenden started, unsure of how to word his question. Not being able to find a subtle way, he sighed in defeat. "Did you ever mean the hurtful things you ever said to me? Like the accusation that I would endanger your life for the opportunity to become the Champion of Hoenn?" He asked, his eyes getting tears in them. This had hurt him more than anything, this question.

Wanona noticed the torment in his eyes, and shook her head weakly. In truth, she had known all along he would do anything he could to help her if she ever had an asthma attack...she had just deluded herself into hating him.

"No, I was just deluding myself to hate you when I thought being independent when it came to my condition was all that mattered...but I can't honestly say I ever truly meant for you to ever get hurt. I just was dumb and thought I could do everything myself..." She admitted, her weak voice cracking a bit from her feelings of guilt and sadness.

And then he gave her a hug, which crushed her last reserve of holding back her tears as they came flowing from her eyes as she silently sobbed.

And the hug continued for a good three minutes, with Wanona apologizing for her actions. For all she had done to hurt the one person who always had her back and was here for her.

And Brenden simply looked deeply into her eyes and smiled, wiping her tears away.

"It's okay. I forgive you, for everything." He said with conviction, causing a fresh wave of tears to come down Wanona's face as a feeling came into her chest. A feeling she never felt she would feel before, but suddenly was spread throughout her being.

The feeling...of having finally moved on from all the secrets and lies.

And the freedom to be herself, finally.

In short, the greatest relief one could ever feel.