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She opened her eyes, adjusting to the brightness of her surroundings while focusing onto the ceiling. It was the familiar ceiling of her room and, instantly, she felt herself falling limp in her bed. She closed her eyes again, snuggling into the comfort.

I am okay. I am home.

Why was she in bed, what happened, why could she not immediately remember what happened-Serena chose to shun out all those thoughts and nuzzle comfortably into her comforter. It smelled of sugar and cinnamon and citrus-unfamiliar.

Hmm.

She blinked her eyes open just a bit to inspect the unfamiliar, citrusy comforter which she was clutching close to herself. But it was not a comforter. It was a jacket she did not recognize. The honey blonde quickly shuffled and sat up, holding the jacket in front of her and trying to figure out if she ever owned such a jacket. Or if anyone at home did.

"Serena!"

Serena dragged her attention away from the jacket and to the speaker, and yelped when she was tackled back down onto the bed with Bonnie hugging her tightly by the neck.

"Y-You w-woke up!" The younger girl mumbled softly and sniffled, trying to stop more tears from falling.

"B-Bonnie-yes, but p-please let my neck go, I-I can't b-breathe," Serena wheezed and Bonnie immediately pulled away, sitting at the foot of the bed and holding the honey blonde's hand tightly.

"Y-You scared everyone! What happened?" She asked softly, rubbing Serena's hands lovingly.

That she did not know. The last thing she remembered was opening the door and seeing him, after which she directly woke up in her bed.

But that's impossible, he can not be here.

Did she hallucinate? Was it getting worse?

A whirlwind of thoughts and fears crept up her back, clouding her mind and causing her to choke on her own breath. Serena fisted her sweater in her hand and clutched onto it tightly, her eyes still lingering on the jacket that lay on her bed.

What is going on?

"Serena . . ."

Bonnie's soft voice pierced through her thoughts, pulling her out of her mind. Dismissing the uncertainty and gravity of the situation, she shook her head and sighed. "I don't know. I can't remem-" She stopped mid-sentence as her eyes fell on the door of her room, specifically at the person who was leaning on the door frame.

Tanned skin in a warm brown hue, sharp facial features with signature z-shaped scars on his cheeks, tousled, jet black hair which spiked at the ends and an ever so slight smile gracing his face. The warmth of his smile reached his eyes which shined passionately, embracing their auburn color.

No matter how many years passed and no matter how much taller and much he might have changed, Ash Ketchum still looked like Ash Ketchum.

Noticing her gaze on him, he shuffled up on his feet, pushing himself away from the frame. His eyes widened to look at her and, clenching his jaw, he shifted his weight onto his heels. It was enough movement for Serena to conclude that he is real. And he is really standing on the edge of her room after eleven years and he is really looking at her.

His gaze was sharp and not only fixated on her face but sliced right through to her soul. She could feel herself burning up from just the intensity that his eyes held.

All these years, she wanted to meet him again. She always wanted to return his book. She wanted to lay in the snow and make more snow angels with him. She wanted to play with him every winter and every Christmas after he left.

Eleven years had passed since their first encounter at Miss Pete's and with every passing winter after that, she only grew to despise him more and more for not fulfilling his promise of coming back. Her patience ran cold after the first year. And as she grew, all good memories turned more into nightmares, hallucinations and bursts of anger, betrayal and outlashes at her own naivety and innocence.

It was not his fault. She knew that. She had come to terms with it and she understood that he was a child too. Coming to Vaniville and leaving was not his decision to make. He came during his Christmas holidays and once those were over, he left, just as he was supposed to. And she was sure he accepted that fate and moved on with it.

It was Serena and her feelings that became her own grave. She rooted herself too deep into his presence and existence that living without the thought of him had become scary. She, too, was just a child and all she craved for was attention and a friend to play with.

And he had become just that. He had become the first ever person who had acknowledged her as not an orphan, but as a human like himself. He had looked at her differently-he had looked at her in the way in which Clemont saw her. As an individual person. Not even Grace did that due to her overprotectiveness.

Falling in love was not the case for the six year old Serena. Ash had become the hand she could hold onto and follow as he led the way; he had become her favorite person and the place she would run to whenever Grace scolded her or her classmates taunted her. He introduced her to pancakes and snow angels, to the world of books and daydreams, to friendship and promises.

He had become her fondest memory of her childhood but it gradually filled up with pain. And that was engraved in her head and heart. She could not forgive him and herself for all the suffering she endured and subjected herself to.

Now, after eleven years of absence, he stood there; still as confident, still as warm and still as Ash Ketchum as ever. But what was she supposed to say? Was there anything that she wanted to say?

Serena did not know.

She did not know how for long they maintained eye contact-his auburn eyes radiating a welcoming warmth and comfort, while her own cerulean blues dissipated an icy negativity, a warning to stay away.

As if ignoring what her eyes said, Ash took a small step towards her, the movement alarming all senses in Serena and causing her to shift a bit in her bed-away from him, her gaze never leaving his face. He seemed to have caught on to her apprehension for he stopped and stepped back, giving her the distance she so desired.

"Serena, are you okay?" Bonnie whispered, worry lacing her voice as she squeezed the honey blonde's hands.

Serena snapped out of her trance and nodded her head slightly, looking at the worried girl in front of her. She whispered a small assurance of being okay, afraid that he might hear her and try to talk to her.

She could not talk to him. She did not want to talk to him.

"I will go call Clemont and Mama, okay? You stay here and don't go anywhere." Bonnie strictly ordered and pulled her legs to herself to get up.

"Wha-Bonnie! N-No! Stay!" Serena fumbled and grabbed the teen's wrist, urgency evident in her plea. "P-Please, d-don't go," she pleaded with heaviness lacing her voice.

Her heart picked up pace, panic settling down in her body, making it difficult for her to breathe.

I don't want to be alone.

Don't go.

I don't want to be here!

Distress washed over Bonnie's face and she engulfed Serena into a hug, rubbing her back. "Don't worry, I am not going anywhere, okay? It's okay, it's okay, breathe." She cooed into the older teen's ear.

The honey blonde nodded, heeding to Bonnie's voice and taking shallow breaths. Slowly, she gained control over her breathing and let herself slip into the comfort Bonnie was providing.

She heard some footsteps retreating and her initial anxiety winded down, leaving her exhausted and breathless. She nimbly looked at her door once again and shuddered.

He left.

Serena sighed in contentment and felt herself drown into the sweet nothings that Bonnie was whispering in her ear. She felt herself drowse slowly into another slumber, with the last thing on her mind being the pair of auburn eyes watching her as she drifted off to sleep.

"You know what, Serena?"

The honey blonde looked up at him curiously and shook her head no. The boy smiled at her from the swing and swayed his legs excitedly.

"When I grow older, I will marry you."

The six year old Serena blushed profusely and buried her face in her scarf. She fixed her eyes at the ground in front of her and drew circles in the snow, Ash's words ringing in her head.

Mama had told her about her own wedding and how she married a boy not much older than her. She told her that he was very handsome and they loved each other. He would bring her flowers and chocolates. They would go on long walks and hold hands. Mama cooked his favorite desserts for him and he always kissed her a thank you.

But one day he did not come back home after work. Mama waited for him all night, the dinner she had cooked went cold. The next day they fought. And after that, he stopped loving her and left her. That made Mama very sad.

It scared little Serena so much that she had decided she would never marry. On hearing the child's banter, Mama only chuckled and assured her that when she grew up and got married, her husband would be the prince of her dreams and he would not be like the man who left Mama.

But the worry still gnawed at her heart as she concentrated on the snow in front of her. Noticing her quietness, Ash looked at her and poked her arm. "What's wrong?"

The six year old Serena shook her head and mumbled softly, her voice muffled by her scarf, "Mama was married but he left her. I don't want to marry you if you leave me."

"Why would I leave you?"

The sudden and immediate answer surprised Serena and she looked at the boy's face which was masked by a confused frown. She shook her head slowly, not knowing the answer herself.

Ash clasped his hands together in front of him and looked at the sky, a smile making its way up his face. "You are pretty, you like sweets and know how to make them. Mom is teaching you more so you will know a lot when we are older. Then you can make me something sweet everyday!"

He got up from the swing, stepped down and stopped in front of her. He took her gloved hand in his own and grinned with excitement.

"I will never leave you. So promise to marry me, okay?"

A headache. And the familiar sight of her room again.

Those are the only two things Serena could register at the moment. Ignoring the throbbing pain in her temples, she stared at the off-white ceiling and thought about the dream that had opened the door to another grave of memories.

Marry him.

She let out a bitter-sweet sob at the thought as she teared up, her tears freely rolling down her cheeks. She felt childish for crying about something that had happened so long ago and yet it unnerved her when she tried to forget all of it. She felt cursed for living with so many memories that had become her safe space when she needed comfort and her punching bags when she needed to let go of her anger. And through all the turmoil, there was one person who constantly resided in her head.

Ash.

She had seen him today-he had grown but not in the way she had imagined. He still had the same face but it was more defined and sculpted. He was way taller than she had expected. For the brief time where she stood in front of him at the door, she could make out that he was a couple of heads taller than her.

He was really here.

The realization had not yet settled well with her. Why was he here? Why did he come back? Was it another vacation trip? Why had he not come earlier then?

Then there was also the jacket which she was holding onto.

Wait.

The jacket!

Serena jumped out of bed and stumbled down, barely saving herself from landing face first on the ground.

It was his jacket!

She did not know from where the confidence came but she just knew that it was his jacket.

It had to be his.

She threw the pillows to the floor and upturned her entire bed, searching under the covers and under the bed, but could not find it anywhere. She tugged at her hair nervously, scanning the entire room, hoping to still have it around.

Serena heard the door open and whipped around to see Clemont standing, confusion and concern mapping his face as he looked at the condition of the room.

"S-Serena?"

"Clemont, t-the j-jacket? W-Where is i-it?" She spoke in a quick succession of words and stomped her way towards him.

"Jacket? Which jacket?" He asked, stepping back from the raging girl. "Y-You n-need to r-rest Serena-"

"His jacket. Clemont-Where. Is. It?" She rambled.

Clemont studied her face carefully and sighed in understanding. He looked at her sadly, unable to find the words that would help the honey blonde calm down.

"Serena, he left."

Serena's feet turned cold as she looked at Clemont's face for any sign of a lie or joke. But after finding neither, she quickly rushed out of the room and downstairs.

Please don't go.

"Serena?" Grace mumbled as she saw the honey blonde running down the stairs. "Serena!" She shouted but Serena ignored her and rushed towards the door. She opened it and walked outside, her bare feet freezing under the snow.

Please stay.

Vaniville was in the midst of a snow storm, the snow dancing in the gusting wind and leaving minimal visibility. Everything was washed white in the thunder of snow, leaving nothing but a gray scale for her to stare into.

The honey blonde staggered on her feet, the storm catching her off balance. Her knees buckled and her frozen feet did not support her to stand, causing her to fall on her knees and instinctively wrap her arms around herself for some warmth.

Ash.

Grace, followed by Clemont, rushed outside and grabbed Serena by the arms, helping her up and dragging her inside much to her resistance.

"N-No! Let-let me go! I-I need to find him! H-His book-stop!" The honey blonde screamed and kicked, struggling in their grip as Grace and Clemont took her inside, their faces stained with tears at seeing Serena in such a situation.

"N-No! S-stop, p-please . . . Ash!" Serena screamed at the top of her lungs before collapsing into a fresh frenzy of tears and giving in to her helplessness.

Bonnie rushed to grab a blanket and wrapped it around Serena before grabbing onto her tightly and crying with her. Grace sat down beside her and pulled Serena's head into her lap, letting her cry out to her heart's content.

The weather outside reflected her inner turmoil-Vaniville had been caught up in a storm and so had her heart.

i know you were there. i saw you.

then, where did you go?

A/N: Writing this chapter was difficult. I don't know how well I was able to portray Serena and her mental state but I know that I could not have done better. So this was it; chapter 6.

Btw I have attached a song above so if you feel like listening to it, you may go ahead. I pretty much sums up Serena for this particular chapter.

Thanks for reading this far! Happy Wattpad-ing!