Redemption

Final Chapter

(Y/n) never thought she'd be sitting on the beach alone with tears in her eyes as fireworks went off in the background. In fact, if anyone had told her that a year ago, she would have laughed at them. Afterall, she had placed her full trust in Silver. There had been no doubt in her mind that he would return to her, yet there she was without him. Not a single call, text, or letter had been sent to her from him over the past year, but she had still believed. Many people had come and gone in her life, but no matter how many times it happened, she never got accustomed to someone leaving without coming back.

She still had Murkrow with her. The pokémon had proved to be a constant reminder of Silver's missing presence, and it didn't help that even the little bird pokémon had begun to greatly miss him. Even now, she figured that Murkrow was probably just as upset as she was about Silver's absence.

No one dared to bother her as she sat in the sand on the beach outside the pokémon lab. Her ceremonial attire was tailored a bit differently this year per her request as a surprise for a certain red headed trainer. It's warm colored tones stood out against the sand where she sat. The sea seemed to be quieter than usual, but it was hard to tell with the fireworks dulling her hearing in the background. She didn't really care either way. All she knew was that, at this moment, nothing could mend her broken heart.

"(Y/n)..." The voice, barely audible, made her lift her head from her knees and quickly turn back. Now was a horrible time for her mind to be playing tricks on her. However, that wasn't the case. The boy standing not too far behind her with a box in his arms and an unsure expression was definitely no other than Silver. Her shock just didn't allow for her to react just yet. "I..." he couldn't find the words to say. Hearing his voice after so long was already more than enough to get (y/n) to her feet, ready to cry a fresh new set of tears.

Part of her was furious with him for not keeping in contact nor arriving at the Tapu Festival for them to enjoy together, but all of those feelings faded away the longer she looked at him. "You're actually here?" He nodded as his own composure began to fall apart. She saw his shoulders beginning to shake, and his eyes brightened upon seeing her again. He placed the box in his hands aside and held his arms out to her.

"I almost thought I'd never see you again," she said as she hugged him. He smelled of the sea, which baffled her. Wherever he had been, his time must have been heavily spent near the shores.

"I'm so sorry for making you wait so long." Silver began to shake in her hold. "It's all finally over. No one is going to harm me or you or anyone that I care about. Everyone is safe, and I've had plenty of time to think things through. I know what I want now." His voice remained firm and full of confidence despite the wave of emotions he was feeling in that moment. "Ask me again," he whispered.

"Huh?" (Y/n) was a little confused as he pulled out of her hug and lifted a hand to her face, gently caressing her cheek.

"Just before last year's festival, you asked me that question. Ask me again," he explained. "I have a different answer now."

(Y/n) leaned into his touch ever so slightly. She remembered exactly what he was talking about. "Would you like to be a more permanent part of my life, Silver?" She had thought of what she would say to him many times over the past year, and that was what she came up with.

"I would," he stated with a smile. "I want to be with you forever, if possible." Silver reached into his pocket and pulled free a small box that fit into the palm of his hand. He slipped his other hand away from (y/n)'s face to take hold of her own hand. "I spent the past year writing you letters every week in an attempt to hear from you even just once. They're all in that box there. None of them ever made it here. For that I'm sorry, but I hope you can forgive me because I don't want anyone else to ever have the opportunity to know you as I do. I don't want anyone else even thinking they have a chance." Time was slowing down as the last of the fireworks, which had yet to cease, were starting to shift into hues of red and pink. Silver knelt down before her, still keeping her hand within grasp. "It doesn't have to be right now, but will you...marry me?" The small box opened to reveal a beautiful ring befitting the occasion.

At a loss for words, (y/n) dropped into the sand in front of him and caught him in a tight hug. "I- Of course I will! Yes, my answer is yes," she cried into his shoulder. "I love you, Silver. I really truly do."

"I love you too." Silver waited until (y/n) had loosened her grip on him enough to escape. "One more thing," he mumbled just before he slipped from her grasp. (Y/n) flinched, not having the time to register his action, but she didn't dare to move. Her kissed her, innocently yet full of the desire he had been keeping within him up until that moment. Without much thought, (y/n) pulled him closer and wrapped an arm around him.

Silver broke away to catch his breath and rest his forehead against hers. "I had to keep at least one of my promises since I didn't make it to the festival in time," he muttered. (Y/n) only hummed in agreement. "I'm home now though, so you'll get these more often."

"Home?" (Y/n) reached up to play with his hair, not once taking her eyes off his joyful expression. She wanted to burn it into her memory.

He gave her a hum of confirmation. "Yes, Alola is my home now. I took the job, I'm going to be staying here on Mele Mele Island with you. I'll have my own place...for now." Silver gave her a bit of space and looked off towards the skies. "The fireworks have stopped," he noted. "Do you want to head back to-"

"No," (y/n) immediately answered. She gave a quick shy apology for interrupting him. "Not yet. I don't want this moment to end yet," she quietly admitted. Silver gave her a knowing look and flashed her a smile.

For the remainder of that night, he read some of the letters he had written to her. Though they tried, he was unable to get through all of them. They had talked and laughed in an attempt to catch up on loss time admist reading the letters together.

And it is here that this journey of redemption ends. Though much had to be done to reach this point, Silver found what he hadn't even known he had been searching for. Team Remnant Rocket existed no longer, and a new organization led by Giovanni himself was established to help those who had been harmed by all forms of the Team Rocket organizations.

And as for who it was that went along with Silver through that journey...well, you would know, right?
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I hope you all have enjoyed the story! And don't forget the After You Read chapter! I wonder if I'll see you there, til then!