This is not a Pokemon fic. I mean, it is, but I'm just using the characters Ash and
Misty. Brock doesn't exist. Ash and Misty never went on an adventure together or
anything, they don't know each other. Well I mean they have to know each other for this
to be a romance but oh never mind, I'll shut-up. I'll just let you read.

	Disclaimer:  I don't own Ash and Misty. 

	Rating:  PG13
					  ~~~~~

	Cascade
        Chapter 1
	By Silver V
	



	Misty Hazell scrubbed her hands over her face wishing she could wipe away the
tiredness. She reached for the coffee pot and poured herself some old stale coffee from
that morning. 
	"Miss Hazell? Mr. Toadwell is here to see you." Misty's secretary said timidly from
the door. Misty smiled faintly at the sound of the old crone's name. It suited the fat, old
warty pompous man perfectly. She didn't really feel like having to put up with him right
now, but he would think it an insult if she didn't see him. Misty ran a hand through her
long, perfectly styled hair, and sighed.
	"All right. Show him in." she said tiredly. 
	"Mr. Toadwell, what a surprise." She rose from her desk and shook his hand,
masking her face perfectly from the revulsion she was feeling at having to clasp the fleshy
hand. Her clear sea-blue eyes showed no emotion.
	"Miss Hazell. I would like to speak with you about a very pressing matter. My
models are expressing distaste at having to wear clothes that have already been
presented."
	Misty felt like slapping the fool. They had already been over this a thousand times.
The only thing that kept her back was the fact that he was a big client, and she would lose
major business if she slapped him. Although it would give her great satisfaction. "Mr.
Toadwell, I have already told you that your models have to model those clothes because
the designs have not been seen in California. It would give business a boost if they started
buying too."
	"Yes but couldn't they show new designs? I don't like to be degraded."
	Misty's paper-thin patience was starting to break. "You are not being degraded!"
she snapped. When he gave her a astonished look she regretted her outburst immediately.
	"Well! My models are fed up with your childish behavior and so am I." he started
haughtily.
	"How could the models be fed up with me? They've never even met me?" Misty
said shortly, thoroughly irritated.
	"Well! You'll have to find you another agency to model your designs, because I am
sick and tired of being treated-"
	"Like the scum you are." Misty cut him off, then gasped. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry Mr.
Toadwell, I don't know what came over me!" she tried to apologize. His face was bright
red from anger.
	"Well, well! You little...uh.....well!" he spluttered, spraying her with spit. He glared
at her for a couple more seconds then stomped off. Misty groaned and buried her face in
her hands. What was she going to do? Misty was the owner of the fashion boutique,
'Cascade'. What had started as a small store in a mini-mall, was now growing into chain of
stores spread all over America. Cascade had all the latest fashions for teens, men and
woman, some of which Misty herself designed. Misty had been loath to have managers for
each store, but it would be impossible for her to run them all. Misty ran the largest one
located in New York. Her mother had constantly been pressuring her to get a partner to
help deal with all the papers and stuff. Mrs. Hazell claimed that Misty was giving herself
grey hairs over her 'silly store'. 
	She rubbed her eyes wearily and went to get her coat, about to go home and rest a
little. She just didn't feel like worrying about finding another modelling agency to support
her fashions right now.
	"Minny, I'm going home now." Misty called to her secretary. The girl looked up
and flashed her a sympathetic grin. 
	"Bye Miss Hazell, have a good sleep."
	Misty nodded and tied her hair up in a blue scarf to keep it from getting whipped
around and tangled by the wind. She trudged out of the building, and--because she was
staring downcastedly at the ground--tripped over a large item in her way.
	"Aaaaaiiiiiiiiiieeeeeeeee!! Mr. Toadwell! What happened!?" Mr. Toadwell, who
was the object Misty had tripped over, didn't answer. He just layed there, twisted at an
awkward angle with a grey, unresponsive face.
	"Minny! Come out here right now! HURRY!"
	Minny rushed out of the building with a worried look on her face. "Miss Hazell,
what is it? Aaaahhh!" she shrieked when she saw Mr. Toadwell. "I'll phone 911!"
	"You do that. Oh no, Mr. Toadwell, you can't die, you really can't die! Oh no, you
can't live! What if you sue me! Oh no, die! Die!" Misty panicked. If he sued her, all of her
hard worked for dreams and hopes for Cascade would be washed down the drain. Misty
heard the sound of sirens coming closer and closer. 
	"Wee ooo! Wee ooo! Wee ooo!" went the ambulance. Misty watched all of this in
a dream-like trance. The paramedics getting out of the ambulance and rushing to Mr.
Toadwell. One of the medical dudes asking her if she knew what happened, and her vague
response of 'I don't know, just found him.' She stood there and watched the ambulance
with Mr. Toadwell on it drive away to the hospital.
	"Come on now Miss. You go home now." Minny took her arm and directed her to
a cab, pressing some money into her hand. Misty shook her head, and smiled gratefully at
Minny. 
	"Thank-you Minny. I will be fine now. See you at work tomorrow."
	"Good-bye Miss Hazell."
	Misty stepped into the cab, directed the cabdriver to her small, classy house and
sank back into the cushions, thankful to finally be going home. 

					   ~~~~~

	Ash Trenon glared at the telephone. 
	"If it rings one more time," he muttered quietly to himself, "it's not going to live
long enough to ring again."
	RING! RING! 
	"Aaaaaaahhhhhh!!" he screamed in frustration.
	"Hello?" he said shortly.
	"Um hi, is this Mr. Trenon?"
	"Yes. What do you want?"
	"Uh we're selling magazines and-"
	The magazine seller didn't get to finish as Ash slammed the phone down. 
	"I'm going out for a walk." he growled at a co-worker.
	"Sure. Bye Ash."
	He didn't answer, just wandered out of the building. Ash worked for a firm called
‘Code and Justice.' He had worked his way up from an average, small time lawyer and--by
the sweat of his brow--became what he was right now. A very much in demand, well
known, expensive defence lawyer. 
	Ash stared at the street vendor's, and felt his stomach grumble. He walked over
and bought a soft pretzel, gnawing on it as he strolled up and down the streets, letting the
wind blow through his thick hair and muss it up. 
	Ash didn't really have to worry about being mugged or attacked because only a
very brave assailant would attack this tall, muscular guy. Ash didn't have that body builder
look but was blessed with the lean firm body guys envy and girls swoon over. His hair was
thick and black, his mouth firm and his eyes a deep brown. To say the least, Ash didn't
have to go looking for a girl to date. Although his love-life seemed to remain a secret to
his co-workers. He never brought any girl over to meet one of them, he never hit on any
of the girl's at the office or he's never even asked to be covered for or leave early to go on
a date. Only someone who knew him well would realize that he was waiting for a the 'right
girl' to come along. Ash was a believer in everybody having a match out there somewhere
in the world. He had fooled around and screwed enough girls in high school and college to
last a lifetime. Those days were over. Now it was just work and hope a girl waltzed into
his life.

					   ~~~~~

	Misty groaned and dragged herself out of bed. Stumbling over to the mirror she
grimaced at what she saw in the reflection. Her thick red hair was tangled hopelessly and
her normally clear skin was blotchy with big bags under her eyes. She dragged a brush
through her hair until it resembled human hair and not a bird's nest and scrubbed her face.
	Plodding into the kitchen, she got herself some supper and hoped to God the
phone wouldn't ring. She didn't want to hear from Mr. Toadwell just yet.
	RING! RING!
	Damn. Stupid phone. Misty tentatively picked it up. 
	"Hello?" 
	Wincing, she heard the arrogant voice of Mr. Toadwell come over the line. "Miss
Hazell. I would like to give you a warning."
	"What for!? What did I do!?"
	"I'm suing you for breach of contract and-"
	"Huh? What breach of contract? You were the one who quit. If anything I should
be suing you."
	"Hmph. As you may recall the contract said that my models were to wear original
designs. The clothes you wanted them to wear were not original."
	Misty almost tore her hair out. Damn! The contract didn't say anything about that!
But Mr. Toadwell would never listen to her.
	"And I'm suing you for slippery steps which made me fall and break a hip and an
arm. I will be out of work for quite awhile. You shall want to get a lawyer and all that.
Good day." and with that Mr. Toadwell hung up, leaving Misty staring dumbfounded at
the phone. She slowly hung up, then collapsed to the floor in a heap, fainting dead away..

					   ~~~~~

	"Ash! Get over here!"
	Ash glanced up from the papers on his desk in annoyance. He had just come in
from his walk and didn't feel like being bugged so soon. "What?"
	"Come here! I've got a case for you! Involves a girl too!"
	Ash groaned. Why were his co-workers and now his boss always trying to set him
up? With cases no less? People who needed a lawyer weren't exactly looking for romance.
He swung himself out of his desk and walked to the door of his office where his boss, Pete
Welsley, was clutching a folder to his chest.
	"Okay, what now? I'm just wrapping up this case and you want me to get to work
on another one?"
	"You bet. You know that fashion store, the one that's rapidly becoming popular?"
	"Uh....you'll have to be a little more specific."
	"It's called Scade? Or something like that. Just a second." Pete rooted around in
the folder and pulled out a sheet of paper. "Ah-ha! 'Cascade.' It's owned by that chick
Misty Hazell. Pretty name, and I’ll bet she's a looker too!"
	"Pete! She's being sued or something! She's not looking for a boyfriend!"
	"Whoever said anything about boyfriends? I was just saying she's probably a
looker." Pete said with an innocent expression.
	"Yeah yeah, get on with it." Ash grumbled.
	Pete consulted another paper. "Well it seems that Mr. Toadwell-"
	Ash groaned. He had had a few run ins with the old toad already.
	"Well it seems that he's suing Miss Hazell for breach of contract? Ah well.........and
slippery steps? Oh. He tripped on her steps and broke a hip and an arm and now he's
suing."
	Ash rolled his eyes. This one shouldn't be too hard.
	"But Ash, be careful, his attorney is Edwin Falisko.”
	Ash gaped. Of course Mr. Toadwell would get one of the best lawyer in the world.
	"Yeah, and your going to be her lawyer. Who knows? Maybe you will find some
romance." Pete winked and Ash rolled his eyes. "Now get to work." Pete handed the
folder to Ash and shoved him into his office. 
	"Aye-aye sir!" Ash saluted and closed the door on a spluttering Pete.

					   ~~~~~

	"Dearie, what's this about you getting sued? It's all over the papers!" Mrs. Hazell
asked.
	Misty groaned. Then sighed and started to tell her Mom the whole story. If she
didn't right now Mrs. Hazell would wring it out of her eventually. She started at the run in
with Mr. Toadwell and finished with telling about phoning her old friend, well Minny's old
friend, Pete Welsley, about getting a lawyer.
	"Oh my." her mother said when Misty had finished. "Well it seems that its true
then. You'll be all right, won't you? Because you know your father and I will help all we
can!"
	Misty smiled sadly. She knew her Mom and Dad would help if they could but they
were already living off the money Misty sent them each month. Misty hadn't grown up a
rich child and she had worked very hard to live comfortably now. Too bad old Mr.
Toadwell was going to take most of her money now. Well, she could hope her lawyer was
a dang good one, and maybe she wouldn't lose so much. 
	"Thanks Mom but you don't have to. I’ll be fine."
	"Your sure?" Mrs. Hazell said anxiously but Misty could hear the underlying relief
in her voice.
	"Yeah I’m sure. Bye Mom, talk to you later."
	"Bye dear."
	Misty hung up the phone and right away it blared another ring. She clenched her
teeth and picked it up.
	"Hello?" she clipped out.
	"Hi, is this Miss Hazell?" a definitely masculine voice said. It was deep and rich,
and Misty wondered if he was one of those smooth-talkers that magazines or companies
will hire to sell their products.
	"Mm-hmm. What can I do for you?" she said in her icy-est tone of voice, hoping to
scare him off. It usually did the trick.
	"This is Ash Trenon, your lawyer?"
	"Oh!" she said surprised. "Well, how much do you think I'm going to have to
pay?"	
	He chuckled. "Not so fast there honey, I have to meet with you and talk about this
and then maybe I can give you an estimate."
	Misty bristled at the 'honey'.  "Well then when are we meeting?" she said shortly.
	Ash grinned. She was a hothead all right. "How about tomorrow at four o'clock?
Come to Code and Justice. You know where that is don't you?"	
	"Yes, that will be fine. Good-bye."
	"Bye." Ash hung up the phone and went back to consulting the papers, whistling
and smiling to himself. This would be interesting.

					   ~~~~~

	Misty stared nervously at the clock.. It was almost four o'clock. 
	"Well you better go now." she said to herself, "And stop being so nervous. Misty
Hazell is never nervous." Misty shook her head and laughed at herself for being so stupid
and talking to herself. Misty straightened the chic red blouse she was wearing over a black
mini skirt. She grabbed her purse, took a final look in the mirror and walked out.

					   ~~~~~

	Ash ran a hand through his hair and scowled at the clock. Where was she? It was
four thirty. Just then a knock came on the door.
	"Come in!" he called and rolled his eyes. She had to be fashionably late I suppose,
he thought to himself.
	"Hello. Sorry I'm late." Misty Hazell walked in and Ash felt like he had gotten a
punch to the gut. She was the perfect picture of a sophisticated business woman. Her
long, red hair matched the red of her blouse, and her face was perfectly adorned with just
the right amount of make-up. As she lifted her hand to tuck some hair behind her ear he
saw she had small perfect hands, decorated with an expensive looking watch and only two
rings. Ash gulped, she looked like a sleek woman who could get whatever she wanted and
would use any method to get it.
	"Well." she gave him a slightly confused look. "Shall we get started?"
	"Oh yeah," Ash waved to one of the chairs in front of his desk. "Sit down."
	Misty sat down and crossed her legs, causing Ash to gulp again as he got a look at
her smooth, shapely legs. He tore his gaze away from her legs and cleared his throat.
	"Uh well, so tell me what happened."

					   ~~~~~

	Misty grinned as Ash's voice trailed off again as she stretched cat-like in her chair.
He shook his head and ran a hand through his hair. It was her turn to stare. His hair was
thick and wild, and his face not the classic sense in handsome but there was something
about it that had girl's flocking to him. Maybe it was his adorable boyish-eyes, or the cute
nose that you don't see on most men, but on him just added to his appearance. As he
talked she caught herself staring at his mouth. What a delightful mouth. Firm and wide.
His best feature yet. Or maybe it was his hair. Oh well. The whole package was nice.
	"Miss Hazell? Miss Hazell?"
	Misty snapped out of her trance as she realized he was repeating her name. "Oh.
Sorry. Yes?"
	"I said I can probably dismiss the charge of breach of contract since you said you
had a copy of the contract you made and no where in it does it say that the models would
always wear new designs. Am I right?" Misty nodded. He continued, "but the charge
about the 'slippery steps' is going to be harder. Especially if I'm against Edwin Falisko."
	"Right. Well, do you need me anymore?"
	Ash shook his head. "No, you can go, although I'm going to have to meet with you
again, about eight on Saturday?"
	"In the morning?" Misty squeaked.
	"Uh yeah. Why?" Ash gave her a puzzled look. 	
	"Oh no reason. Yes that will be fine. Good day Mr. Trenon." Inwardly Misty
grimaced. She loved her sleep, and didn't get up on Saturday's until noon if she could help
it. Oh well, she'd have to make a few small sacrifices if she wanted to win. Misty got up
and then bent down to pick up her purse, giving Ash a lovely view of her butt.
	"Uh yeah.....bye........Miss Hazell." when he spoke his voice was husky and he
hastily cleared his throat. When Misty heard this she grinned in female awareness. She
hadn't come looking for romance, but maybe a quick fling would be nice. Ash stared at her
retreating back, and her swaying hips. He shook his head and a slow smile came over his
face. Maybe she was looking for romance after all. He kicked back in his desk and swung
his feet onto the desk. Yeah she was a cool one all right. He frowned a little. Over the
phone she had seemed angry, and had a quick temper. He would have expected that to go
with her hair, but when she showed up, her attitude was anything but hot-headed. He
frowned yet again. Hmm, she was a puzzle, but he was willing to work the jig-saw out.

					   ~~~~~

	Misty was getting ready for bed, and while she was brushing her teeth a thought
struck her. She hadn't actually found Mr. Toadwell on her steps, or even on the sidewalk
in front of her house! He had sort-of been lying on the side of the road. Then he couldn't
sue her! He wasn't on her property! Oh my god! Misty rushed to the phone, after spitting
out the toothpaste, and dialled Mr. Trenon's number. 
	"Please be there, please be there!" she mumbled.
	"Hello?"
	"Mr. Trenon?"
	"Yes?"
	"This is Misty! You know the one that's getting sued?"
	He chuckled. "Yes I know who you are." She sounded animated and emotional,
not the same as when he had first talked to her on the phone but not like the cool woman
he had met either. ‘Another piece of the puzzle,’ he thought absently. 
	"Guess what? I was just thinking, and I remembered that Mr. Toadwell wasn't on
my property when he fell! He was on the road! Now he can't sue me! Right?" Misty's
excited statements were met by silence.
	"Uh Misty, may I call you Misty?"
	"Yeah yeah whatever."
	"Well Misty, how do you know he didn't trip on the steps and roll to the road?
That's what happens when people trip. They roll."
	"I know that!" she shouted, "but how can he prove that he did trip on my steps!
What if he tripped on the edge of the sidewalk?"
	"Then that would still be your property."
	"Oh you!" Misty said frustrated. "I get all excited that I might not be sued and you
go and burst my bubble! Men." the last word was muttered. Ash let out a short burst of
laughter.
	"What?" Misty asked.
	"You sounded cute." he said mildly.
	"Uh, um yeah, well."
	Ash smiled. Could it be the collected Misty Hazell was flustered and embarrassed? 
	"Uh well..........we're still on for Saturday, right?" Misty could have kicked herself
for making it sound like a date.
	"Mm-hhmm." Ash’s amused answer rippled over the phone line.
	"Okay well, uh sorry to bother you Mr. Trenon-"
	"Call me Ash. We'll be working together for awhile now."
	"Okay.........Ash. Well bye." Misty hurriedly hung up. Ash grinned and hung up.
What a surprising woman.

					   ~~~~~

	Ding-Dong! Silence. Ding-Dong! Frustrated, Ash punched the helpless doorbell
with his index finger. Ding-Dong! Silence yet again. Ash narrowed his eyes at the door.
Where was that girl? When she had been an hour late showing up to their meeting he
decided to go to her house, and see what she was up to. He tried turning the handle, and
to his surprise, it clicked open. Well, didn’t the woman realize you should lock your doors
in New York. He shrugged, and hesitantly stepped through the doorway.
	“Hello!” he called to the silent house. “Hello!” Ash glanced around. What was
going on? Where was she? His nerves were starting to have him tip-toe around, and he felt
tempted to pick up a chair for protection. Only the thought that Misty would see, and he
would feel rather foolish, stopped him from grabbing the chair.
	“Misty! Where in God’s name are you?” he started to get worried.
	“Mmmuugh,” a throat clogged with sleep mumbled from behind him.
	Ash whirled around and felt his eyes widen and his jaw drop. The woman had just
gotten up! And the way she looked was not helping him think rationally either.
	“Misty?” to his shame, his voice was only a squeak, but she was too disoriented to
realize.
	“Augh,” was her answer. She cleared her throat and tried again. “Yeah. What are
you doing here?”
	Ash didn’t answer, he was too busy staring and gulping. Her face was flushed and
soft from sleep, with her sea-green eyes blinking open wide in a defence against tiredness,
and her thick hair was tangled and tumbling around her shoulders like a waterfall of fire.
The blue terry-cloth robe she had thrown on was slipping off one shoulder and knotted
very loosely at the waist so that it kept falling open and revealing tantalizing glimpses of
smooth skin.
	“Ash? You okay?”
	Ash was snapped out of his staring spell by Misty waving her hand in front of his
face. “Uh, yeah, sure.” He gave his head a shake, trying to clear it, and sank down into a
nearby chair.
	“So, um, do you want to just have the meeting here?” Ash asked, eyeing her
dishevelled appearance. “Or do I have to wait for two hours while you get ready?”
	“It wouldn’t have taken me two hours to get ready, but since I’m too lazy, we’ll
just have it here.” Misty pulled up another chair and flopped into it with a hearty sigh. 
	“Not a morning person, are you?” Ash commented. 
	“Gee Sherlock, what led you to that conclusion?” Misty retorted sarcastically.
	Ash just raised an eyebrow, then smiled slightly when he saw her give a bone
cracking yawn while her eyelids started to droop. “Do you want some coffee or
something, so you can stay at least half awake?” 
	Misty’s eyes flew open and she drew herself up, shifting her spine to military
position. “I suppose coffee wouldn’t hurt.” She rose, and headed for her coffee pot,
measuring out the water and coffee beans. 
	Ash cursed her short robe that left her legs bare. Bare female legs were the bane of
men’s existance. A woman showed them her legs and they were reduced to slobbering
idiots. That and tears were the two things that always got a female her way. Ash hated
when a woman turned on the waterworks. It always made him feel like he was in the
wrong and it was all his fault. 
	Ash’s thoughts were screeched to a halt--his brain screeched to a halt--when Misty
turned around and the bottom of her robe parted to the top of her thigh.
	“Are..you, uh,...sure that, you um, don’t want to change? I’ll wait,” he forced out
through a clogged throat.
	Misty grinned. “No, that’s okay. I’m comfortable.”
	But I’m not, he thought. When Misty went back to her coffee making Ash visibly
relaxed. He settled back and prepared himself for one of the longest meetings of his life. 
	Why must when every time he saw Misty his thoughts strayed very far from lawyer
business? It would be very difficult to defend her in court if all he could think about was
her legs. It was the curse of the females, he decided. The curse of being too lovely and
desirable. 
	“Miserable women,” Ash grumbled when Misty turned yet again and her robe
parted, yet again.
	“A very, very miserable women.”

					~~~~~

	There, the first chapters done. Finally. Get back to me on your thoughts, and
watch for chapter 2. 

Silver V