"James!" Jessie awoke drenched in sweat. It had seemed so real, so vivid... but he was always gone when she opened her eyes. Ever since that crash, the dreams had been haunting her, playing tricks with her mind. She gasped for breath and checked the little clock beside her bed. 7:43. Probably time to get up anyway.
"Are you all right, Jess?" Meowth was instantly awake, his above-human hearing alerting him to any noise.
"Yeah, I'm okay. Thanks, Meowth." She smiled and scratched him behind his ears. The scratchcat pokémon purred appreciatively, but was still worried. Jessie had been acting strangely for the past few weeks, although she had gotten out of her depression somewhat. She'd woken up speaking or shouting for a while now; he'd gotten used to it.
"So, what's up for today? Are dere any plans?"
Jessie looked down. "I was planning to visit the florist, then maybe go to the park." The park was about a seven-minute walk away from the small apartment that Jessie had rented. The flower shop was not much farther.
"Okay den, let's get goin'!" Meowth was, of course, eager to go - he'd seen a queen Meowth* the other day and would do just about anything to meet her. Jessie quickly got dressed in some streetclothes and they headed out the door.
"Good morning, madam. May I assist you today?" The shopkeeper was cheery towards Jessie, her being the first customer of the day.
"Yes, you could. I'd like a long-stemmed rose, if you'd be so kind."
The florist was puzzled. Why pick a plain old rose when there was the finest assortment of fresh Bellossom flowers and Vileplume petals to choose from? She said so. "Ma'am, why don't you have a look at our wonderful selection of-"
"I'd like a single red long-stemmed rose, please." There was an impatient edge to Jessie's voice. "And that will be all." Meowth pawed at her leg. "And some Meowth-nip," she added. A grin spread across the cat pokémon's face.
"Why, certainly. Just a moment." The woman wasn't a fool, and knew better than to irritate someone using that tone of voice. "Here we are, a beautiful red rose. And some Meowth-nip." Jessie passed some coins over the counter. "Thank you very much, miss. Please come again." The words were lost on Jessie as she walked quietly out the door holding her rose.
The park was a popular place to be, apparently. There were trainers taking their pokémon for a weekend walk, and one couple holding hands on a bench. Their Eevees were glancing at each other as well, like they wanted to be together. "Dere she is! Oh, she's so beautiful. D'ya think she'll like da Meowth-nip?" Jessie was tying the Meowth-nip pouch to Meowth's tail with a red ribbon. He smoothed his fur down with a paw. "How do I look?"
Jessie couldn't help but smile. "You look charming, Meowth. And I'm sure she'll love it. And," she knelt down to cat-level, "if you run out of ideas, I think she'd love a simple ball of yarn."
"I'd get dat gal a ball of gold thread if she asked it! Meowth!" He briefly scanned the area, then sauntered off casually towards the femme in question. Jessie watched him proffer the plant to her, and she smiled again as they touched noses in a feline kiss. Well, best to leave Meowth to his business. She glanced back one last time as she moved closer to a quieter area, then turned her attention back to where she was going and walked slowly through the iron gates.
Jessie walked through the cemetary, holding the rose out in front of her like a sacred relic. She passed under a weeping willow - how appropriate for a place like this. She walked by crying angels and lambs, doves and crosses. She stopped in front of a small, almost unnoticeable stone set into the ground. It was the purest white, with no engraving on it at all. She knew who was resting underneath it anyway. As she placed the rose carefully across the white stone, a single petal detatched from the rest of the flower. "I miss you so much, James. I feel like it was all my fault, and there's nothing I can do to get you back. But I wish I could see you just one more time. Just to tell you... I love you, but now I'll never get the chance to say it..." A muffled sob escaped her throat and tears blurred her vision.
Would you know my name
If I saw you in heaven?
Would it be the same
If I saw you in heaven?
I must be strong
And carry on
'Cause I know
I don't belong
Here in heaven.
Would you hold my hand
If I saw you in heaven?
Would you help me stand
If I saw you in heaven?
I'll find my way
Through night and day
'Cause I know
I just can't stay
here in heaven.
Time can bring you down
Time can bend your knees
Time can break the heart
Have you beggin' please
Beggin' please
Beyond the door
There's peace, I'm sure.
And I know
There'll be no more
Tears in heaven.
Jessie was on her knees, crying uncontrollably now. An unseen hand rubbed her back in a comforting gesture, and another wiped her tears away.
"I miss you too, Jessie. And I forgive you. Nothing was your fault, but I'll forgive you anything. I loved you too, Jess. And I still do. Always will. Forever."
Her sobs subsiding, Jessie looked around with wild eyes. "James?" Her voice had a tremor to it, and a tangible note of longing. "James, are you there?" James sat in the branches of a young oak, a smile gracing his face.
"I wish you could see me too, Jessie. Or hear me. I know you can't, but it's been wonderful being able to watch you now. I'll miss you forever too." Jessie, crying anew, braced herself against a tall tombstone. She meandered through the graves, composing herself, then made her way back to the gates. Behind her, the rose was lifted into the air. James smiled sadly. "Forever." Anyone watching would have seen a drop of liquid fall from nowhere to the rose petals as the flower was set back in its place.
* Queen is the proper term for a female cat, just like Tom is the male. So dun go thinking she's royalty or anything like that.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the pokémon characters, but I'm still hoping. The song, as far as I know, is property of Eric Clapton and Will Jennings. If I get flames, they will be fed to Scorcher. He's my Cyndaquil, and can always eat a bit more.
"Are you all right, Jess?" Meowth was instantly awake, his above-human hearing alerting him to any noise.
"Yeah, I'm okay. Thanks, Meowth." She smiled and scratched him behind his ears. The scratchcat pokémon purred appreciatively, but was still worried. Jessie had been acting strangely for the past few weeks, although she had gotten out of her depression somewhat. She'd woken up speaking or shouting for a while now; he'd gotten used to it.
"So, what's up for today? Are dere any plans?"
Jessie looked down. "I was planning to visit the florist, then maybe go to the park." The park was about a seven-minute walk away from the small apartment that Jessie had rented. The flower shop was not much farther.
"Okay den, let's get goin'!" Meowth was, of course, eager to go - he'd seen a queen Meowth* the other day and would do just about anything to meet her. Jessie quickly got dressed in some streetclothes and they headed out the door.
"Good morning, madam. May I assist you today?" The shopkeeper was cheery towards Jessie, her being the first customer of the day.
"Yes, you could. I'd like a long-stemmed rose, if you'd be so kind."
The florist was puzzled. Why pick a plain old rose when there was the finest assortment of fresh Bellossom flowers and Vileplume petals to choose from? She said so. "Ma'am, why don't you have a look at our wonderful selection of-"
"I'd like a single red long-stemmed rose, please." There was an impatient edge to Jessie's voice. "And that will be all." Meowth pawed at her leg. "And some Meowth-nip," she added. A grin spread across the cat pokémon's face.
"Why, certainly. Just a moment." The woman wasn't a fool, and knew better than to irritate someone using that tone of voice. "Here we are, a beautiful red rose. And some Meowth-nip." Jessie passed some coins over the counter. "Thank you very much, miss. Please come again." The words were lost on Jessie as she walked quietly out the door holding her rose.
The park was a popular place to be, apparently. There were trainers taking their pokémon for a weekend walk, and one couple holding hands on a bench. Their Eevees were glancing at each other as well, like they wanted to be together. "Dere she is! Oh, she's so beautiful. D'ya think she'll like da Meowth-nip?" Jessie was tying the Meowth-nip pouch to Meowth's tail with a red ribbon. He smoothed his fur down with a paw. "How do I look?"
Jessie couldn't help but smile. "You look charming, Meowth. And I'm sure she'll love it. And," she knelt down to cat-level, "if you run out of ideas, I think she'd love a simple ball of yarn."
"I'd get dat gal a ball of gold thread if she asked it! Meowth!" He briefly scanned the area, then sauntered off casually towards the femme in question. Jessie watched him proffer the plant to her, and she smiled again as they touched noses in a feline kiss. Well, best to leave Meowth to his business. She glanced back one last time as she moved closer to a quieter area, then turned her attention back to where she was going and walked slowly through the iron gates.
Jessie walked through the cemetary, holding the rose out in front of her like a sacred relic. She passed under a weeping willow - how appropriate for a place like this. She walked by crying angels and lambs, doves and crosses. She stopped in front of a small, almost unnoticeable stone set into the ground. It was the purest white, with no engraving on it at all. She knew who was resting underneath it anyway. As she placed the rose carefully across the white stone, a single petal detatched from the rest of the flower. "I miss you so much, James. I feel like it was all my fault, and there's nothing I can do to get you back. But I wish I could see you just one more time. Just to tell you... I love you, but now I'll never get the chance to say it..." A muffled sob escaped her throat and tears blurred her vision.
Would you know my name
If I saw you in heaven?
Would it be the same
If I saw you in heaven?
I must be strong
And carry on
'Cause I know
I don't belong
Here in heaven.
Would you hold my hand
If I saw you in heaven?
Would you help me stand
If I saw you in heaven?
I'll find my way
Through night and day
'Cause I know
I just can't stay
here in heaven.
Time can bring you down
Time can bend your knees
Time can break the heart
Have you beggin' please
Beggin' please
Beyond the door
There's peace, I'm sure.
And I know
There'll be no more
Tears in heaven.
Jessie was on her knees, crying uncontrollably now. An unseen hand rubbed her back in a comforting gesture, and another wiped her tears away.
"I miss you too, Jessie. And I forgive you. Nothing was your fault, but I'll forgive you anything. I loved you too, Jess. And I still do. Always will. Forever."
Her sobs subsiding, Jessie looked around with wild eyes. "James?" Her voice had a tremor to it, and a tangible note of longing. "James, are you there?" James sat in the branches of a young oak, a smile gracing his face.
"I wish you could see me too, Jessie. Or hear me. I know you can't, but it's been wonderful being able to watch you now. I'll miss you forever too." Jessie, crying anew, braced herself against a tall tombstone. She meandered through the graves, composing herself, then made her way back to the gates. Behind her, the rose was lifted into the air. James smiled sadly. "Forever." Anyone watching would have seen a drop of liquid fall from nowhere to the rose petals as the flower was set back in its place.
* Queen is the proper term for a female cat, just like Tom is the male. So dun go thinking she's royalty or anything like that.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the pokémon characters, but I'm still hoping. The song, as far as I know, is property of Eric Clapton and Will Jennings. If I get flames, they will be fed to Scorcher. He's my Cyndaquil, and can always eat a bit more.
