James's Confession...?

"Aw, we're lost, again, aren't we?" demanded Ash, staring above to the darkening sky. They were in a forest somewhere outside Viridian City, having had begun their way back to Pallet Town. After traveling the many regions in the Pokémon world, the would-be master decided to take a nice break and return to the places that had lead him to where he was now. All his comrades did the same; Brock and Misty had both joined him as they had at the beginning of Ash's journey. Also, May, Max, Dawn, and Tracey agreed to meet them up at Cerulean City, at Misty's gym. It was like a special reunion, with all the people that watched you learn and grow up for the important parts of life.

That was, of course, if the trio ever got out of their current situation of being lost in the forest for the umpteenth time. Ah, like how it always was...

"I'm sorry, Ash," replied Brock calmly, consulting his map. After all the times they've been lost...well, you get used to the feeling.

Ash merely sighed and sat on the ground, in a defeated manner. Misty crouched down next to him and lightly hit him on his head. "C'mon, Ash... We'll get you home soon." She smiled at him in a comforting way.

The other kid nodded, petting his Pikachu absentmindedly. "Pika pi," the Pokémon told him in an assuring voice.

They sat in silence for a minute. Then two. Three...

Then—

"OW!"

Three figures had just appeared out of nowhere, falling right onto the middle of the kids. Apparently, by the sounds of footsteps behind them, there was company.

"TEAM ROCKET!"

The fallen teenagers sprung up, pointing to the sky and shouting:

"Prepare for trouble!"

"Make it double!"

"To protect the world fr—"

"Meowth, that's right!" screeched their cat Pokémon in a dazed tone, swaying slightly from the impact. Before anyone could say anything more, there was another voice. A female one.

"JIMMY, DARLIN'!" Jessiebell bellowed, running to the blue-haired teen and tackling him to the ground. Although James was supposed to be tougher and bigger (being a man), he lay helplessly under the weight of his 'fiancé,' looking around pleadingly for help. Finally, Jessie pulled out her fan and hit her 'mirror-image' square in the face. She squealed, jumping back and rubbing her nose. "Ow!"

James smiled gratefully as his teammate offered her hand to help him up. He took it, gingerly getting up to his feet. "Thanks, Jess."

Jessie said nothing (she was confused at her seemingly 'generous' action) and, with as much strength as she could muster at the moment, hit her partner-in-crime with her fan, clearly annoyed. "If you can't stand up against this thing, what makes you think you can steal Pokémon off powerful, strong men? Like Cyrus and the Boss? How wimpy can you get, James?"

James glared at his best friend and opened his mouth to retaliate, but the look she gave him made him blush and look down in shame. She...was serious and pitied him. Ouch.

"Jimmy, love, when're you gonna realize that I'm yah pehfect woman! Ain't nothing's evah gonna stop me from getting you. Why not just marry me to save your time?" Jessiebell looked smug, crossing her arms. It was true; nothing would ever make her give up on her man. Nothing.

Everyone seemed to be thinking along the same lines. Even the twerps! (Although they were already blocked out from the scene.) James bit his lip and hid behind Jessie, mumbling excuses to her and Meowth. "There is no way I'm marrying her!"

"Listen, sweetie-pie," his so-called fiancé began easily, "I know I'm the on'y one that'll evah love you! And soon, you'll fin'lly see me as a—hmm—romantic interest, if yah please. You know that, hon. So be a big boy and come with me!"

"No!" Shouted James, finally jumping out from behind his partner, "I-I don't care! I will NEVER fall in love with you!"

"Why? There's nobody else!"

"What if there is?"

"...!"

James quickly looked around; to the twerps. To Meowth. To Jessie.

All or nothing, Jimmy.

"Jessie!" he cried, turning to face her. He could feel his face warm considerably and his heart to pound loudly in his chest. He was sure that everyone could feel the heat radiating from him, the heavy thumps each heartbeat made.

Jessie, however, just raised her eyebrows, waiting. She was obviously confused.

James took a deep breath, taking his partner's hands in his. "It's you, Jessie. I-I can't marry her because I love you."

Silence. From everyone. Finally—

"WHAT?" demanded Jessiebell, throwing manners to the winds. "I beg you're pardin, Jimmy dear, but what the—?"

"You heard me! I'm in love with Jessie!"

"You can't love her; she doesn't ev'n come from'a wealthy family! I do!"

James shook his head at the rampaging woman, turning his full attention to his beloved. "I love you, Jessie!"

She was shocked. Plain and simple. It was worse than any thunderbolts that yellow rat had ever given them. Her face had a different kind of emotion, one that James had never seen before. She looked at him steadily, keeping her tough composure. No response.

James let go of her hand, hurt. He had never fallen in love before Jessie, so he had never felt heartache or rejection before. And how unbearably painful it was. He had never at all thought much about the stories of Meowth's and Jessie's past 'loves' and all the hurt they felt. He was so sure it wasn't such a big deal, that they were just over-reacting. Now...he knew as well.

She didn't feel the same. Not that he was sure she would...but still, he had hoped. James turned around swiftly, tears in his emerald eyes. He never was the strongest amongst them. "Sorry."

Jessie stared as her best friend began to run further into the forest, away from the trail. Instinctively, she followed and caught up quickly, grabbing the teen by his arm and pulling him around to face her. He was crying silently, and it angered her. "Moron! Why are you crying like that? I don't answer for a second and you decide to leave?"

He just looked at his boots, trying to ignore the girl in front of him. The one he had fallen so hard for. The one that mattered the most to him. Wow, why hadn't he realized before that love was what he was feeling all along? He thought that it was normal for best friends to care about each other like that! That it was normal for them to hug and hold hands and not be affected by it! To other people, did they see it better than he did? Did they know already, while he stood there, confused as ever, overlooking it all? Why did it take Jessiebell to get him to realize that Jessie was meant for him? Why didn't he see it first? If he did, would that have changed anything...?

"James..." Jessie sighed after a moment of silence, still keeping a hold on him, "Look, what you said surprised me. Okay? I...just never got that kind of a confession from anyone. Not that I never got any, heh, with my beauty, it's no wonder you've fallen for me!" She laughed confidently, suddenly admiring her appeal to men. If James of all people could fall in love her...cross-dressing, feminine James...then she really was amazing. That was a new achievement! A white tomorrow, after all!

But...there was something else.

"Do you hate me, Jessie?" the blue-haired Rocket mumbled shamefully, still avoiding eye-contact.

"...no, James, I don't. Not more than usual, I mean." Jessie paused to watch him brighten and finally look at her. His eyes were glassy with tears. "After all, who could ignore such an interesting confession? I generously accept."

James looked at her disbelievingly, jaw dropping open. "Y-you mean..." he swallowed. Hard. "You love me back?"

"Ahem," coughed Jessie, turning away slightly to hide her blushing state. This was doing nothing to keep her tough-woman image. "Even I require to have...a significant other with almost a tenth of my beauty as my—'prince.' After all, what other man has such a remarkable fashion sense as you have?" Well, that didn't sound too far from her usual demeanor. It might have been a better choice to say "I love you" back, though. Too late. After all, she never was one for the mushy gunk and fawning over men. They should be the ones worshipping her, either way.

"You do love me back!" shouted James with glee; he knew her better than anyone else and could read into her words with ease. That was as good as her confession.

"Hey, wa—" she was cut off by James lips on her own. It was so confusing, all of his actions today. He must've had his love bottled up and now he just had to let everything out. Fair, enough. (She'd just hit him later.)

She kissed back eventually, willingly, wrapping her arms around his neck. It was an interesting feeling, like her heart was about to fly off her chest. Cliché...but maybe because it was really a set feeling and no one else could change it around to make it different. Maybe that's why there was no other way to explain it. Well, what an amazing feeling it was.

"STOP IT!" shrieked an unwanted voice in shock, causing the two to pull apart. James was so dazed that he found Jessiebell no longer intimidating. How strange. He rolled his eyes and took Jessie's hand, running full speed towards the sunset with her.

Again, cliché, but so true.

"Team Rocket's blastin' off again...Me-owth, that's right."

The sparkling star signaled their departure.

Author's Notes: Heh, just a little something I found. Apparently, I wrote this a while back and never did anything with it. I saw it, so I decided, why not? I apologize if it's OOC, but hopefully I captured Jessie's diva-ness attitude.

Hahahah, I love Rocketshipping!

James+Jessie forever!