Warnings: Angst, and lots of it. Yay! Um. . . what else? Lots of Jessie personalities. Heh.
With You
Sapphire eyes slowly fluttered open. Jessie didn't know what time it was, but it was dark and blurry all around her. Rubbing her eyes with one hand to clear her vision, she attempted to stretch and nearly fell out of the tree.
Muttering some choice words under her breath, the redhead tried to remember exactly why Team Rocket had decided that it was a good idea to sleep hanging from trees like a trio of Kakuna. Her hands fumbled with the zipper of her sleeping bag, nerves still dulled by sleep. Finally, she managed to get the metal apparatus undone enough for her to leap to the ground. She landed with a very undignified crash.
Jessie winced. Very smooth, she congratulated herself. Now James and Meowth are sure to wake up. She threw a cautious glance up at her cohorts to make sure that they were asleep. . .
. . .and promptly did a double take.
Where's James? The question flashed through her mind like a shock from Pikachu. I know he was here when we went to sleep. We planned to steal that stupid painting together, plus I heard him snoring. So where. . .?
Her fiery red hair whipped behind her as her head turned from side to side, looking for him. Where could he have run off to? And why? That stupid irresponsible idiot, she fumed internally. He's always getting himself lost.
Calm down, the rational part of her mind told her. He probably went off to the little boys' room or something.
Do they even have those at haunted temples? another part of her asked sarcastically, but she ignored it.
Right, she agreed with the calm part of herself. He'll be back in a few minutes, I'm sure.
So she sat down on a conveniently placed rock and waited for her lavender-haired companion.
~*~
Five minutes and thirty-seven seconds later(she timed it with a watch she had placed in her boot earlier), James still wasn't there. And Jessie was getting stiff.
OK, OK, maybe he's not there, Rational Jessie said. But he most likely didn't run off for no reason. Think about it. If you were James, where would you go?
Two of James? God forbid, Sarcastic Jessie snickered.
Jessie shut her eyes tightly and got her schizophrenic self together. OK. James would only get up in the middle of the night if he a) wanted to eat, or b) had to go to the bathroom. We've ruled out b, so he could be getting food. . .
The female Rocket looked down at her feet. Except that all our supplies are right here. So where did he go?
Maybe he went off to see his shrine maiden, a part of Jessie that she didn't quite recognize remarked. He did say she was incredibly pretty, and we all know what beauty can do to a man. . . Stranger Jessie didn't explain exactly what she was thinking, but the suggestion lingered in the air long after the thought was finished.
So what if he did? I don't care, Jessie told herself. Idiot. Running off in the middle of the freaking night and getting me all worried, all for a stupid ghost girl-
Ah. So you were worried. Doesn't one generally have to care about a person before one worries about said person? Stranger Jessie asked snidely.
Shut up, the redhead mentally said. But. . . knowing James, he's bound to get himself in trouble if he's all alone. . .
I better look for him, just in case, she decided, and headed off into the surrounding forest.
~*~
One hour, three minutes, and seventeen seconds later(again, the exact time was known thanks to her watch), Jessie had found nothing. The area was completely devoid of any sign of her elusive partner. Her search had led her in front of the maiden's temple, and she leaned against the railing on the cliff, staring at the statue of his ghostly lover.
Stop calling her his lover, she scolded herself. It's not like someone can actually date a ghost.
But people can be in love without dating, Stranger Jessie cared to remark. Romeo and Juliet never dated, and they had 'star-crossed love' and all that.
Jessie was really starting to hate that part of herself. She exhaled loudly and turned around to look at the ocean.
The sea was an inky cobalt, mirroring the starry sky above it. Countless waves rose and crested, only to crash and ebb away at the shore. The sand had turned to a sparkling white color that nicely matched the waves in the darkness, and the rocks were a glossy charcoal. A glistening, shimmering reflection of the moon on the open waves topped the whole scene off.
It really is beautiful, she mused. I wonder why so many people are afraid of the night. Everything is so much prettier by moonlight.
A slight breeze swept past her, blowing her rust-colored hair around her to frame her face. She shivered a bit and drew her arms around herself, leaning forward on the railing a little more.
An unexpected sound of footsteps on nearby grass made her head fly up and whirl around, looking for the source of the noise. But there was no one in sight.
Looking down, Jessie realized that she had inadvertently moved her own feet forward when changing positions. The footsteps she'd heard were her own.
That's pathetic, she told herself. Mooning over him like he's your boyfriend or something.
Then the wind blew around her again, and she really wished that James was there again so that she'd be warm.
It wasn't like he'd put his arm around her or anything, of course. But Jessie and James were close, very close. Often, when one of them was cold, they'd move slightly closer to each other, just close enough to be able to feel the other's body heat. Then they would both be warm again.
Tonight, though, Jessie was on her own.
James, where did you go? she asked herself. If she didn't know better, she might have thought that it sounded like she was miserable without him. But she did know better than that.
It was just that they were always together, always, so one couldn't help but notice when the other was gone. Especially when it was unexpected like this was. Jessie chanced another glance around her, but James still managed to fail to show up.
I'll just wait here for a while, she thought. He'll probably pass by here on his way back to the campsite, anyway, so I can catch him before he gets back and chew him out. She nodded to affirm her decision, even though no one could see it.
~~
I'm standing on the bridge
I'm waiting in the dark
I thought that you'd be here by now
~~
She closed her eyes, listening to the sound of the surf hitting the sand. It was a pretty kind of background noise, almost like music. It kept the night from being too quiet when there was nobody else around to make noise.
~~
There's nothing but the rain
No footsteps on the ground
I'm listening but there's no sound
~~
A sudden thought struck her.
Wouldn't he be looking for me, too? she wondered. James has a pretty bad sense of direction, so I bet he's lost. Maybe he's looking for me, just like I'm looking for him.
She could see the statue of the maiden out of the corner of her eye.
Then again, maybe not.
~~
Isn't anyone trying to find me?
Won't somebody come take me home?
~~
The wind had started to blow a little more often now, no longer coming in short, dramatic gusts. Now there was a steady undercurrent of cold breezes rushing past the girl standing at the cliff's edge. She shivered a little more violently now, fervently wishing that she hadn't taken off her jacket to go to sleep. James had had the right idea when he had left his on.
James, you total jerk. You better get back here soon. I don't want to wait all night. . .
But you would, wouldn't you? one part of her asked. You'd do it all the same.
~~
It's a damn cold night
Trying to figure out this life
Won't you take me by the hand
Take me somewhere new
I don't know who you are, but I
I'm with you
I'm with you
~~
Jessie shook her head. These new thoughts weren't exactly in her taste. It must be because it's so late, she thought. I'm thinking crazy things because of lack of sleep.
To keep herself awake(and keep from dwelling on her past musings), she explored the perimeter of the temple area again. The grass made soft squishing sounds under her feet because of the (very) early morning dew, but still the only footsteps she heard were her own. James was nowhere to be found.
~~
I'm looking for a place
I'm searching for a face
Is anybody here I know?
~~
She sighed. This was starting to get tedious. This is stupid. I'll never find him at this rate. Tilting her head back to gaze at the stars, she asked internally, James, why do you have to be so much trouble?
The stars really were very pretty. Glistening in the sky like faraway moonstones, they beckoned to all that could look but never reach them. Jessie outstretched her hand, looking at the stars at her fingertips. Just out of reach, she thought.
~~
Cause nothing's going right
And everything's a mess
And no one likes to be alone
~~
Suddenly, the starry sky blurred together in a shiny mess. A single tear slid down Jessie's face.
Stupid, she admonished herself. What are you crying for? You and James have been apart plenty of times, and you've never cried. Stop that right now.
But, another part of Jesse piped up, He's always told you where he'll be before. You could always find him, then, if you really wanted to.
She hated it when her other self was right.
~~
Isn't anyone trying to find me?
Won't somebody come take me home?
~~
She wiped away the tear with a gloved hand. Either way, that's quite enough of that. Being alone is no reason to cry, really. You've been through worse.
Her neck was getting stiff, so she stopped her stargazing and returned to the cliffside. Leaning on the fence, she cast her gaze on the rocky beach below. It was still beautiful, but it was a lonely kind of beautiful. At night, no one came to the beach, so there was no one to share that beauty with.
Jessie was starting to see why a lot of people preferred the day.
~~
It's a damn cold night
Trying to figure out this life
Won't you take me by the hand
Take me somewhere new
~~
An incredible waste of time, that's what this is. Rational Jessie made another appearance.
No, it's not. He's your partner. You have a right to know where he is. Emotional Jessie told her.
But I can't find him, Jessie thought miserably. What does that say about our partnership? I can't find the person I've spent most of my life with, so apparently I don't know him as well as I thought I did. . .
She buried her head in her crossed arms, blocking out the world around her. It was just too much right now. . .
~~
I don't know who you are, but I
I'm with you
I'm with you
Yeah
~~
You're thinking too hard, Jess, a voice said, one that sounded awfully familiar. Jessie's head shot up.
"James?" she blurted out, half-relieved, half-scared. She whirled around again.
No one was there. It was just her mind playing tricks on her.
~~
Oh, why is everything so confusing?
Maybe I'm just out of my mind
Yeah, yeah, yeah
~~
Jessie sighed. Maybe James was right. Maybe she really was thinking too hard. But what else was she supposed to do?
"James, you moron," she muttered. "Running off, making me worry, and telling me not to think so hard. What does that mean?" It was okay for her to talk. There was no one around to hear. Besides, he really is stupid, she thought. And a glutton, and lazy, and always getting in trouble-
Yes, he's trouble. But he's also the best friend you have, right? Emotional Jessie interrupted softly.
Jessie nodded grudgingly. But he's always making me worried like this. I should just give up and let him be lost. She scowled.
That's because you care about him. You can't say you don't. You two have always looked out for each other. He may not be so bright, he may not be so coordinated, and he may not be so perfect, but you're stuck with him. You're stuck with him, and he's stuck with you.
Jessie was struck aback. She was right, they were stuck with each other. And she just had to accept it.
~~
It's a damn cold night
Trying to figure out this life
Won't you take me by the hand
Take me somewhere new
I don't know who you are, but I
I'm with you
~~
That's enough. You're getting all mushy. Time to think of something else, she commanded herself. Get back on subject. How are you going to find James?
Well, what would James do if he was in your position? one of her internal selves asked her. It could have been Rational Jessie, but Jessie wasn't really paying attention.
He'd probably be sleeping, commented Sarcastic Jessie. He wouldn't let it bother him. Either that, or he'd be panicking.
You're right. Emotional Jessie spoke up in sudden agreement. He wouldn't let himself be bothered by it. . .because he trusts you. Because he knows you'd come back. And you should trust him the same way.
~~
Take me by the hand
Take me somewhere new
I don't know who you are, but I
I'm with you
I'm with you
~~
And somehow Jessie knew that this part of herself was right. Again. James had always trusted her, and maybe it was time she did the same for him.
Ever so slowly, the red-haired girl stopped leaning on the fence and backed away from the precipice. Then she turned and ran back to the tree where their sleeping bags were hanging.
~~
Take me by the hand
Take me somewhere new
I don't know who you are, but I
I'm with you, oh
I'm with you
I'm with you. . .
~~
Nothing had changed in the hour or so that she had been gone. James still wasn't there, Meowth was still sleeping soundly, and her sleeping bag still hung awkwardly open and crooked from the tree.
Taking advantage of yet another conveniently placed rock, Jessie stood on top of the object and jumped up to the branch where the sleeping bags hung. From there, she lowered herself into her bag and zipped herself back up.
As soon as she'd done so, she could feel the effects of her late night wanderings fall upon her. Her eyelids slowly fluttered closed.
In the back of her mind, she was still worried about James. But that was okay. She trusted him, and besides, they could look for him in the morning.
Then she could be stuck with him again.
~*~
End
~*~