Hello! This is my first RocketShipping piece, so I hope you enjoy. If you want to leave a review, please make sure that you are signed in so that I can reply.
The featured story for this one-shot is Carry That Weight by jessicarocket.
Synopsis: Jessie and James are as close as can be, yet there are still walls between them that neither has had the courage to tear down... until now.
Thoughts: I really, really liked this one-shot. Jessicarocket did a phenomenal job at portraying James's struggle, and the ending was sweet.
"Ma'am, you don't understand. I need to get on a flight to Viridian City."
James was pointing frantically at the distant flight line, leaning halfway across the ticket desk. "Please."
The lady opposite him pursed her lips, a look of regret in her eyes. "Sir, as I said before, no flights are currently allowed to leave the airport. The weather is just too poor."
James slammed his fist down on the desk. "No, no, no!" He started pacing back and forth, throwing his arms every which way. "I need to get out of here."
"The weather may have cleared up enough for flights to depart in the morning," the woman offered. "Can I interest you in a ticket for one of those?"
"It can't wait until morning!" he screamed, whirling around to face her again.
Upon realizing that he was being a bit too harsh, he made an effort to make up for it. "I'm sorry, but my wife is very ill. I must see her as soon as possible. I just can't wait until the morning."
Fortunately, the woman seemed to understand. "Of course. We do have cars for rental. I personally would not recommend going out in a storm like this, but considering the circumstances, I can understand why you would."
James nodded, not really hearing anything besides "cars for rental". "I'll take one. Whatever you've got, as long as it runs and can get me from here to Viridian."
The lady smiled and turned to her computer. She typed a few things on it before pausing to glance at James again. "May I see your driver's license, sir?"
Quickly, the bluenette pulled out his wallet and flashed his license at her. He hoped that she wouldn't take the time to notice that it was two months expired.
Thankfully, she either didn't notice or let it slide. She entered some more things into the computer before reaching under the desk. She produced a set of car keys and a thin white booklet.
"This highlights all of our rules and policies," she explained. "I won't go into further detail since you're short on time, but our customer service and emergency help line numbers are in here. Your car is a blue Honda."
At a speed faster than a running Ponyta, James snatched the keys and booklet out of the woman's hand. At her quick instruction, he scribbled his signature on a receipt and swiped his credit card.
Once he was sure that the process was completed, he took off like a mad man, dashing for the parking lot.
It took a bit of searching, but James finally found the car he'd been given. He threw open the driver's side door and jumped in, shivering from the cold.
"Damn winter," he muttered. As he started the engine in the hopes of getting some heat going, he pulled his cell phone out of his pocket. Considering the change of plans, he figured it'd be best to let Jessie know what was going on. He just hoped that she'd be well enough to answer the phone. He didn't trust those nurses to give his message to her right.
He unlocked his phone and tapped on the "Phone" app. Switching over to the Recents tab, he tapped on the line that read "Jessie - Hospital".
She picked up after three rings. "Hello?"
"Jessie!" he cried, not even bothering to hide his joy at hearing her voice. "How are you?"
"I've been much, much better," she rasped. James's heart nearly broke at the weakness in her voice. "I can't stand being here. All these nurses and doctors. I hate hospitals, you know."
"Of course I know," he said softly. A little more loudly, he added, "Listen, Jess, there's a problem."
"A problem? Oh, there's always a problem with you, isn't there?"
Normally, her biting comment would've irritated him. This time, however, he was relieved. She still hadn't lost that old spark. "The weather's real bad here. All of the flights are stopped for now. Nobody can fly in or out. So... I'm driving."
The shock was evident in Jessie's voice. "You're driving!? James, you're a horrible driver in bad weather! You're going to get in a wreck!"
Despite no one else being around, James rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Yeah, well, I'm going to do it. You don't worry about me, okay? You-"
He was interrupted by a coughing fit from the other end of the line. Worry immediately racked his body. "Jess? Jessie? Jessie!"
His cries barely got through the noise on her end. His free hand dug into and twisted his pants, fear now bolting through his body.
All of a sudden, the coughing faded into the background. A young woman's voice came on the line.
"Hello, sir or ma'am?"
"I'm here, I'm here!" James replied hurriedly. "What's going on?"
It took a moment for the woman to answer. "Jessica is having a bit of a fit. She'll be all right, but I must ask that you call back at a later point."
He went to say "Okay", but found the word catching in his throat. Instead of trying to force it out and make himself sound like a fool, he hung up.
As soon as his phone was back in his pocket, he shifted the car into drive and peeled out of there. His tires slid on the ice, but he didn't care. He had to get to her. If he had to slip and spin his way there, then so be it.
"Dammit, Jessica, you'd better wait for me," he said through clenched teeth.
As he drove down a dead thruway, his mind started flipping through the memories, just like he was looking through some old scrapbook.
Him and Jessie getting thrown out of the Pokémon Technical Institute. Trying to steal Ash's Pikachu for the first time. Journeying around the world, all the while trying to further their boss's plans. Getting married. Buying a home. Having a child.
He could barely see through the tears washing over his eyes. They'd been through so much together over the years, so much so that it was hard for James to remember a time without her.
He drove all night, not even stopping to eat a bite or use the bathroom. He finally sped into the parking lot of Viridian Hospital, taking the first free spot he saw. He didn't even care that it was a handicap spot; he'd pay any fine to get there sooner.
Fortunately, the weather was better in Viridian than it had been back in Johto. James ran into the hospital, coming to a skidding halt in front of the receptionist's desk. He looked up at James through his glasses, eyebrows raised.
"I'm here to see Jessica Miller," he panted. "I need a visitor's pass. Quickly, please!"
The receptionist took an orange plastic card on a lanyard out of a box and handed it to James. "Please return this to the front desk before you leave."
The man had barely finished his request when James started sprinting off again. He'd already heard the line a million times, anyways. As he ran, he threw the lanyard around his neck. The card bounced against his chest, creating streaks of orange in James's vision.
He rounded a single corner and boarded the elevator, practically forcing his way in to an already-tight group of riders. He punched his button, the number quickly lighting up.
The man was barely able to contain himself as the machine shifted into motion. It felt like it was taking forever to even get up a single floor. Did it normally take this long? Was something going wrong? What if it was breaking down?
Fortunately for James, the elevator was working just fine. He sighed with relief as it reached the floor he wanted, and he was off again.
Jessie's room was just a few doors down the hall. James was just about to enter when he - quite literally - ran into one of the doctors. The impact sent the smaller man flying to the floor.
"Oh my, I'm sorry!" the doctor cried. He reached down and extended his hand. "I really should look where I'm going."
James took his hand and, with the man's assistance, got up. "No, it's my fault. I'm just in such a hurry to see my wife." He tried peering past the doctor. "She's the patient in this room."
Upon hearing that, the smile on the doctor's face faded. "This room?"
Slowly, a look of concern crept his way onto James's face. "Yes, this one. Her name is Jessica Miller."
The doctor looked down at his shoes. He held his gaze there for several seconds, quite obviously milling over what he should say next.
"Doctor?" James said carefully. "Can I... see my wife?"
The doctor looked back up, his face solemn. "Yes, but she's incredibly weak. I'm afraid she doesn't have long to go."
His knees buckled. The doctor grabbed him, helping to steady him.
James grabbed at the man's white coat. "Isn't there anything more you can do? I thought she was getting better! When I talked to her on the phone last, she still had that spark! Sure, she was weak, but..."
He glanced past the other man, his eyes coming to rest on his wife's bed. Her body was barely visible underneath a mound of blankets and machines.
Teeth gnashing at his cheek, he slowly walked inside.
He came to a stop at the head of her bed. He felt tears well up in his eyes when he saw her, but pushed them down. This was no time to cry. Not yet.
She looked terrible. Her skin was pale, her face sunken in. When he reached out and placed her hand in between his own, it was ice cold. He interlaced their fingers, bringing the hand up to his face.
At the very least, she looked peaceful. Her eyes were closed, and her breathing was slow. If anything could bring peace to James's troubled mind, this was it.
"Hey, Jess," he said quietly. "I'm here now, like I said I'd be. I didn't get into a wreck, believe it or not. Your reckless James is finally getting it together."
The silence that followed hung heavy in the room. Jessie had been moved to a single room a few days prior, primarily to give her some peace in her ailing state. James appreciated it then. Now, he'd give anything to hear another voice.
Unable to stand the quiet, he started talking again. "It feels like just yesterday when we met for the first time. We were just kids then, stupid and full of starry dreams. I'm glad we stuck together, through thick and thin. When things got tough, we always had each other. And Meowth, of course." The corners of his mouth curled upwards as he thought of their old Pokémon friend.
"We haven't seen him in so long, you know? I wonder what he's up to, out there on the coast." He started tracing little shapes on her hand, like he used to when she'd have nightmares and needed his comfort. "Let's go visit him, Jessie. You and me. We can get a little cottage on the beach. You and me. Maybe Meowth will join us. We can be together again."
He felt a hard, sudden lump form in his throat as she suddenly squeezed his hand. He gripped her's tighter in his own, his heart pounding.
And as quickly as the squeeze came, it was gone. The machine suddenly made a loud, static beeping noise. James's head jerked up, his eyes falling on a perfectly straight, green line.
He knew what that meant.
His beloved Jessie was gone.