Jessie was startled awake by James shutting the door. Meowth was curled up on the bed sleeping.
"Sorry, did I wake you..?" James raised his head and his eyes met with Jessie's. She looked at him, and gave him a hug. James said nothing and stared at her.
Finally, he gave her a kiss.
"I love you."
He said it as if he was reassuring her, or reassuring himself.
Jessie smiled at him. Sure, James was a little weird sometimes but she could definitely trust him.
"Go back to bed, I'll just shower and be there soon."
James closed the door to the bathroom quietly and started to take off his clothes. A slight weight in one of his pockets made him stop, and reach in curiously. He didn't remember having anything in his pockets.
He gasped when he pulled out the tiny object, encased in a small plastic bag.
Being a wealthy man of status, James' father had many collections. Expensive art, classic American and German cars, a wine cellar bigger than most family homes, but the collection he prized most was his rare colored diamonds. When most people think of diamonds, they picture the clear white perfectly cut stones in rings and jewelry, but even rarer and more desirable are diamonds colored by elements, in ambers, blues, and even pinks. He showed James his collection once, and James was mesmerized by the rainbow colored diamonds. Sometimes he would sneak off between lessons to stare at the sparkling gems.
He marveled at such a beautiful collection, and always dreamed of having such a great collection when he grew up. Unfortunately, he had to accept that with his lifestyle such hobbies were an unnecessary extravagance that he would never be able to afford. So, he started keeping bottlecaps with designs that appealed to him. Not quite as great as colored diamonds, but he entertained himself.
James looked at the object. His father must have slipped it in his pocket when he was passed out. It was his personal favorite colored diamond. An intense blue, in a hidden-heart cut. To the naked eye, it looked like just a regular cone shape, but if you used tools to peer inside the diamond, there was a heart among the glittering corners.
But what made his hair want to stand on end was what the diamond was on. It wasn't just a loose stone.
It had been set in a simple platinum band, obviously for a woman.
James stifled his annoyed groan. He actually found himself getting angry as he undressed and showered.
Why was everyone trying to push him?
As if it wasn't enough to go from being a criminal on the run to being a father of two, and find out that the love of your life was actually related to your worst enemy...
What have I gotten into? he thought.
He sat down, hugging his knees to his chest, the hot water beating down on him. He closed his eyes, the white noise of the shower filling his head.
No, James...this is right. This is how it should be.
James reassured himself. Jessie had left him, and he had left Jessie before, sometimes for a mere conflict of interest, sometimes for something much bigger, but they could never stay apart for long.
James loved her so much.
He reached up and turned off the shower, and the soothing white noise was quickly replaced with cold silence. His head was still rested on his knees, eyes closed.
He wished he could be stronger for her.