Fated
Summary: Jessie finds herself in exile, forced into captivity with a mysterious stranger. With nowhere to go and seemingly no hope of escape, they share the stories behind their miserable fates. Hers is filled with questions. His is filled with answers.
Chapter 29: Desperate Measures
Here, son
A blindfold to watch all your family
Die at the hands of tyranny
They say that the senses
Might alter the way that you,
Might alter the way that you feel
Don't stop believing
I'm still breathing
So go on and leave me
Don't you leave me
Here, son
The life that we lead holds the sadness
The world's better men fall to madness
And all that we keep is the love
Is the love that you're feeling right now
...Ryan Star - Here, Son
Jack was a little disturbed by Jessie's last comment, about her not having a home. Whatever he was or did, he had always had a home to go back to and he had tried to do the same for his daughter, though to be fair, he hadn't seen her since she was small.
"So how are you going to get out of here with the blizzard?" Jessie asked curiously, hoping to change the subject and dispel the awkwardness that had descended upon them. Jack sighed.
"When the storm lets up, I'll be able to go out," Jack deadpanned, "Trust me."
"You sound excited about that," Jessie observed sarcastically. Jack glared out the window at the storm.
"I hate owing people or pokemon," Jack said, and before Jessie could question it, he said, "You wanted to know Miya's reaction to the arranged marriage, right? Well…"
I was drunk.
"Oh this should be good," Jessie muttered.
I was drunk, trying and failing to wrack my brain to get out of the Hell my mother had planned for me. I couldn't risk Miya and Jessie getting hurt, but how could I marry someone else and break apart our fragile little family?
I stumbled to Miya's apartment and knocked on the door, waiting semi-patiently for her to open it. I needed to talk to her, but what could I say? How...
"Jack?" Miya opened the door and smirked at me, "Why didn't you use your key?"
It was a simple question, but it didn't register for me. In a baby-blue tanktop and navy shorts, with her hair pulled back in a messy bun, Miyamoto Lillis had never captivated me so. Her eyes pulled me in. They danced in amusement at my current, unresponsive state.
"Jack?" she asked playfully, smirking at me.
I kissed her.
"Mmm, okaaay..." Miya murmured when we momentarily broke apart.
"I need you," I growled, catching her lips once more. We stumbled back until we hit the wall. I needed her like air.
"So you guys had sex?" Jessie cut across Jack quickly, not wanting him to dwell on details, "What did Miya say when you told her about the arranged marriage?"
"She was furious."
When we finished, Miya slid down the wall while I rested my head against it for support. I was dizzy, so very dizzy on account of the booze and the woman before me.
"Well that was unexpected," Miya breathed. I felt her kiss my neck, "What brought that on?"
"I love you," I gasped, still trying to catch my breath. She laughed. Music to my ears.
"I love you too," she replied, "Now what was that all about, Loverboy?"
It took me a moment to say the words that I knew would tear us apart, "My mother wants me to get married," I managed, still breathing hard and still dazed. Miya seemed to freeze as she looked up at me.
"What?" she squeaked.
"Mother arranged some stupid thing today," I explained, "Some girl from Sinnoh."
Miya's face was ashen as she pressed her hands against my chest and pushed me away. I stumbled back as she stepped forwards. "You're arranged to marry someone else?" she asked slowly. I nodded.
"Mother got sick of me being single-"
"So what the fuck was this?" she demanded, cutting across me, "One last fuck before you go off and start your real family?"
I paled as I realized how it looked.
"Miya, no-"
"Get out," she ordered, picking up my suit jacket and throwing it at me, "Now."
"Miya, just listen-"
"Get the fuck out, Jack!" she said again.
"No, Miya-"
"Get the fuck out!" she yelled, turning away. I caught her wrist.
"Miya, please just hear me-"
"Let go of me!" she spat, trying to wrench away. I held on as she struggled, oblivious to the warning bark before her ninetails clamped onto my arm.
"Son-of-a-Bitch!" I yelped, letting go of Miya and wrenching my arm away from the snarling fox pokemon.
"Jack, leave!" Miya demanded.
"Dammit, Miya, I'm not going anywhere!" I growled, blocking her way down the hallway, "You're going to hear me out!"
"Like hell!" she yelled back, "I'm not going to listen to you try to explain it! I get it! Move!"
"Miya, I love you, dammit!"
"You're marrying someone else!"
"I don't want to!"
"Sure, not until your mother threatens your fucking inheritence!" she shot at me. I saw red. It was not about the money. Not anymore.
"I don't care about the fucking money!" I exploded, hitting the wall and making Ninetails growl at me, "I care about you and our daughter!"
At this, Jessie began to scream from the next room. Apparently, we woke the baby. Miya glared up at me.
"Move, Jack!" she demanded again.
"Miya, listen to me!" I pleaded, "I'll find a way around it. I-"
"No, Jack, you listen! I'm not stupid. I know that if you don't marry this woman, your mother will come after me and Jessie. I can't have that."
"I won't let that happen," I told her.
"I can't risk it. Go marry the perfect pre-approved girl your mother wants you to. Now move!"
"I don't want to marry her. I don't want to lose you," I stated. I didn't know if I'd be able to do that again.
"It's too late for that, Jack. I love you, but I'm not going to be your mistress and I'm not going to let Jessie get hurt," she choked out, "Just go."
"Miya don't do this..." I could feel tears filling my eyes.
"Jack, there's no future here."
"Miya, don't-"
"Please, Jack. Just go," she was begging now, fighting tears of her own. Sagging, I let her pass to tend to our daughter and then I let myself walk out the door.
"W-what?" Jessie spit out. Her parents had split with an air of such finality that even after all these years left her speechless.
"I don't blame her for it," Jack said, "For any of it."
I made my way back to headquarters, my arm bleeding from Ninetails' bite. By the time I stumbled into the commons area, most of the blood had dried, but I was sobering up enough to realize that it would need some first aid.
"Mr. Sakaki!" a familiar voice called. I turned to see Amy Carson, staring at me, unsure.
"Amy," I said, "Uh, hi."
"Are you alright, Sir?" she asked, her eyes dropping to my arm.
"Fine. Great. Fucking fantastic," I griped, grabbing the first aid kit roughly from the wall. What was she even doing here? It was late. I opened the kit and found that I knew nothing of treating wounds. I stared at the contents for a moment.
"Here, Sir, we need to clean the wound," Amy said, kneeling before me. I mutely let her peel away the bloody shirt sleeve and wipe the blood away with an alcohol swab. It stung but I barely winced.
"You're married, right, Amy?" I asked, staring blankly.
"Me and Robert. Four years now," she answered, and I barely caught the troubled look on her face.
"You love him?"
"Uh, yes," she said, though I did not miss the hesitation.
"My mother wants me to get married," I revealed, watched as she opened a package of gauze, "'Cept she wants me to marry some girl from Sinnoh I never met before. Family duty," I snorted, "I don't love her, Amy. I couldn't possibly."
"And why can't you tell your mother that?" she asked. I raised an eyebrow.
"You have met my mother, right, Amy?"
"Right," Amy agreed, "She can be quite...demanding."
"I just..." my voice was small, like that of a little boy, "I just wish that I could get out of it. I would give anything."
"I think you'll be alright, Sir," Amy said.
"How do you figure?"
"Because there's already a woman you love more than anything and I think you'd move heaven and earth just to be with her," she told me, though there was sadness in her eyes.
"Amy...do you really love your husband? Honestly?" I asked.
"Honestly, Sir? I just don't know what I'm doing anymore," she admitted, "but Sir, I should be going. Hopefully Robert put Butch down for the night. Your arm should be fine. The bite wasn't too deep."
"Thank you, Amy," I said. Then I made my way to my room, and had a troubled sleep. Already, Miya and Jessie haunted every dream I had.
I awoke the next morning with a headache and a throbbing arm. I took a couple aspirin and pulled on my suit slowly. I was late for breakfast. Surprisingly, Mother wasn't too choked about that. She was too busy riding me about other, more important things.
"You look like a drunk," she chided me, "This will not do. I will not have the Akagis meeting a son of mine in this state! Unshaven! Unkempt! This will not do, Jack!"
"What would you like me to do, Mother?" I asked contempt dripping into my voice, "After all, your wish is my command."
"Joseph, Giovanni, take and smarten up your brother. The Akagis will be here soon," she ordered. Obediently, the three of us trudged from the room. I swung and hit the wall.
"Bad night, Jack?" Giovanni asked, an eyebrow raised. I glared at him.
"Eh, let's get you looking smart, Jackie," Joe said nervously, slow as he tried to drag me down the hall.
"Just put a fucking bullet in my head and be done with it," I snarled.
"I would, but I have a feeling the Akagis will do it for me," Giovanni said. Joe and I looked at him.
"What do you mean?" Joe asked.
"When I was in school, we had a battle tournament in Sinnoh. I battled Cyrus Akagi in the final. Sociopath in the making," Giovanni explained, "Ruthless. Bastard actually smiled when his pokemon were injured...outright laughed when mine was."
"So you think we're welcoming psychopaths?" I asked uneasily.
"Why else would Mother offer you as a peace offering?" Giovanni quipped. Suddenly my sour mood was back as I stomped down the halls away from my brothers.
"Cyrus?" Jessie said, "Team Galactic?"
"The same," Jack deadpanned.
After a shave and a haircut, I was deemed presentable enough to meet the Akagis. The man, Cyrus, was Gio's age. His ice-blue hair was slicked back and he wore a dark suit. His piercing eyes unnerved me, like he could see all of my reservations about this meeting. His sister was similar in looks, with the same ice blue eyes, though her hair was closer to a silver.
"Master Cyrus. Miss Jacelyn. An honor," Mother bowed. They returned the favor and then the rest of us were introduced.
"My eldest son, Giovanni, and his wife and son, Silver. My second son, Joseph, his wife, Isabelle, and their darling daughter Jessiebelle. And finally, my youngest son, Jack."
I bowed with my brothers, though I felt sick as Jacelyn appraised me.
"So you're the dashing bachelor I've heard so much about," she said sweetly, curtsying to me.
"All lies, I assure you," I muttered, grudgingly bowing. I must have been obvious, for Mother flashed me a dangerous look.
"It is such a pleasure to have you here," Mother said, "Perhaps a tour?"
"It would be lovely Madam," Cyrus smiled winningly, which still looked creepy.
"Right this way," Mother said, "Jack, perhaps you could show Miss Jacelyn the garden."
"If I must," I griped, earning another warning look as I lead the way to the garden.
"Such a lovely place," Jacelyn said, letting her hand graze on the stone banister as we descended to the ground.
"One of my favorites," I muttered. She laughed and I had to turn to see what was so funny.
"You'll fit into our family just fine," she said, "Broody, short-tempered…"
"I'm nothing like you and yours," I snapped, irritably.
"Somehow, Sakaki, I think your bark is worse than your bite," Jacelyn observed, perching on the
Banister seductively, letting her hand caress the side of my face. I stepped out of her reach.
"Keep thinking that," I muttered.
"Oh, Jack, I don't think. I know," she told me, leaning back confidently, "You're the youngest brother and the only one not married. You're one of three gym leaders and have recently opened a daycare center…awww," she mocked me.
"A legitimate business venture," I hissed through clenched teeth.
"The point is, Honey," I shuddered at this, "I know more about you than you bargained for. I do my research, and more importantly, so does my brother. And I know that you will be my perfect little house husband, supporting all of my endeavors, lest an unfortunate incident befall one of your mother's favorite agents."
"She didn't!" Jessie gasped, "How would she even know?"
"Because Jacelyn Akagi was not what she appeared," Jack revealed.
My blood ran cold as I stared at her gloating face. I couldn't form words. Thankfully, Giovanni appeared.
"I hate to interrupt," he bowed, "but you're wanted by your brother, Miss Akagi."
"Thank you, Mr. Sakaki," Jacelyn curtseyed him, though her eyes held no warmth. As she turned, I saw him roll his eyes.
"You look like you're about to faint," Giovanni observed as we watched Jacelyn walk away.
"I can't marry her," I gasped.
"I agree," he said, much to my astonishment.
"What?"
"I've been watching them since they arrived and I've done some digging," he revealed, "Jacelyn Akagi isn't the only one who has done her research."
Apparently he had heard the tail end of my conversation.
"Cyrus has a checkered past, understandable, given his profession, however, one has to wonder about the sudden accidental death of his parents. Not to mention the sister. Obsessive, especially over rare pokemon. Trainers she targets are often found without a pulse. Mother fails to realize how dangerous her bedfellows are. As easy as it would be for me to let her plans go to fruition, I just can't do that," he explained, "And do you know why, Jack?"
"Why?" I asked, my mouth very dry.
"Because once the Akagis destroy our organization from the inside out, there will be nothing left for me to inherit…assuming, of course, that Silver and I survive their takeover," he revealed.
"Assuming you survive?" I asked, feeling sick in my stomach.
"Jack, I know better than to believe a word that comes out of Cyrus Akagi's mouth. And if I were you, I'd be especially cautious of his sister. She's a predator. A hunter. Once she sinks her claws into you, the only way you'd be able to survive to your first anniversary is if she suddenly wanted you as a sperm donor. An unlikely event. Also, it will be very unlikely that Joe and I, and our families, survive to attend your funeral. And Mother's days are numbered as it is. The Akagis will inherit Team Rocket and everything our family has worked for will be for nothing," he prophesized. Suddenly, I could see that too.
A horrible 'accident' claiming Joseph and his family.
An 'unsolved incident' ending Giovanni, Jade, and Silver's lives.
Mother being lowered to her grave, her 'advanced age' overcoming her.
Me inheriting Team Rocket.
Me, convulsing on the floor as my 'loving wife' is too shocked to come to my aid.
Cyrus and Jacelyn in my Mother's office, controlling our agents.
Catherine, Motorcycle, Lana, Heath, Daphne, Amy, Delia…all falling in the name of 'duty'.
Miya falling to the floor as she tried to protect our child, the last remaining Sakaki heir.
Jessie…
"What do we do?" I whispered, horrified.
"We make a stand. You don't marry her and we throw Akagi to the curb," he Giovanni said simply. It sounded tempting.
"But if I don't go through with it, Mother threatened someone important to me," I protested weakly.
"Jack, do you have any idea how far I'm willing to go for my son?" he asked, unimpressed.
"Gio, you don't understand. I love her," I admitted. He let out a breath and then grabbed me by the shoulders.
"If you go through with Mother's plans, you'll definitely lose her, along with me, Joe, Mother, your niece and nephew, our rockets…all of us. If you resist, there's a chance that if we act fast enough and get them to reveal their cruel intentions, that you will get to be with her and save everyone else. Choose," he demanded, laying out my options before me.
"Where do we start?" I asked.
"You trusted him?" Jessie asked, incredulous.
"What he said made sense at the time," Jack revealed, "I guess he thought that at the time, I was the lesser threat to his inheritance."
"Still…he's crazy."
"Desperate times call for desperate measures."
I walked into the daycare a couple hours later, when I was finally released from Jacelyn's triumphant smirk and Mother's warning glares. I was uneasy about the whole thing, but at the very least, I should plan for the worst case scenario, like Giovanni suggested, which was why I was going to the daycare.
I was early, which suited me just fine. I leaned against the door frame and watched Jessie play with some blocks. She was able to sit up now, but her coordination was still new. She knocked over the blocks more than she built them up. Cassidy was beside her, babbling away. I smiled. Those girls would be as inseparable as their mothers.
"Mr. Sakaki," Delia's voice brought me back to earth.
"Yes, Delia?"
"We've been…well…"
"What is it?" I asked, frowning at her uneasiness.
"It's Butch, Sir. He's been miserable all day."
"Join the club," I muttered, "Maybe he's sick? I'll talk to Amy when she gets here," I assured her. Then the door opened and Catherine Farrows walked in, smiling. She came over to us.
"Hey, Jack, Delia. I'm here to pick up the girls," she said kindly.
"Uh, sure, but d'you think I can talk to you for a minute?" I asked, gesturing to the office. She shrugged and followed me.
"What can I do for you, Sir?" Catherine asked, leaning against the desk.
"Are you aware of our visitors from Sinnoh?" I asked her. She seemed to hesitate before answering.
"I've heard a bit about them, yes," she said, though I got the sense that she had an earful…from Miya.
"I don't trust them," I revealed to her.
"Aren't you engaged to the sister?" she asked, frowning. I was fighting back a migraine at this point.
"No, nor will I ever enter such an engagement," I assured her, "I get the sense, and my brothers agree, that the Akagis will be the ruin of Team Rocket and if we're usurped, then it will likely mean that they will 'clean up' the Team of any of our supporters."
Catherine frowned, obviously working that out in her head, "So what could we possibly do? Especially if your mother deems them trustworthy?"
"The only thing we can do is keep watch," I admitted, "but there is going to be a gathering tomorrow night at the Rolling Golem. Gio has a private room there and we'll be able to make a plan. Please consider it and tell Miya and Daphne as well."
"I'll do what I can," she agreed. We walked out of the office when she stopped.
"That's odd," she said.
"What?"
"Butch," she observed the little green-haired boy sitting in a corner with tears staining his cheeks, "He's here, yet Amy wasn't at work."
"Where was she?" I asked.
"No idea," she admitted, biting her lip, "I needed to hand her my reports."
I frowned and walked over to the boy and picked him up, "Hey, Buddy," I cooed when he whimpered.
"Owwwwwww," he sniffled, resting his head against my chest. I looked over his head at Catherine, who was watching us with close eyes.
"I'm going to call Amy," she said, disappearing back into the office. I sought out Delia.
"Delia, who dropped Butch off?" I asked. She made a face.
"His father. Very gruff man. He acted like he was glad to be rid of his son," she replied.
"No answer," Catherine announced from the office, "Where could she be?"
"Something doesn't feel right about this," Delia stated uneasily. I agreed.
"Catherine, take the girls home. I'm going to get Motorcycle, Lana, and Heath on this," I ordered, "I'll take care of Butch."
"Let me know if you hear anything more," Catherine said.
"I will," I assured her, "And Catherine? Consider what I said and pass it along."
"Of course. Will do," she mock-saluted as she approached the girls. I grabbed her arm, stopping her.
"And tell Miya…tell her…and Daphne, too…to be careful."
"I will."
"So what happened to Amy? The scary people from Sinnoh get her?" Jessie asked.
"Hardly, though it was heavy on my mind at the time," Jack said.
It was eight o'clock and still, there was no sign of Amy. I had remained at the daycare all afternoon and evening with a crying infant. Thankfully, it gave me an excuse to avoid Mother and Jacelyn. It was at this point that I noticed something I hadn't before.
I was changing Butch into a pair of extra PJ's when he began to wail when I had to take off his shirt. His left arm was bruised and swollen. I was no doctor, but I knew when someone needed one. As part of the daycare management, I was basically a temporary parent. I carefully wrapped him in a blanket and grabbed a card with his information on it. That had been Jade's idea, in case there was ever an emergency with one of the kids. I made sure to grab an extra baby car seat and then I drove to the hospital with the screaming kid after scrawling a note of where I'd gone, just in case Motorcycle and crew came looking for me.
I spent two hours holding the kid and waiting for the on-call pediatrician. Butch was still too young to x-ray. Being called to action gave me an excuse not to think about how my life had gone to shit in just twenty-four hours.
It was 10:06 when the doors burst opened and Motorcycle and Heath emerged. Motorcycle looked livid.
"I'll kill that-"
"Dude, you're in a hospital!" Heath chided nervously. I didn't move from my seat for fear of harming Butch further.
"What's going on?" I asked, fairly calmly, all things considered.
"The dirty son-of-a-"
"Motorcycle, we're in the kids' wing!" Heath reminded him. Motorcycle just glared.
"Oh, spit it out already!" I groaned, irritated.
"We found Amy at her house. She was unconscious. Beaten," Heath told me. That had my attention.
"Who? How bad?" I questioned.
"That bastard husband of hers," Motorcycle growled, "For weeks she's been saying she walked into a door or tripped. I kept badgering her and she got pissed at me. Now look at her!" he vented.
"Where is she now?" I asked.
"Intensive care," Heath replied, "Lana stayed with her."
"Son-of-a…gun," I cleaned up my language. Could this night get any worse?
Yes, it could.
Butch's arm was broken, and after being told by the doctor that it was a common injury of child abuse, I was about ready to join Motorcycle in killing Amy's scumbag husband. I settled for passing Butch off to Lana and then going to see Amy. It was horrible. Her face was puffy and a multitude of colors. There was a set of stitches above her eye. Her arm was in a sling. According to the doctor, her ribs were broken and one had punctured her lung. Somehow she was conscious, at least conscious enough to sign her name, allowing me to temporarily take custody of Butch for the night. Lana said she'd stay after sending the boys home to cool off.
I got home at one in the morning. I fell asleep at four. Then I had to get up at eight to attend breakfast with the ever-so-wonderful Akagi family. Everyone looked when I brought Butch with me.
"Who's child is that? Yours?" Cyrus asked me as I settled onto a chair with Butch on my knee.
"A friend's," I replied, "Last night she was put in the hospital by her husband. I'm watching their son."
"Isn't that Amy Carson's boy?" Jade asked beside me, smiling at the little boy. I nodded.
"How awful," Jacelyn simpered, "Why, it's lucky you were there, Jack."
"My son is wonderful with children," Mother interjected, "With his daycare charges, with his niece and nephew…he'll make a wonderful father one day."
"How admirable," Cyrus raised his orange juice in salute to me.
"You have kids, Cyrus?" I asked, ripping up a piece of toast and offering it to Butch.
"Heavens no. Still looking for the right woman, I'm afraid," he shrugged.
"Aren't we all?" I replied, to which he smirked.
"We have a host of festivities planned," Mother announced, changing the subject, "We were hoping to throw a ball in your honor, welcoming you to our family."
Somebody shoot me, I silently begged to my remaining family, but sadly none heard my silent plea.
"Oh, Ava, that is so sweet of you," Jacelyn gushed, "I think I can speak for both my brother and me when I say that we are most thrilled to be accepted by your loving family."
Our 'loving family' didn't look so loving. Gio was hiding a scowl and Joe looked wary. Jade nervously glanced at Silver in his high chair and Isabelle was cradling Jessiebelle to her and glancing over at her husband.
"And we cannot wait for you to be part of it," Mother smiled.
"Dack?" Butch questioned in a small voice. I smiled and gently shifted him. He was a quiet kid, rarely saying anything aside from 'Momma' and 'bobba', so him trying to say my name was kind of a big deal for me.
"Don't worry, Buddy. It'll all work out," I whispered to him, "Somehow."
Somehow, he and his mom would get better and be happy. Somehow, my brothers and I would overcome the new threat to our inheritance, real or perceived.
Somehow, I would prove to Miya that I loved her and only her.
Somehow, I'd put our family back together.
"Did you?" Jessie asked in a small voice. Was Jack able to make everything okay? Or did he and his brothers overcome the Akagis only for him to be overthrown by Giovanni?
"Spoilers," Jack reminded her. She felt uneasy, like somehow she knew that eventually, she was going to hear something that she really didn't want to.
TBC
AN: And sadly, Jessie will hear lots of things that she doesn't want to. Her parents sex/break-up scene was just the first. But hey, more familiar faces this chapter: Cyrus and a certain 'Hunter' in the anime ;).
But next chapter, Jessie and James have a wedding to go to...and two more characters make their way onto the scene. :)
Man, that muse is working overtime. R&R to keep it going!
FYI, if you want to find out Miya's reaction to the break up, check out my profile for the oneshot You Make Me Run. It's kind of sappy, but I just had to write it.
Songs that inspired this chapter:
-Here Son by Ryan Star. A little known, but very beautiful song that describes Jack's dilema wonderfully.
-Goodbye Again by Vertical Horizon. Thought it described Miya and Jack's latest hurdle.
-Even Angels Fall by Vanessa Carlton. 10 things I hate about you. Love the movie and the song fits. You know you're a 90's kid when...
-No Love by Simple Plan. This reminds me of Amy's marriage, at least in my mind. She always had the abusive home to overcome. Luckily she has some good friends.
-Burning Homes by Ryan Wickard. Kind of describes Motorcycle's feelings about Amy's relationship...
