When morning dawned, Jessie opened her eyes to a dirty stone cave, a dead campfire, a small pile of belongings covered in frost, chill mountain air misting her breath, and total uncertainty about when her next meal might be.

She smiled. It was, she thought, the most beautiful morning she'd ever seen.

Her companions were all still snoring, and she lay where she was, just enjoying being with them, being free, away from Starstruck Academy. Wobbuffet and Morpeko were in their Pokéballs, but when she turned her head, she noticed that Rookidee had managed to completely tangle itself up in her hair.

Eyeing the little bird, she frowned. Wild Pokémon never got attached to her like this - that sort of thing happened to James sometimes, but never her. This Rookidee should have flown off and gone back to its life by now, but it hadn't. Should she catch it? James always caught the Pokémon who took a liking to him, even that annoying Morpeko…

Well, she didn't have to decide right now. Besides, there was something cute about the little ball of feathers hopelessly wrapped up in her hair and snoring contentedly. Even if it would be a hassle to fix her hairdo after it woke up-

Wait.

"Hey!" Jessie yelped, sitting up. "Get out of my hair, you stupid Rookidee!"

James, Meowth, and the Rookidee all cried out with alarm as her shout woke them up, and Rookidee flailed as Jessie grabbed at it, trying to yank it free of her crimson locks.

"You ruined my hair!" she exclaimed at the bird. "It'll take hours to fix, you stupid ball of feathers-!"

"Rookideeeeeee!" shrieked the tiny bird Pokémon, its little wings flapping frantically as it tried to untangle itself and escape Jessie's clawing hands at the same time.

James watched the spectacle unfold, and couldn't help but smile. "Good to see you back to your old self," he remarked to Jessie. "I was worried about you."

"James, get this thing out of my hair!" she demanded.

"Yah're makin' it worse!" Meowth called from where he'd sat up.

It took a few minutes, but finally, the trio managed to release the bird Pokémon from its bindings. Chirping its name, it ruffled its feathers and preened itself while Jessie lamented the mess it had made of her hairdo.

"What are you even still doing here?" she demanded of the Rookidee. "You helped me get out of that prison, now go home!"

"Rook-rook-Rookidee!" chirped the blue-and-yellow bird.

"It's sayin' it wants ta go wit' ya," Meowth translated. When the Pokémon chattered a bit further, he added, "Fightin' dat Serperior was da most excitin' t'ing it's evah done, and it wants ta go on a big adventah. Says it's bored hangin' 'round da wild area all da time, nuttin' interestin' evah happens."

"Well, it certainly did when James asked you to look in on me, didn't it?" Jessie huffed. "Go back and maybe someone else will ask for your help."

"Rookidee," the bird stated firmly, fluffing its yellow breast feathers.

Meowth muttered something.

"What did it say, Meowth?" Jessie growled.

"It said it's gonna protect youse from any more monstahs from here on out 'cuz it's a propah gentleman," Meowth answered resignedly.

"You're just a stupid bird!" Jessie snapped at it. "Go home!"

"Rook," the Rookidee huffed, lifting its beak proudly.

"Maybe you should just catch it, Jess," James suggested. "Didn't you want another Pokémon to enter into contests besides Wobbuffet anyway?"

"Fine," Jessie groaned, and she got up and walked over to her things, digging around for a spare Pokéball. Rookidee hopped after her, seemingly eager, and she eyed it as her hand found a sphere - that abruptly opened on its own.

"Wooooo-bbuffet," Wobbuffet declared as it emerged.

"Get out of my way," Jessie huffed at her longtime partner Pokémon, reaching back into her bag.

"Wobbu?" Wobbuffet asked.

"Rookidee," Rookidee chirped in response, and it nimbly hopped its way up Wobbuffet's body to perch on top of its head.

The two Pokémon started talking to each other as Jessie resumed her search for a spare Pokéball. When she finally found one, she turned on the chattering little bird, hefted the device, and…hesitated.

"Jessie?" James asked after a moment. "Is something wrong?"

Jessie stared at the Pokéball. She'd signed Donovan's contract so eagerly, not knowing what she was getting into or who she was pledging herself to. This Rookidee didn't know anything about her, either - it had no idea that she was a poacher, an agent for Team Rocket, a criminal and a villain. By its own account, it wanted to protect her because it thought she was some sort of princess. Maybe it wanted to be caught now, but would it still feel that way when she set it on the twerps? When that lousy Pikachu zapped it senseless?

"I…" She swallowed hard, then put the Pokéball away. "I'm not interested in enslaving the Pokémon who fought for my freedom," she said. "It can come along if it wants, but it's welcome to leave as soon as it realizes who it's flying with."

"Jess," James whispered.

She met his eyes, her deep blue irises shining with an openness he almost never saw there. He'd always known, of course, that her abrasive, arrogant demeanor was just a defense mechanism, that deep down she was insecure and afraid of getting hurt. In a way, he cherished that facade, her unyielding strength, and seeing her get so upset about a Pokémon ruining her hair this morning had felt like home.

But of course, the damage Donovan had done to her couldn't be slept off in a single night. That spot on her stomach was still inflamed, and the mask she always wore was cracked, maybe irreparably. To make things worse, he knew full well that, right now, the least helpful thing he could possibly do was acknowledge her weakness, even in the form of trying to offer her comfort.

So, instead, he forced a shrug. "It's up to you," he said. "Either way, we should go find those twerps."

"Right," Jessie nodded. "Let me fix my hair first and we'll go."

Rookidee chattered confusedly. Wobbuffet responded to it, and the two Pokémon resumed their indecipherable conversation. Meowth eyed his team, humans and Pokémon alike, but didn't interject. None of them would listen to him anyway, even if he did know what to say. Something had shifted, but whether that would be for better or worse was anyone's guess at this point. Maybe things would even go back to normal after a while…but somehow, Meowth found himself doubting that.

Soon enough, they were airborne again, floating down from the icy mountains. Jessie's injuries hadn't fully healed, but most of the venom had worn off, and she found she was able to ignore the few stings and aches she still retained - as she'd told James, she'd pushed through worse while chasing the twerps all over the world. Pain meant nothing to her, really, so long as she wasn't living under the constant fear of abuse; all that mattered was that she was free.

Why did that sentiment feel so familiar…?

Between one thing and another, Team Rocket had completely lost track of the twerps, but it was usually a safe bet to follow the routes deeper into the local region, binoculars ever at the ready. Rookidee flitted around the balloon, chirping happily, and Jessie found that she didn't have the heart - or lack thereof - to describe her targets to such an innocent creature. Meowth had no such inhibitions, though, and soon, Rookidee was scouting the land below for a kid with messy black hair and a Pikachu on his shoulder, who may or may not be traveling with one or more other kids of about the same age.

A whole day went by with no luck, but Jessie couldn't be irritated when she hadn't been hit even once in that entire time. Rookidee didn't seem irritated by the lack of adventure, either, as it still insisted on staying with the trio when they bedded down for the night. Maybe putting it in a Pokéball would have kept it from once again snuggling its way into Jessie's hair, but even to protect her appearance, Jessie simply couldn't stomach the thought of trapping such a willing victim. The next day, luckily, they found themselves back on target a little past noon, and were soon scouting out the boy with the absurdly powerful Pikachu, watching from the trees, assessing their options for how to go about their latest attempt at capture. Strangely, Jessie realized she still had no qualms at all about taking a Pokémon by force against its will - at least that Pikachu knew exactly what it was in for if it got caught, and would have a chance to fight for its freedom.

"Still traveling along as usual," Jessie mused, watching the children walking down the trail. "Will he ever just give up and stop finding new ways to embarrass himself?"

"The only ones who fail at their goals more often than that little twerp are us," James chuckled in agreement.

Jessie's temper flared, harsh words on her lips as she curled her fingers into a fist and threw a punch at James's head-

Then, millimeters from striking her partner's lavender hair, she froze solid, mouth open to say words she couldn't bring herself to speak, as she was suddenly overwhelmed by a memory that was still all too fresh.

"Do not raise your voice to me, Jessica."

James had been fully prepared for the blow, and when it didn't come, he blinked in surprise and turned to his partner, only to see her still as a statue, just shy of hitting him but seemingly unable to move. Her sapphire eyes were wide and distant, clearly focused on something other than what was in front of her.

"Jess?" James asked. When she didn't even blink, he felt his blood run cold, and he gently grasped her upraised fist and gave it a squeeze. "Jessie? What's wrong?"

His touch grounding her, Jessie came back to herself, and as she did so, she sagged, all the fire and fight draining out of her until she was practically bowing at James's feet. "James," she whispered softly, "how many times have I hit you since we became partners?"

"Huh?" James blinked. "I never kept count. Why?"

It was the worst possible answer, and one she knew was true. Choking on a sob, Jessie crumpled.

I'm just as bad as Donovan.

"Jessie?" James asked, bending down and grabbing her shoulders. "Jess? Jess!"

"Rookidee?" asked their flying companion, nestling itself in the crook of Jessie's neck. "Rook rook?"

Meowth stood back and kept his mouth shut. This was out of his paws.

"Jessie, look at me," James urged, grasping her chin and lifting her face gently. "What's the matter?"

The way his emerald eyes shone down at her with concern hurt worse than any of Donovan's beatings. "Why did you rescue me?" Jessie whispered. "You were free of me. Why did you take me back?"

James blinked, baffled by the question. "Jess, we're partners," he said. "I swore I'd never let you down."

"But all I've ever done is hit you," Jessie sobbed. "You deserve better."

"Oh, Jessie," James sighed, and he shifted closer, putting his arms around her. "You've done a lot more for me than just hit me," he told her softly. "It's not like I don't ask for it every now and then, it's okay."

"It's not okay!" she exclaimed, jerking out of his embrace to meet his eyes. "It's not okay that I hit you! You can't tell me it's okay!"

"It's okay because I say it's okay," he stated firmly.

"It doesn't work like that!" Jessie shrieked. "The other girls all said it was okay that Donovan hit them because he was going to make them idols, but it's not!"

"Jess," James said softly, grasping her shoulders. He placed his forehead against hers, meeting her eyes - she was in the grip of trauma, and he knew how that worked, he needed her to focus on him until she freed herself from the pain. "You might have a strong arm, but your punches never really hurt me, I know you don't mean them to wound and they don't. It's nothing compared to what I'd have to take from-" He cut off, realizing he was going down a tangent he always tried to avoid.

Jessie blinked.

Drawing another breath, James tried again. "You say I was free of you when you were in Donovan's clutches," he said, "but that's not true. I was worried about you every minute you were in there. I'm only really free when you're by my side, when I know you're safe and happy and doing what you love doing. I don't want to be free from you, Jess, because you are my freedom. Whether you hit me or not."

"Oh, James…" Jessie whimpered, and she couldn't stop tears from leaking from her eyes as her hands came up to clutch his arms. "I'll never hit you again," she told him. "I promise."

"Don't say that," he responded. "It would be weird if you stopped hitting me entirely." Forcing a smile, he added, "Besides, when I panic, nothing knocks me out of it quite so effectively as a good, hard smack."

Somehow, despite everything, Jessie felt a laugh choke its way out of her throat. As she gazed into his eyes, she found herself feeling light, and words failed her. Several things were coming together in her head, things that had been said the night James rescued her from Donovan that hadn't made sense at the time, things she'd been thinking since she'd been freed-

"Would youse two quit blubberin' and focus?" Meowth asked suddenly, snapping them both out of the moment. When they turned, they saw their companion glowering at them. "Da twerps are on da move, we gotta follow if we wanna catch dat Pikachu!"

"Right!" the two humans shouted in unison, both leaping back into position, in perfect sync as always, Jessie's train of thought halted for the time being.

"So how do we want to go about it this time?" she asked, zeroing in on their targets once more.

"You're in charge, Jess," James answered.

Jessie smiled, her mind falling back into the usual rhythm of coming up with a plan.

~R~

They failed, of course.

Really, it wasn't even a surprise anymore when they were sent blasting off again.

They landed far away, bruised and battered and burned from Pikachu's electric attacks, and set about the usual pattern of cleaning up. James was sorely tempted to tend to his partner's injuries with extra care this time, but she didn't seem at all bothered to have fresh wounds. In truth, it was the sort of pain she was used to, almost comforting in its familiarity.

Rookidee hadn't escaped from Pikachu's electricity, either, but even after being part of a failed attempt at Pokénapping that ended in being blasted sky-high, it still hopped and flitted around the team, bringing salve and bandages to the humans, especially Jessie.

"Why are you still here?" she asked the little bird Pokémon tiredly.

"Rookidee!" it chirped proudly. "Rook rook rook! Rookideeeeee!"

"It's sayin' it wants anodder shot at dat Pikachu," Meowth translated, and his curled smile widened. "Says it wants ta challenge it again and again 'til it beats it down."

"Well, if you stick with us, you'll certainly get plenty of opportunities to do that," Jessie sighed.

"Rookidee!" the bird Pokémon proclaimed happily. Then it cocked its head at her. "Rooki rook?"

"It's askin' if yah're gonna catch it now so ya can be its trainah," Meowth told Jessie.

"You still want me to…?" Jessie stared into its little red eyes, then shook her head. "No. I won't imprison you like that."

"Rookidee," it huffed angrily, fluffing its feathers in irritation, and it hopped off into the trees, out of the circle of light cast by the team's campfire.

"Gone already…?" Jessie asked softly, watching it go. Even after being walked out on so many times that she should have been used to it, it still always hurt when it finally happened…

"Nah," Meowth shrugged, "it's just sulkin'. It'll come back."

"That'd be a first," Jessie mumbled.

"Ya really oughta catch it, Jess," Meowth said.

"I…" Jessie sighed heavily. "I can't. It wants to be caught, so I…"

"Leave it alone, Meowth," James spoke up from across the campfire.

Jessie and Meowth looked up at him, but he didn't say anything more. His eyes met Jessie's, and somehow she knew he understood.

He always understood…He was always there…

Rookidee wouldn't be the first to come back to me, she realized. The second, maybe, but…

"I swear, I'll never let you down…" "I would never abandon you, Jessie. We're partners…"

She remembered the path her thoughts had been traveling down just before their latest failed heist. The pieces were all still waiting right where they'd been in her mind, ready to click into place, and with a jolt that was equal parts wonder, fear, awe, joy, and self-loathing, she allowed them to fall, forming a picture she should have seen long ago.

"James…?"

The name slipped out of her mouth on a breath.

Meowth watched Jessie's face go slack, starry-eyed as she stared at her human partner, and felt his lips curl into a smirk. Finally figured it out, didjya? he thought privately. 'Bout time. "Come on, Wobbuffet," he said, walking over to the blue blob and planting his paws against its soft body. "I t'ink dese two have some talkin' ta do, let's give 'em some privacy."

"Wobbu?" Wobbuffet asked, but its stubby legs couldn't put up much resistance against Meowth's forceful shoving, and it stumbled along ahead of him.

"Way to make it awkward!" Jessie snarled at him as the cat Pokémon led her other companion into the darkness, but by the time she'd finished speaking, both Pokémon were out of sight.

"Jessie?"

Drawn back to her epiphany by the soft question, Jessie turned to face James across the fire. She swallowed hard, wondering how she'd never noticed…

"Is everything all right?" he asked.

"I…" Bracing herself, she drew a deep breath. "I was just thinking…something. Remembering something."

"What's that?" James inquired, looking confused.

Unsure where to begin, she hesitated a long moment. "The night you rescued me," she said at last. "Meowth…said some things. About…well, I didn't know at the time. But I think he was talking about you."

The words hit James like a blizzard attack from an Articuno. He recoiled, unable to contain a horrified squeal, his blood running cold at the softness in Jessie's eyes.

"And something you said, too," she went on. "Not just that night, but also today…" She closed her eyes, shaking her head. "I'm starting to think…I really am stupid, aren't I?"

"Huh?" James blinked, completely thrown for a loop. "Uh…N-No?" he managed. "No, not at all. You're not stupid, Jessie." He was babbling now, hoping he might still be able to keep this from going in the direction it felt like it was going.

"I am, though," Jessie said, smiling ruefully as she opened her eyes to meet his again. "James…you knew Donovan was no good because you've dealt with someone like him before. Someone I've met myself during our travels. Haven't you?"

"What…?" James scrambled to think of what she was talking about, his brain clouded by panic.

"Her," Jessie said, and she scowled. "That hideous, awful hag those twerps dared to suggest even remotely resembled me."

Her. As grateful as James was that Jessie had avoided saying the name, he couldn't help but shudder in sheer terror at the mere thought of that witch.

Jessie saw his reaction, and felt an answering shudder in her own core. She knew that horror now, that crippling dread at the thought of one person. So many things were starting to make sense as she connected the dots, and she felt her heart twist.

"M-M-Maybe," James finally stammered out. "I didn't think of - of that, but, I knew he gave me the willies, Jess."

"Because you knew his type," she said softly. She closed her eyes again. "I should have listened to you," she said. "Not just because you would know, but because…you're the only person who's never let me down."

James started, eyes widening.

"Everyone always leaves me or fails me, one way or another," Jessie said, meeting his eyes again. "Except you. And every time I try to find someone else, some other place to go, I throw that back in your face. You're…" She swallowed as her brain completed her sentence with words she would never let herself say: …everything I've been looking for, all this time, aren't you? "…my partner," she finished out loud. "And you were right, that day at the gate. I can't just walk away from that. I shouldn't. And I don't think I will again. I'm sorry it took me so long to see it."

"Jessie," James breathed. Maybe this wasn't going where he was afraid it would. He would be lying to himself if he tried to pretend it didn't hurt every time Jessie attempted to walk out on him - he didn't feel complete without her in his life, that was just a simple fact, and he wished she'd stop running off or praying for a man to spirit her away. If she was going to get over that urge…maybe that was a good thing. Maybe this was all good, and he didn't have to be afraid of something worse coming.

"I know now, what it's like for someone to try to control me and turn me into a toy," Jessie went on, "and that's why I…I need you to know that I'll never treat you like that."

No, this did not at all seem like it was going in the direction he was terrified of. James allowed himself to relax, unable to contain a sigh of relief, as Jessie continued.

"I have no interest in owning you, or hurting you for my own amusement," she said. "I may be in charge of this team when we're on the job, but…you're not my property, and I don't want you to be, and I never will. You're your own man, James, you're as free-spirited as I am and I don't want that to ever change. I enjoy our partnership just as it is, and if nothing ever changed, I'd be more than content with that. In fact…" She drew in another breath. Did she dare take this risk? Yes, she decided, yes she did, it was long past time to know one way or the other. "I think there's only one thing about our lives that I would change, that might make me happier than I already am," she told him.

"Oh?" James blinked. "And what would that be?"

In response, Jessie stood up and walked around the campfire to kneel at his side. Her nearness set off alarm bells in James's head, his panic rising once more, and when she gently placed a hand on his arm and bent close to him, so close their faces were about to touch, his heart stopped.

No.

No!

Sheer terror flooded his limbs, sending any recollection of the words Jessie had just spoken tumbling away on a torrent of black ice that crashed through his entire being, freezing him in horror and despair. There was nowhere he could run - Team Rocket was the place he'd run to, to escape this very fate, Jessie had been his liberator and he had nowhere to go but back, back to the suffocating nightmare of the monster who haunted him! He'd thought this was an escape, but now his escape had become another prison, he had nothing left, he would be caged up one way or the other, his life was over!

Paralyzed with fear and devastation, James held still, awaiting his doom.

It didn't come.

A minute passed. When James dared open his eyes, he saw Jessie right there, her lips millimeters from his own, her breath gusting across his mouth, oddly pleasant-smelling, musty but also with a hint of spice. She wasn't moving.

He shuddered. Why wasn't she claiming him? Was she just torturing him? She knew he wasn't going to run, that he was already as good as hers and there was no escape, why hadn't she ended him already?

"J-Just…get it over with…" he whimpered helplessly.

"Not if you don't want me to," she whispered.

What?

Something new slammed through James's brain then: complete and total shock. Jessie's words didn't make any sense, especially not in this context. What did what he wanted have to do with anything?

"I told you," Jessie said softly, "I will never treat you like she did, no matter what. I won't control you, James, and I won't make you do something you don't want to do."

"B-B-But…!" he stuttered. "But…but Jess…I…I don't…I don't want to control you, either."

"Who said anything about anyone controlling anyone?" Jessie huffed. "Neither of us has to control the other. If you really think control or possession has anything to do with this…well, that's a load of Tauros dung, James, and you know it."

He didn't know that. In fact, that concept was entirely foreign to him. All his life, words like "marriage" and "romance" had been synonymous with "slavery" and "abuse"; the idea that they didn't have to be connected was nearly impossible for him to comprehend.

"I'm offering you a choice, James," Jessie said softly, and there was a quaver to her voice that made him instinctively want to reach out and hug her even despite the situation. "With the understanding that we'll both have a choice, always, no matter what happens."

A…choice…?

In truth, offering James this choice was taking every ounce of strength Jessie had. All of her instincts, honed by a lifetime of loss and abandonment, were screaming at her to just grab him and claim him, tie him down before he had the chance to leave, smother him until he couldn't even imagine abandoning her, like everyone always did. With each moment they knelt there, breathing each other's breath, not quite touching, Jessie fought back years' worth of demons, until she was shaking from the effort of restraining herself. But she knew that if she gave in to her urges, James would run - that he would leave her if she tried to force him to stay, as was his right, he had his own demons to contend with and she couldn't give them any more power over him if she wanted to have even a chance at happiness.

For a long minute, they held the position, both of them contending with crippling trauma, some of it new, most of it old, all of it soul-crushing. They were teetering on the edge of a precipice, not knowing if what awaited them at the bottom would be the culmination of all their nightmares, or the salvation they had only dared hope they might find in their wildest, most desperate dreams. And the longer they stayed like that, the more likely it seemed to both of them that it might be the latter - James wasn't leaving, Jessie wasn't demanding, everything they feared just wasn't happening no matter how much time passed. Maybe it really never would.

It was impossible to say which of them was more shocked when James leaned forward, closing the last micrometers of space between them, and pressed his lips against hers.

A shared flinch, a soft whimper that could have been his or hers or both, a moment of surprise. Then, Jessie gave a low moan and leaned into him, her eyes sliding shut as she kissed him back. Both of them felt a wave of warmth, something so inherently right as they shifted closer, wanting more, as though they'd always wanted this, from the moment they'd met.

Maybe they had.

Still mindful of James's fear, Jessie brought her hands up and placed them on his chest, not grabbing, just wanting to touch him, even through the layers of his uniform and her gloves, to feel closer, close to the man who'd been her other half in more ways than she'd ever let herself acknowledge - how had she not realized how close they were, how much he meant to her, how lucky she was to have had him by her side all this time? He felt her hands start shaking against him as he brought his own arms up to grasp her shoulders and pull her closer still, and he could tell she was trembling with - desire? She wanted him, but also didn't want to claim him…it was so strange…

Their lips parted, opening and closing against each other, soft gasps slipping between each other's mouths. Somewhere inside James's heart, a thick-foot wall of crystalized terror was cracking apart, leaking hints of all sorts of thoughts and feelings and emotions and desires that he'd kept pent up for so long, too afraid to ever let them see the light of day, so scared of what would become of him if he ever let himself think or feel any of it. A chunk splintered, the wall split open, a dam bursting to unleash a torrent of suppressed urges, and suddenly he was overwhelmed by an intense craving, a need he had never let himself admit he had for fear of the nightmare it might lead to.

Jessie felt her partner's shift in demeanor moments before he grabbed her and pulled her body against his, and she moaned louder, slipping her arms around his neck, feeling an answering surge of desire in response, as though the flood sweeping James away was also spilling into her own being. Kissing harder, they opened their mouths further until their teeth clicked together, pushing with all their strength as though they hoped to swallow each other whole; tongues lashed and writhed, and Jessie found that he tasted oddly sweet. He, in turn, found her spicy, a wild, noxious taste like a perfectly ripe cheri berry that drove him mad enough to tangle his fingers in her hair hard enough to pull as he clawed at her, needing her; his loins throbbed with a pain that was also oddly pleasurable, straining against the pants of his uniform-

Suddenly, a vision exploded behind James's eyes, crystal-clear, of his darkest nightmare, the one he always tried to avoid thinking about, now suddenly too vivid to suppress: Himself, stripped naked, bound and gagged and strapped down to a rack, while a redheaded witch straddled him; a whip cracking against his exposed skin again and again while she shrieked at him, demanding that he perform, that he satisfy her properly, all while he did his best to focus his attention on her admittedly-not-unattractive body in hopes that his own body would get the job done with quickly, that it would be over soon, knowing full well that every night after would be more of the same, that the torture would never end-

Screaming in horror, James shoved Jessie away and turned, sprinting before he was even on his feet, stumbling blindly in a desperate drive to escape. He barely made it six steps before slamming headfirst into a tree, and he threw his limbs around that tree and gripped it with all his strength, clinging on for dear life, shrieking and wailing, tears gushing from his eyes, beyond delirious with panic.

NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!

It took Jessie a moment to recover from James's sudden push, and she righted herself, struggling to catch her breath. When she saw what had become of him, emitting high-pitched squeals of terror while he drenched a helpless tree in saltwater, she blinked once, then got up and walked over to him, kneeling at his side and gently placing a hand on his shoulder. His entire body jerked violently in response to her touch, as he anticipated either a grab or a blow, but neither came; she just rested her palm against him, then gently stroked her thumb up and down along the curve of his arm, feeling his full-body tremors as his demons tore him apart from within.

Another realization dawned on her then: As horrible as her ordeal with Donovan had been, the threat James faced with Jessebelle was far worse. Donovan had been cruel and brutal, but at least there had been that one particular line he'd never indicated he had any desire to cross; Jessebelle, though, fully intended to cross that line with James, along with all the other lines, over and over again. Jessie's heart ached as she sat with her panic-stricken partner, softly caressing his arm, saying nothing, knowing he wouldn't hear her even if she did speak.

Slowly, the feeling of Jessie's warm hand on his shoulder dragged James back to reality, the uncharacteristic gentleness of her touch reminding him that Jessebelle was far, far away, living in a region on the other side of the world, and that Jessie, despite her uncannily similar name and face, was not the boogeyman who haunted him at every turn. He'd never seen Jessebelle when he looked at Jessie despite those similarities, he'd always known she was different, always felt it, and she'd proved it now: he was safe here, with her. His tears subsided, his breathing calmed, his death-grip on the innocent tree slackening by degrees as the nightmare receded. When at last he was able to gather himself enough to open his eyes and turn his head to face his partner, he saw Jessie's blue irises shining with sympathy.

"You were thinking of her just now," she said gently. "Weren't you?"

"Mm-hmm," he whimpered, fully aware of how pathetic he sounded.

But Jessie didn't remark on it. "I'll never treat you like that, James," she said instead. "I told you I wouldn't."

"I know," he sighed, a whine in his voice. "I just…"

"I understand," Jessie said. "I mean…I don't, but I understand enough."

"I'm sorry," he mumbled.

"It's not your fault," Jessie snapped. "It's her fault." She scowled, and James took strength from such a Jessie-like display of wrath. "I'd like to introduce her to Donovan Star," his partner growled. "Maybe at some point she'll discover that an invitation to Starstruck Academy found its way into her mailbox."

"Jess!" James exclaimed, eyes widening. "You wouldn't!"

"I absolutely would!" Jessie spat, flames in her sapphire eyes. "Those two monsters deserve each other!" With a huff, she lifted her nose haughtily. "We could probably sell tickets to the show that would make us a fortune. It would be entertaining to watch them and find out which one comes out on top."

Though she hadn't intended it, those last two words hung in the air a little longer than the rest, as thoughts flashed between their locked gazes faster than words could speak or think. On top. James couldn't handle not being on top, being on the bottom would make him think of Jessebelle; but Jessie wouldn't surrender her right to be on top either, it went too far against who she was.

"…Maybe this was a bad idea," James finally said softly.

"No," Jessie stated immediately. "It's never a bad idea to live life to its fullest, James, to live free and not let fear hold you back. When you can help it," she added, gentling her tone.

"I can't," he whispered.

"I know," she nodded. "But we'll figure it out, James. We always do." She offered him a smile then. "We're a team, and whatever we face, we'll get through it together."

"Maybe…" James replied, though he couldn't even muster the energy to pretend he was convinced. Still, he unwrapped himself from around his safety tree and returned to their camp, Jessie by his side. And even despite everything that had happened, he found that he drew strength from her presence.

They really weren't whole unless they were together. Even if it was only as partners in crime.

~X~

Donovan Star paced in his study, practicing his air of perfect poise. Underneath, he hadn't quite felt calm since that miscreant had blown a hole in his mansion and stolen away his best starlet. He'd been excessive with his punishments with the remaining girls of late, to the point where he'd had to start apologizing to them - if pain came whether they failed or not, they wouldn't learn, after all. But every time he remembered that childish face Jessica had made at him as she floated away…well, Serperior was the only living thing that could be within arm's reach and not get hurt when the memory surfaced.

Luckily, his runaway idol had given him a lead.

Team Rocket. Donovan had never heard of such a group before, but information on them wasn't difficult to find when you knew the right people. A few inquiries here, a few wire transfers there, and he had everything he needed to know about the Kanto-based criminal syndicate. So it was that he was awake far past his usual bedtime, a laptop open and ready, waiting for a video call with the man who could sort his problem. Being that Kanto was on the other side of the world, night for him was day for the other party, and he was willing to be the one to bend his schedule to make the meeting happen, as he was of course the one asking for a favor - it was basic courtesy.

A ringing from his device informed him that his call was going through, and Donovan quickly settled into his seat at his desk. Serperior, ever reliable, slithered up beside him, hissing its name, reminding Donovan that he had a perfect weapon on-hand at all times. Tossing his hair into place, he tapped the button to confirm the call.

The screen lit up, revealing an image of a man with short brown hair and a stern, square-jawed face, wearing an orange suit and stroking a strange cat Pokémon - a Persian, Donovan knew, the Pokémon that Kantonian Meowth evolved into.

Donovan smiled. "Greetings, my good man. You're Giovanni, I take it?"

"I am," the stone-faced man nodded, his expression betraying no emotion.

"I'm Donovan Star, heir to Star Enterprises here in Galar," Donovan introduced himself proudly. "A pleasure. Thank you for accepting my request for an audience, I promise I won't take too much of your time."

"It's not every day I get a request for a private call from a Galarian businessman," Giovanni remarked neutrally. "This promises to be interesting."

"Indeed," Donovan smirked, and he allowed his smile to widen. "Good sir, let us not mince words, shall we? I happen to know that you are the man in charge of an organized crime ring known as Team Rocket. Yes?"

Barely a flicker lit in the Kantonian man's eyes, but it was just enough, and Donovan settled more comfortably in his seat, already tasting victory.

"It's amazing what you can find out when you pay off the right people," Donovan purred.

"That's a very bold accusation you're making," Giovanni said, stroking the head of his foreign Pokémon.

Donovan waved a hand. "I have no interest in selling you out, I assure you," he said. "Your business is your business, I'm not about to start a war across regions over something that hardly concerns me."

"I find it unlikely that you would bring up my possible affiliations if it truly didn't concern you," Giovanni countered smoothly.

A little thrill ran down Donovan's spine, the same one he always felt at the thought of the clever pun he'd included in the name of his academy; playing such a precarious game with a man nearly as dangerous as himself was oddly exciting, though he wasn't going to push his boundaries for the sake of a quick high - discipline was important if one was to take proper pleasure in anything, after all. "Well, about that…it's quite unfortunate," he said carefully, "but it seems that, by sheer coincidence, you and I have a…bit of a conflict of interest at the moment, one I'm not sure is completely minor. Whether it is or not, I was hoping we could settle it peacefully and reasonably, man-to-man."

"Let's hear it," Giovanni said.

"You see, I've decided to put my wealth towards the construction of an institute aimed at training young individuals I sense are gifted in showmanship," Donovan explained. "Recently, one incredibly talented young lady enrolled in my academy." He pulled out Jessica's contract. "She seemed quite eager to sign the contract, claimed that to become an idol was all she ever wanted. A young woman with long red hair and dark blue eyes, by the name of Jessica. Does that ring a bell?"

A frown tugged at Giovanni's stern lips. "It might," he said.

"The trouble is," Donovan sighed, tucking the contract back into his coat, "not long after her arrival here, a young man with lavender hair quite violently attacked my estate and stole her away, claiming she belonged to Team Rocket. So you see my predicament."

"He stole her away?" Giovanni repeated, his tone unreadable. "She didn't leave of her own accord?"

"I can't imagine why she would," Donovan responded. "By her own account, her dream is to be an idol, and I would have made her a star to go down in history. She seemed like she was responding quite well to the program, too."

"Hmm…" Whether or not Giovanni believed this lie was something Donovan truly couldn't discern, but the uncertainty just made his heart pound. It wasn't often he went up against someone who could actually hold their own against him. Maybe he should seek out worthy opponents more often… "What exactly is it you're asking of me?" Giovanni finally inquired.

"Your price," Donovan answered with a soft chuckle. "I have no interest in warring with you over your agent, but I can't bring myself to simply let her go, either, her talent is too invaluable to squander. What I'm asking of you, my good man, is how much you want in exchange for her, what price you would ask of me in return for you releasing her from your organization and into my care. Name a figure, any figure, and I assure you, I can and will pay it."

Giovanni closed his eyes thoughtfully, his hand carefully stroking his Persian's head, over and over…and slowly, he smiled.

Happy Rocketshipping Day, everyone. Yes, I did deliberately time these uploads so that this chapter would be posted on Rocketshipping Day.