14

"I'm making my own exit plan," Jessie informed Meowth, sitting in 'her' room in the morning. "I'm not staying in this awful house any longer."

"Well," Meowth's voice rang tentatively across the small earpiece. "James is one of us now, so I guess it's okay."

"I don't think that's going to make a difference, but whatever," Jessie said.

"What do you mean? He seemed loyal, wanted to help us and everything," Meowth said.

"Probably," Jessie said, shaking her head. She didn't feel too much like going over the family politics. "Look, it just doesn't matter. I'll explain it to you better later."

"Yeah. I don't think they'll be happy if you go," Meowth said.

"I never agreed to stay indefinitely. They're sold and I trust James not to rat us out, so I'll go before they figure me out for real, so it's time to get out."

"You don't need help or anything?"

"I was just telling you so you know what's going on. But maybe you could have Mondo pick me up looking like a chauffeur. No reason to blow my cover now."

"Let me know when. Thanks Jess!"

Jessie put away the communication device before heading out. The outside door to James's room was opened a crack, and he wasn't in it, nor was he in the adjacent sitting room. It looked like she'd have to go downstairs. Going down the back staircase, she noted him sitting with his parents in the small sitting area by the back exit. "Good morning, Jessebelle," the father greeted. "I trust you've had enough rest since your ordeal?"

Jessie took a closer look at James, seeing him hunched over, his breakfast untouched, not even saying a word. She fought the urge to react to that, and just responded for 'herself'. "Of course, Father!" Jessie affirmed.

"It must have been difficult. I thought he'd grown past this." The mother furrowed her brow, shaking her head.

They hadn't even asked for details, so maybe they'd just assumed what had happened, Jessie realized. Well, Meowth had said James was a repeated runaway, even one with a criminal record. "My dearest James came back with me. It must be because he loves me so much! I forgive him, so won't you?" The words felt completely wrong to Jessie, though she spoke them cheerfully anyway. It was so far from anything she really wanted to say.

"Of course," James's mother nodded with a smile. Perhaps she really had stayed up waiting for her son, since she looked weary even though it was morning. "As family, we'll always forgive him. We're so sorry you have to deal with this, Jessebelle, and hope you still want to join our family."

"I'd like to be alone with my James dear today, if you don't mind," Jessie said.

"We wouldn't get in the way. Of course, you are to stay here."

Was he grounded at his age? Jessie held her tongue. Finally, after breakfast, they went upstairs, giving her the opportunity to really speak her mind. "What the hell is this?" she asked James one they went upstairs and were alone in the sitting room. James looked down. Was he back to playing the mute? "Hey! You can at least answer."

"I'm sorry," James said. The man hunched over, seeming nothing like the person who had tried to seduce her after figuring her out, taken charge to get the magikarp to evolve where no one else would, shyly but happily told her how he'd felt. That person was energetic and enthusiastic, this one was just a mass of despair. It was like the instant he'd returned home, he'd gone completely backwards. His appearance and words were really frustrating.

"What do you have to say sorry to me for?" Jessie asked.

James put his head in his hands and shook his head. "I had almost forgotten that you'd already seen me like this."

Like what exactly? Jessie realized the answer as soon as she'd thought it. The way his parents treated him had to be humiliating, and she'd witnessed it multiple times, probably even more than the standard visitor.

"I suppose I must seem pathetic," James said.

"You do," Jessie admitted, her tone perhaps a little more forceful than necessary, but she wanted him to know it. "Why don't you just stand up for yourself? You're just as much to blame if you just take this."

"Any word that escapes my lips in protest of their ideas regarding me dissipates into the air," James said. Jessie paused. He was talking weirdly again, but she got the general idea that his parents just ignored him. She'd seen it herself, they often acted like he hadn't even said anything. "Besides, I deserve it," James said.

"You deserve them hitting you? What does a little kid do to deserve that?" Jessie tried to hold back from shouting in case anyone was near enough to hear them, but still felt anger. Why did she have to explain something so obvious?

"It's only Father who has, and he never struck me as a young child," James said.

"Oh? Then when did he start?" Jessie asked.

"I don't remember," James said.

If it was later on in his life, would he really forget? Jessie decided not to push that and instead go for a different angle. "So, it was when you were grown, was it? Maybe he's challenging you as a man. Try decking him back." James looked up in shock at her suggestion. Jessie supposed it wasn't the most refined, but seemed better than sitting around for more abuse. "What?" she said.

"Well, what would it accomplish?" James said, looking down again. "I mean, striking my elderly father."

"Elderly?" Jessie repeated. "You mean old? How old could he be?"

"In his early seventies," James said.

Jessie stared back in disbelief, but James seemed serious. The dad did look a little older than she might have expected with a younger son like James, but not that old. "And your mother?"

"She's younger, of course," James said. "She only turned seventy earlier this year."

"There's no way!" Jessie exclaimed. "Then have you been lying about your age?" she asked.

"No," James said. "They had me later in life." Way later, Jessie thought to that comment. "They used to call me their miracle," he said. Jessie noted him smiling the first time since they'd been back. He noted her staring and stood up. "May I show you something?" he asked.

"Sure," Jessie said. She followed him down the hall for whatever he might want her to see. He stopped in front of a door, knocking once before he opened it up a crack. He stared a moment before opening it the entire way. He took Jessie's hand as they walked inside.

The smell of potpourri was the first noticeable thing, accenting the entire elegant space. A wrap around couch took up space in one corner, a desk on one end, and seemed centered around the piano. "I wasn't sure if Mother was here," James explained. "This room is really hers, though it's open for me to practice as well."

He sat down on the couch, and Jessie did as well. As he smiled her way she enjoyed it, but supposed that wasn't the reason he'd brought her here. Jessie started to look around, then noticed several family pictures around as well. As she looked, James leaned over ans picked one up from the table. "Father used to take me mountaineering with Growlie." The pictures showed a younger James with his father outside. "Oh, and Mother taught me to sew. She said it's good for boys to be well rounded. They expected quite a bit, but also spoiled me with anything they could." James pointed out other pictures that showed examples of him as a happy, and likely overindulged kid. "They were good parents. It's my fault that they changed."

"Why would you think that?" Jessie asked.

"It was me - I wanted to be a pokemon trainer." James frowned as he carefully put down the picture frame. "I wanted to get my licence at ten, but they said they didn't want their son wasting time with that. That was the first time I ran away. I worried them quite badly then. Afterward, I paid more attention to learning about pokemon than my studies, which I wasn't terribly good at. They started to realize what a stupid son they had."

Jessie had to cringe at how he phrased it. "Enough with that," she snapped. What good would talking down so much about oneself do?

James nodded, and moved on. "Of course, there was also the arranged marriage. Jessebelle was like the perfect child they'd never had, so that made them want the marriage even more. They'd have an intelligent, respectable daughter-in-law, and well bred grandchildren to make up for their failure of a son." James clenched his fists and his eyes shut, his head down. "I wasn't ever going to go through with that."

There were lots of reasons for that, Jessie knew, and hoped he didn't go into them too much. It made her uncomfortable thinking that she had been, and actually still was, playing the part of James's estranged fiancée.

"I did like her at first," James said. "I mean, when we were very young, and I was still getting to know her. Girls were mysterious to me then."

Just then? Jessie fought the inclination to tease him, recalling her recent personal experience with him, and just continued to listen to his story.

"But Jessebelle... Well, I think she liked being engaged to an unintelligent delinquent. She liked the idea of 'helping' me, 'fixing' me, or at the least having others think that's what she was doing. She would constantly report back to my parents on what I did, and how she dealt with it, and get praised by them. I felt worthless. I shattered their vision of a respectable son while seeing my own dream fall away. I really couldn't stand it, so I kept running away when the pressure was too much. I know Mother and Father must have assumed I'd done so again just now. I scared them quite a bit growing up."

"You can leave now, if you want," Jessie pointed out. "You can even tell them so they don't worry."

"Well... It's like I said before, they don't really listen when I say things like that. It seems like they erase it from their memory."

Jessie could have rolled her eyes. "You're an adult. It's still your choice," she affirmed. They sat a few moments in silence. Was there anything else for her to say? It was a bad situation, but he was still the one who stayed in it.

"I was the one who did it first," James said.

"Did what?" Jessie said. She'd been drifting away in her thoughts, and only half paid attention as he continued.

"I struck Father before he'd ever hit me," James said.

"Hm?" This got Jessie's attention. She could hardly imagine him to be the type. He wouldn't even hit his old man now. As she looked over at him, he looked away, obviously feeling guilty about the topic.

"It was after they'd gotten me out of jail. I was still a teenager," James continued. "I was part of a gang with Cassidy. Most of them joined Team Rocket like her. At least I think so, I lost track of them since my parents had me sent home while they all went elsewhere."

"Meowth told me something about that," Jessie informed. "Your parents must have been really pissed."

"No. I mean, they weren't happy at all, but they were still quiet and patient when they talked to me about it. They only lectured me about some of the things I was being charged with. They kept telling me things, going on about how they'd raised me to be kind. I got irritated at Father and struck him. He fell down, hit his head." James hunched down even more. "Mother cried, Growlie attacked me to get me to stop. Father had to go to the hospital afterward." After a pause, James shouted. "Can you see what a disappointing son I've been?"

Jessie stood up. This was enough of listening to him, really. She'd assumed it was only the parents being abusive, but apparently James had been a little brat himself. She got the idea, and didn't need to hear anymore. Even with these facts, it still seemed like James had long ago made penance to them and didn't need to stick around for their crap. "Are you letting them dictate your life so you're less disappointing?" she asked.

"I'm not," James insisted.

Jessie heard the man stand up behind her, but didn't turn to look at him. Instead, she paced around the room, eventually having a look at the pictures around the desk that James hadn't talked about. "Hm? Your mother was really pleased to have a baby, wasn't she?" Baby pictures dotted the area above the desk, much more than of James at any other age.

James paused as he joined her. "Only that one's me," he said, pointing to the one of a baby in a basket with a growlithe looking in. "The others are Terry. The pictures are all they have left."

"Who's that?" Jessie asked.

"Mother didn't mention him to you? He was my older brother, he died when he was a few days old."

"Huh? Why? What happened?" Jessie asked.

"I don't know. He was just sickly," James explained. "But, you see, that's why they're so concerned about me now. They had trouble conceiving, then had Terry when Mother was approaching forty. When he passed, they never thought they'd had another child, until they had me some years later."

Jessie shook her head as she imagined what that whole situation must have been like. Even people like this had plenty of anguish in their lives, she'd been finding out. Even so, it happened a long time ago and didn't justify their status quo. "It's sad, but what does that have to do with you?" she asked.

"They want me to have a child, or children, at an appropriate age when it won't be difficult, so I won't regret not having any later," James said.

"Hmph." Jessie shook her head, looking away from the baby pictures and back at him. "Do you want kids?" she asked, already knowing the answer.

"I really don't," James admitted. "Of course, they say I'll change my mind later."

"Maybe you will, maybe you won't. At least if you act on your own you'll be living with your own regrets instead of theirs," Jessie said.

"Is that what you think I should do?" James asked.

"Who knows. What are you going to do from here?" Jessie shot the question back at him.

"I don't know. What do you think, Jessie? I mean... Now that you know almost everything regarding my situation."

Jessie sighed loudly. Was he going to keep putting this on her? "What do you want me to say?" Jessie asked. "I could tell you that your parents are just abusive freaks who can't get over your past mistakes and should at least listen to their only living son, so you should say screw them and go live however you want. Or I could say that you're just horrible and unappreciative of parents who still haven't given up on their criminal of a son despite every rotten thing he's done and you should do everything they tell you. Would either of those answers be satisfying to you?"

Jessie paused, and James didn't answer, since of course they wouldn't. "Whatever you do, you should own it," Jessie continued. "Don't lean on me for answers. I'm not going to take their place and tell you what to do." That was tough, since she really did want to tell him to just leave with her right then. But if he didn't decide it himself, what was the point? "I'm also not going to stick around to see all this."

With the last declaration, James's mouth opened in surprise. Jessie decided it was better to tell him directly. "You stay here with your parents, find your real fiancée, or a new one, or whatever you decide is best. I've got to get going, get on with my life. I can't stand staying here and seeing all this."

James nodded. "I understand," he said. "Thank you for everything."

Jessie wasn't sure what she'd been expecting him to say, but for some reason, that mature, controlled statement made it feel like her heart was torn in two. "Don't think I'll wait for you or anything, because I won't," she said. James just nodded again, the only response. Jessie turned and left, going back to her room. She took out the concealed communication device and barked a demand for Meowth to send Mondo not later, but ASAP.

"What's the issue, Jess? Something happen?" Meowth asked.

"Nothing at all, just be quick," Jessie said. She cut the line and started to pack, deciding to leave most of what had been 'hers' there.

Waiting downstairs still took a while, and the mother eventually came along. "Jessebelle, are you headed somewhere?" she asked.

"Yes, Mother," Jessie said pleasantly, trying her best not to break character during the last moment she'd likely see this person. "I've been called back to Kalos to return a favor. I may be there a while!"

The mother looked back at her blankly. Jessie sensed this old lady wasn't buying it. Now that Jessie looked closer, she noticed that this person had make-up that probably helped hide her age, the basic hint of grey roots showing, so maybe she really was that old. The lady looked her in the eyes poignantly, and Jessie fought the urge to jump. "It's been wonderful having you back, Jessebelle. I know it's been very rough dealing with my son, but you do still want to continue with the marriage, don't you?"

Jessie wanted so much to say no, but that wouldn't be fitting. What would 'she' say? Well, likely 'she' wouldn't be leaving at all, from what James said. Or maybe she would finally be done with dealing with James. After all, in actuality, 'she' had already left. It was fun to get praised as a kid for dealing with his crap, but not an adult, right? "W-Well," Jessie began, not wanting to have the old lady wait too long for her answer. "I think you already know the answer to that, Mother," she said. That much was polite enough to say, wasn't it?

The old lady closed her eyes before opening them and looking at Jessie again. "I understand. Thanks so much for all you've done, Jessebelle."

It was almost a mirror of her son's statements from before. The family resemblance could be seen in everything from her expression to her demeanor. Luckily, before Jessie could react, there was a loud knock on the door. Mondo let himself in, dressed in a suit, though no sunglasses this time.. "Miss Jess... Jessebelle! I'm here to escort you."

She said good-bye and left with her junior. Mondo was a good driver, especially considering he seemed too young to be driving in the first place. Meowth might give her crap for asking for a personal ride this long rather than just making her own way. When she got back to base, what was the next thing that she could do to show her worth now that this was all over?

Despite trying to think of work, James's face kept coming back into her mind. There was also his mother, who had seemed so much like him, despite being older and a woman. Jessie had little experience with any kind of connection like that, so she couldn't relate. They were family, that's why they stuck together even with how messed up everything was. It was none of her business, even if she'd tried to make it hers. She'd known better than to poke her nose in, even though she'd done it anyway.

She'd also known better than to fall for a guy like him, though that hadn't helped much either. His shy smile, his abrupt confession, his other awkward speeches, and the proof of his romantic inexperience all went through her mind. The memories ought to show he wasn't that great of a catch but only had her thinking how she wanted him still with her even more.

"Miss Jessie?"

"What?" Jessie asked, eager for any distraction Mondo might have.

"Are you really leaving there for good? You and James seemed to get along. Maybe you could get married after all! Even if it's for Team Rocket, you might even fall in love!"

"Hmph." Jessie chortled. "Love isn't that simple, Mondo. Everything in life is overly complicated, really."

"Oh. Of course."