Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon. This is just for fun.
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Girlfriends
Part 3
by Vickie211
"Table for two, please. Non-smoking." Jessie said to the hostess who greeted them as she and Misty entered the small restaurant near the center of the mall.
The hostess nodded and picked up a couple of menus and two sets of silverware. "This way, please," she said pleasantly, and led them to a small table beside a window looking out on the mall's main entrance.
The two girls sat down and began to peruse the menus. They had arrived in town at about 11:00 and found the doctor's office rather quickly. But it turned out that Misty couldn't get in to see him until 3:00, so they had decided to have lunch at the mall and then pass the time by doing a little shopping.
A waitress who said her name was Lucy came up to the table. Jessie and Misty both ordered a chef's salad and iced tea. Lucy smiled , "I'll have those out in a jiffy," and then hurried away to turn in the order.
Jessie looked out the window, watching shoppers entering and leaving the mall. What a day this had turned out to be! This morning the plan had been simple. Attack the twerps early. Blast off again. And have the rest of the day to themselves. Instead, well ... this.
Jessie could not have envisioned sitting here as she was now. The fact that she was helping Misty with her 'problem' wasn't so strange. Jessie would have done that anyway. She was really a kind-hearted person, maybe just a little impatient at times. Well, okay, a LOT impatient. But, she was really only mean and nasty and evil when her job description demanded it.
No, the unbelievable part was how ordinary this whole thing was. Here she sat, in a restaurant with another girl, just as if they were two friends meeting for a lunch date.
Jessie had never done such a thing before. At Pokemon Tech, the other girls avoided her, because she was only there on scholarship, and not part of their social set. Then later, when she was in the bike gang, she had been perceived as a leader, not someone to 'pal around' with. And now, there was too much competition and back-stabbing for her to be friends with any of the women in Team Rocket. Just look at what had happened with Cassidy. Of course, she had James and Meowth, but that was different.
Jessie glanced back at Misty, who was also staring out the window. She felt another jolt of pity as she noted the barely suppressed panic in the younger girl's eyes. "Misty, are you alright?"
Misty turned away from the window and nodded briefly. "I'm almost glad we have to wait to see the doctor. I have a little longer to pretend this isn't really happening."
Jessie gave her a look of sympathy. She started to speak, but stopped herself as Lucy arrived with the food. "Here you go," the waitress said as she placed the salads and drinks in front of them. "Can I get you anything else?"
Jessie lifted an eyebrow at Misty, who shook her head. "No, thank you," Jessie answered.
"Okay, I'll check on you again in a bit." Lucy turned and headed for another table.
"Thanks for suggesting lunch, Jessie." Misty smiled as they both began to eat. "I've been so upset, I forgot all about eating. And I didn't have breakfast because I was too queasy." She frowned as she remembered why she had probably been queasy.
"I figured as much, and I didn't want you fainting on me." Jessie squeezed a wedge of lemon into her tea, then said hesitantly, "Misty, I don't really mean to pry, but what's the story with you and the twerp?"
Misty glared. "He's not a twerp!"
Jessie rolled her eyes. "Alright, 'Ash' then."
"That's better," Misty said. She took a deep breath. "Do you want the whole story, or just the relevant part?"
"Just the relevant part," Jessie replied. "James, Meowth, and I have spent plenty of time watching you two. We knew when you stopped pretending you didn't care about each other." She grinned, "And started locking lips." She reflected for a moment. "It was about a year ago, wasn't it?"
Misty nodded. "Almost."
Jessie continued, "And how long since you ... became intimate?"
Misty's face turned bright red and she looked down at the table. "It was only a month ago. We were on Cinnabar Island. Ash had a new Vaporeon that he wanted to try out against Blaine's Magmar." She looked back up at Jessie and saw a hint of contrition on her face. "Yes, Blaine rebuilt his gym after you three destroyed it."
"That was an accident, and you know it!" Jessie retorted hotly.
"Yes, and so was the Viridian City gym, and the Celadon City gym, and Grandpa Canyon ... " Misty gave her a sardonic grin and took a bite of her salad.
Jessie growled, "Just get on with the story!"
"Well, you know what Cinnabar Island is like. Lots of tourists and lots of parties for them. There was a big dance at our hotel, and we decided to go." Misty stopped to take a drink of tea. "The ballroom was lovely. It was decorated to look like a fairyland. We had so much fun! We danced for a long time, then walked out onto the balcony to cool off. We stayed there for quite a while, just talking and looking at the moon. It was such a beautiful night. Then, just when we were thinking about going back inside, the band started to play that song, I Wanna Tell You. I guess you could say it's 'our song'."
She smiled wistfully. "Ash and I danced on the balcony in the moonlight. It was more than romantic. It was magical." She paused for a moment. "So we went back to our room and ..." Misty's voice trailed off, then she looked straight into Jessie's eyes and said with defiance, "It was perfect, and I'm not ashamed of it."
Jessie spoke quietly, "I didn't say you should be. It sounds like a wonderful memory."
"Thank you," Misty murmured, then went on, "Anyway, a few days later, Brock came back. We haven't really had a chance to be alone since. We were only together the one time."
"Once is all it takes," Jessie said dryly. "I'm assuming you didn't use any protection?"
Misty shook her head and dropped her eyes. "We were stupid," she muttered.
Jessie didn't reply. She just went back to eating her salad.
Misty took another bite as well. She was surprised at how comfortable she felt talking with Jessie, especially about something so private. She hadn't expected her to be so sympathetic, although Misty had always known that Jessie and James weren't really mean at heart. Or Meowth either. He had taken good care of Togepi before it hatched. She wondered why they stayed with Team Rocket.
As she considered this, another thought came to her. "Jessie, may I ask you something personal?"
Jessie hesitated, then shrugged. "Sure. I may not answer. But, go ahead, shoot."
Misty phrased her question with care. "Are you and James in love?"
Jessie's eyes widened and she swallowed hard. She should have seen that one coming. She should have guessed what Misty was thinking and been prepared. But she had been so caught up in Misty's story, she had let her guard down.
Just then, luckily, Lucy came back to the table. "Would you two like anything else? How about some dessert?"
Both girls shook their heads. "No, thanks," Jessie said. "Not today."
"Alright, then. I'll be right back with the check." The waitress headed back toward the kitchen.
"Well, Jessie?"
"Well, what?"
"Are you and James in love?"
Okay, neither distraction nor stalling had worked. Maybe she should just level with her. In fact, the more she thought about it, the more Jessie found herself almost desperate to confide in Misty. She was tired of always having to be so careful. To guard every word, every gesture, every expression. And after all, Misty had shared a very personal confidence with her. Jessie decided she could trust her. But she had to make sure Misty understood the danger.
Finally, she spoke, each word imbued with significance. "It's against Team Rocket rules to become romantically involved with one's partner. If that particular rule is broken, the partners in question are separated and no longer allowed to see each other, much less work together." She held Misty's eyes with her own for added emphasis. "Do you understand what I'm saying?"
Misty nodded mutely.
"Then, having said that," Jessie paused, then continued with a tender smile, "I can't remember a time when I wasn't in love with James."
Misty beamed with delight when she heard this. "I knew it! I just knew it! And how does he feel?"
Jessie chuckled, "James says the same thing about me. But it took us a long time to admit it to each other. I guess it was about three years ago."
"I'll bet it was terribly romantic," Misty sighed dreamily.
Jessie laughed again. "Let's just say it involved roses. Lots of roses."
Misty grinned as well, thinking of how James always seemed to have a rose in his possession. "You'll have to tell me about it sometime." She was silent for a moment, then she spoke up timidly, "Jessie, have you and James ... ?" She hesitated, blushing.
Jessie answered without reserve. "We became lovers not long after the incident with the roses."
"How old were you?" Misty asked quietly.
"We were both 18," Jessie replied. "But Misty, you ... "
Misty interrupted, "And you're careful? You use protection?"
"Always."
Misty looked chagrined and started to speak, but this time Jessie interrupted, "I'm not criticizing. You asked. I'm just explaining. You can't compare your situation with mine. We have to be extra cautious because of the Team Rocket rules. If I got pregnant, James and I would be separated, and the child taken away to be raised by Team Rocket."
The embarrassment on Misty's face turned to shock. "I can't believe ... I had no idea ... " She realized she was stammering, so she closed her mouth and tried to absorb what she had just heard. Her confusion was apparent as she spoke again. "I don't get it. Why do you stay, then? Don't you want to be able to be together openly? Don't you want to get married? Have children?"
"Of course we do!" Jessie bit off each word. "Do you think we stay because we like it?!" She took a deep breath to calm herself. "James and I know too much about the organization. We would never be allowed to leave. At least, not alive."
Images flashed through Misty's mind. Costumes and disguises that she and Ash had somehow never managed to see through. The Meowth-shaped balloon floating overhead. Jessie and James doing the motto in various dramatic poses. The terror on their faces when they mentioned 'the boss'. Their relentless pursuit of Pikachu. Suddenly, so much was clear. "You never had a choice, did you? I mean about stealing Pikachu?"
"No," Jessie sighed. "But Pikachu wasn't our only assignment. Fortunately, we were more successful at the others, or we would have been dead a long time ago."
Neither girl spoke for a few moments, each lost in her own thoughts. Jessie was torn between mortification at what she had told Misty and relief at being able to talk about it. Misty was aghast at what she had learned, and found herself feeling very sorry for Jessie and James.
"There's absolutely no way out?" Misty finally asked plaintively.
Jessie hesitated. Oh, what the hell. After what she had already confessed to, this was nothing. She looked at Misty. "We do have something in mind. We're working on it. But I really can't say anything else about it right now."
Misty's eyes brightened when she heard this. "I understand. But Jessie, if there's anything I can do to help, please tell me?"
Jessie stared in wonder. She hadn't expected Misty to say something like that. Maybe she should rethink this 'twerp' business. "Thanks, I'll think about it."
Lucy walked up and laid the check on the table. "Just take that to the cashier at the front whenever you're ready. And please, come back again." The waitress smiled and left.
Jessie reached for the check. "My treat," she said as she stood.
Misty looked up in surprise. "Thanks, Jessie. You didn't have to do that."
Jessie left a tip on the table, then waved nonchalantly. "It's no big deal." She led the way to the front of the restaurant, paid the check, then followed Misty back into the mall.
The two girls window-shopped, walking along without haste, as they passed a computer software store, a gift shop, and a jewelry store. Misty treated them both to cookies at Great American Cookie Co. They drooled at a poster of Ricky Martin in a music store. And they giggled over a strange garment made of feathers and chains in the window of Frederick's of Hollywood.
When they came to The Limited, Misty rushed over to the window. "Oh, Jessie! Isn't that dress beautiful?!"
Jessie walked up. The dress was a bright yellow silk slip dress with tiny spaghetti straps. It came to mid-thigh on the mannequin. "It certainly is. And the color would look great on you. Why don't you go in and try it on?"
Misty's eyes were bright with excitement. "I think I will!" She started to walk toward the store entrance, then her face fell and she stopped.
"What's wrong?"
Misty gazed sadly at the dress. "I can't buy something like that now. I may not be able to wear it soon."
Jessie frowned in commiseration and silently berated herself for having urged Misty to try on the dress. She had hoped shopping would provide a good diversion, but right now it seemed to be making things worse. Jessie took her by the arm and began to pull her along. "Come on. Let's go find accessories. There's no reason you can't buy those."
They wound up in a large department store trying on hats, shoes, sunglasses, scarves, and anything else they could find. Both girls had a lot of fun, laughing together, and just being silly. Misty was able to put her fear aside, if only for a short time. Finally, Jessie looked at her watch. She hated to say it, but she had no choice. "Misty, it's time."
The sparkle in Misty's eyes faded and was replaced with despair. Giving a forlorn nod, she simply said, "Let's go."
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Author's Note: I appreciate any reviews and helpful comments.