The story so far: Jesse and James were blasted off and they landed, James receiving a blow to the head and ending up in a coma in hospital. He recovered after a few days and the pair finally confessed their love for each other. Jesse and James untied two people within their nation but James woke up with amnesia. He regained his memory after a brief encounter with the twerps. Jesse has been ill for about two weeks and James has taken her to the hospital. James is sat in the waiting room in anticipation of the doctor's verdict
*******
James stared at the doctor, awaiting his reply. Suddenly, the doctor smiled at him. "Come through to the cubicle with me. I think she may want to be the one to tell you why she's been so sick." James looked confused but followed the doctor into the cubicle. The curtains were pulled across so the adjacent beds were obviously occupied. James saw Jesse perched on the edge of the bed and immediately wrapped her up in a bear hug.
"Oh, Jesse! How are you? How do you feel? I was so worried! When will you be better?" Jesse shrugged and replied
"I'd give it about eight and a half months. You might want to sit down James." He conceded and sat next to her. "Doctor" Jesse asked, "Will you tell him please?" James' face reflected his puzzlement as the doctor walked around to face them. He beamed at the pair of them.
"Congratulations. You're going to be a daddy." James' eyes widened to the size of dinner plates as he stared at Jesse
"You're pregnant?! We're going to be parents? Oh my God!! This is…this is…" but Jesse cut him off.
"James, it sucks! I'm going to get fat and ugly! And I don't want a baby! All that they do is cry and make a mess and stink!"
********
In the next cubicle, Cassidy strained her ears as she tried to listen to the conversation. Jesse was pregnant? That was too perfect! Giovanni hated Team Rocket members to so much as hug each other. A pregnancy was a one-way ticket to being fired. She grinned smugly as the doctors bandaged her sprained wrist. Butch eyed her suspiciously. He obviously hadn't heard what she had. "What are you so happy about?"
"Wait and see Butch, wait and see."
******
Jesse and James walked back to the cabin arm in arm. Jesse had been given pills for the morning sickness and she felt rather dazed. James was obviously ecstatic, but said very little on the walk back.
They spent the evening curled up in front of the fire. Jesse's hands rested on her abdomen and James protectively laid his hands on top. He nuzzled her and kissed her hair, then her cheek, but she didn't respond, she just stared blankly into the flames. "Jesse? What's wrong? You're being so quiet…it's just not like you."
"James. We're going to be parent."
"I know! Isn't it amazing! You are going to be a fantastic mother!"
"James, we're not ready! Don't you see? Our lives are going to change so much!"
"Hmm. I suppose we'll have to quit our jobs. Team Rocket is too dangerous for you in this condition. You can't possibly-"
"James, what the hell are you talking about? When my mum had me she was working right up to the day before I was born!"
"But that was under madam boss! You know how Giovanni can get-"
"Giovanni doesn't have to find out."
"What the…Jesse, you're pregnant, remember?" Jesse snorted and rolled her eyes.
"As if I could forget! I'm not going to start showing for a few months, which'll give us time to think, and I can probably hide it, and we're owed vacation time...and…and" Jesse trailed off and turned away from James, tears rolling down her cheeks.
"Oh, Jesse! Don't cry, please don't, everything is fine! I'm here, you're here and that's all that matters. We're going to be fine and we'll be wonderful parents!" James tried to hug her but she shoved him away.
"You don't get it do you James? I don't want this baby! I'm only eighteen! I'll be a terrible mother anyway, and babes are horrible and I really don't want to be pregnant..." Jesse was unable to continue, she was crying so hard. James clasped her hands in his and stared deep into her eyes.
"Jesse, listen to me. You will be an amazing mother, babies are a blessing, you will always be the most beautiful thing on earth to me and I'm here for you. We have each other and that's all that matters." Jesse wiped her eyes and nodded.
"You're right, I just need to try and make the best of it." James grinned at her.
"You'll feel a lot better in a few weeks anyway, remember; three months dreary, three months cheery three months weary." Jesse pulled a paper fan out of nowhere and hit him hard over the head with it
THREE MONTHS LATER
Jesse was now almost four months along. She looked fantastic, her skin was practically glowing, she was so radiant. She was slightly rounder on her midriff, but James had never seen her so active as she had been for the last couple of weeks. Of course, she was eating like a horse to make up for it. The only thing that was beginning to grate on James' nerves a little was that the cabin was never clean enough for her. "Jesse. Relax, that's the third time today that you've dusted the front room! You shouldn't be over exerting yourself, sit down a while!" He looked anxious.
"But James, I don't want to raise children in a filthy environment! I need to clean up in here!" James glanced around the spotless cabin and rolled his eyes.
"Well, if you say so, but I think you should be slowing down a little and…hey! Are those my trousers?" Jesse blushed slightly
"Erm…yeah…my skirt's getting tight." She flung herself onto his lap "But anyway, enough about me. How are you today hun?"
"Er…" James was a little stuck for words. This three months cheery thing had gone to Jesse's head in a BIG way. "We need to go shopping for food Jess, We've got about an apple to live on."
"Fine! Let's go now!" Jesse jumped up and practically dragged James from the sofa into town. They bought enough food to see them through the week and were just beginning to walk back when Jesse squealed "Ooohh! Look at that maternity dress! Isn't it *fantastic*!" James didn't get much of a look at it before he was dragged into the shop. He loved shopping for women's clothes even though Jesse hated it, or at least she used to. Today however, they spent two hours trying on maternity clothes before she finally decided on the outfits she wanted.
As they walked home with their shopping bags, they kept a loving silence between them. Spring was in the air as they walked through the woods. Jesse squeezed James' hand as she watched a female Nidoran gently nudge a tiny baby Nidoran blinking into the sunlight. Jesse's eyes sparkled as she watched the beauty of nature coming into bloom. Her left hand drifted subconsciously over her abdomen and she smiled serenely. However the beauty of the moment was rudely disturbed by two horribly familiar voices.
2To infect the world with devastation!"
"To blight all peoples in every nation"
James stood behind Jesse, his arms draped protectively around her. "What do you two want?" He sighed. Butch glanced James up and down and sneered
"I hear someone's been a busy boy James" He smirked.
""What do you mean?" James queried, confused
"We heard you in the hospital. You knocked Jesse up and now the two of you are trying to act all innocent, like nothing's happened. You make me sick, what would Giovanni say?" Cassidy wrinkled her nose in disgust at them. Jesse was horrified. "No, Cass, you wouldn't, please! I can't put my job at stake…. at least not yet. Please Cassidy, don't tell him!" Jesse's pleading tones and the tears falling down her cheeks did nothing to soften Cassidy's harsh smirk.
"Watch your back Jess." She sneered. She and Butch turned and walked curtly away, Jesse and James staring after them. Once they were out of earshot, Jesse whispered "Oh, god" and promptly collapsed. James caught her and laid her gently down on the grass. She sat up and threw her arms around him, shaking violently and sobbing.
"Oh my god, James they can't do that! They can't tell Giovanni, he'll split us up! James, I can't lose you! And we'll lose our jobs! How can we bring up a family when we have no jobs? We'll have to have the baby adopted and-" James pressed a finger to her lips. He gazed into her eyes and ran his thumbs gently across her cheeks to remove the tears. He stroked her scarlet hair and spoke softly to her.
"Hush Jesse. Nothing is going to happen to us and I don't *ever* want to hear you suggest that we give up our child, NEVER suggest such things! There is no force on earth that could possibly split us up, not even Giovanni! We're together forever, you understand?" Jesse nodded. James swept her up off her feet and pretended to stagger "Whoa, you've put some weight on Jess!" She responded by thwacking him with her largest shopping bag and giggling, but her laughter sounded hollow. She was more distressed by Butch and Cassidy's threat than she wanted to let James know.
Jesse curled up on the couch back at the cabin, staring into the fireplace whilst James cooked dinner. Her face reflected her inner turmoil and the sparkle in her eye was somewhat duller than usual. James had never seen her look this way and had never felt the agony e felt to watch Jesse torture herself like this. But he prepared and served dinner whilst acting as normally as possible.
ONE MONTH LATER
Jesse was now five months along and was certainly showing. Jesse was still "cheery" but ever-present fear of if and when Butch and Cassidy would go to the boss was doing a good job of putting a damper on Jesse's happiness.
It was nighttime. Jesse was taking a bath and James was decorating the nursery. The last month had been quite eventful for them. They had been extremely lucky in finding their own apartment in Viridian city. James had spent almost every penny he owned on the apartment, but he had been quite adamant that his family was not going to be brought up in a Rocket Cabin. So, they now owned a pleasant, three bedroomed apartment on the outskirts of the city. As they didn't know if the baby was a boy or a girl, James had mixed the blue and pink paints together, so the nursery was a pastel lilac shade. He was in the middle of hanging the curtains (1 pink, 1 blue) when there was a knock at the door. James wiped his hands on the back of his distressed denim dungarees and set down the nails he was holding. The knock came again, more impatiently this time. "OK, OK, I'm coming!" James yelled. Jesse left the bathroom just as he walked past. She was wearing a scarlet bathrobe and her hair was wrapped in a white towel. She sat on the couch and picked up her newest book on parenting. James brushed her cheek gently as he walked past her. He opened the door and Meowth stormed into the living room
"Oh, dat Persian really makes me mad! Da boss sent me packing when da big cat finally came back from da pokemon centre!" He caught sight of Jesse "Wha-? Jesse! Yous really let yaself go since da last time I saw ya! You are FAT!"
James covered his eyes, anticipating the inevitable blow to Meowth, nut he waited a few seconds and nothing happened so he peeked through a crack in his fingers. He was surprised to see Jesse apparently ignoring Meowth and staring, wide-eyed, at her bump. She had both hands over her abdomen and her face reflected surprise and joy. James was instantly by her side. "Jess?" he was breathless "What is it? Is something wrong?" His eyes frantically darted from her face to her stomach and back again.
"Shh! James, calm down! Give me your hand." He trustingly extended his left hand and Jesse gently laid it flat over her womb. James concentrated for a few second, then exclaimed
"I can feel it moving! Oh, Jesse, that's our baby!" Meowth stared at him.
"WHAT?!? Jesse's gonna have a BABY!? She neva seemed like da type…Sheesh, I leave you two alone for six months and dis is what happens!" Jesse smiled benignly
"I don't really think you could've stopped us Meowth."
"Probably not. How far along is yous anyways?"
"Five months and one week"
"That's all? I tought you was more den dat Jesse! You is BIG, Jesse!" Jesse drew herself up to her full height and stood over Meowth.
"Are you saying I'm fat?" Jesse pulled a mallet out of nowhere and looked poised to hit Meowth. James swiftly placed himself between the pair of them.
"Jesse! Sit down! Remember your blood pressure. Now calm down and, don't take this the wrong way, but you are...err..."
"What?" Jesse sounded more than a little vexed. James sweatdropped and managed to stutter.
"Well, you are….erm…kinda…a little....maybe…erm…bigger...than you….perhaps…should...be" Jesse looked down and much to James' surprise, didn't hit him. She merely shrugged and sighed
"Yeah, I suppose you're right. I'll ring the hospital and try to book a scan. James, why didn't you mention it when you first noticed? I wouldn't have minded! It is our baby after all and I want what's best for it!" She hugged James and walked off to call the hospital.
"Right, dat's it! I've had enough of you two love boirds, I'm goin' ta bed!" Meowth jumped up onto an armchair in the corner of the room and fell asleep. James slumped down onto the sofa peeling the pint from underneath his fingernails. Jesse walked back into the living room and snuggled up next to him. James wrapped his arms around her and squeezed her tightly.
"I've got an appointment for a scan with Doctor Proctor tomorrow at two pm. Will you come with me?" James rubbed her shoulders.
"Of course! What a silly thing to ask Jess!" She nuzzled her head into his neck. After a few minutes of sitting there in peaceful harmony, James realised that Jesse sleeping. Instead of disturbing her, James let her rest. He shuffled into a recumbent position with Jesse's head resting on his chest and slowly fell asleep to the soothing, rhythmic sound of Jesse's breathing.
James was awoken at 11 am. Jesse was in the dining room tucking into a 30-strong stack of pancakes. She was still eating more than twice as much as she usually did and they needed to go food shopping every week instead of every month. James grinned to see Jesse look so happy and picked up an apple. As he bit into it, the phone rang. He went to answer it, but Meowth got there first. James heard him speaking for a few seconds, and then Meowth entered the kitchen. "It's dat kid. What's his name, erm...Mono? Mandy? Morris?"
"Mondo?"
"Yeah, him. He wants to speak to yous twos now, he says it's real urgent!" Jesse and James rose simultaneously and walked together to the entrance hall. They sat down in front of the videophone screen.
"Hi Mondo" They chorused in unison. The poor kid couldn't tell how badly they were patronising him.
"Hi…erm..." Mondo turned beetroot at the sight of Jesse in her dressing gown and then turned a fetching shade of Maroon as he noticed the obvious bump on her usually slender midriff. He composed himself and continued, "What have you two DONE? Giovanni's furious! He wants to see you today at two o clock sharp!" Jesse clasped James' hand. He put his other arm around her back to hold her upright. All the blood had drained from her face. She didn't say anything, but James could tell there were only two words on her mind: - Butch and Cassidy.
"Tell the boss that we'll be there at three thirty and not before." James curtly said and hung up before Mondo could protest. He turned to Jesse who had her head in her hands. He gently rubbed her back and she looked up. She wasn't crying, but her face was an image of desperation.
"Butch and Cassidy have told him. He's going to split us up James, he's going to split us up, and we'll be sacked. We'll have no money and we won't have each other." Jesse's tone scared James. She spoke softly, but her voice had a desperation, and urgency that chilled James to the bone. Jesse stared straight ahead through glassy eyes, her finger trailing lightly, aimlessly across her abdomen. James struggled to restrain his feeling and managed to choke out
"Jesse. Stop it, please. Giovanni can't split us up, and there is nothing on earth that can! Stop it Jesse, please, you're only giving yourself more stress than you need. Come on, we need to star getting ready if we're going to get to the hospital on time." The pair went to get washed and changed. James was ready first, so he prepared two plates of sushi, one plate had more on it for Jesse, and he placed a saucer of milk on the floor for Meowth. He noticed that Jesse only ate a few mouthfuls. She looked distant and disturbed which James couldn't blame her for, but he had no intention of letting her starve herself. "Jess, what's wrong? You have to eat! I know how bad things look now, but you won't solve anything by hurting yourself. You need to look after yourself even more than usual, for the sake of the baby!"
"Oh, what do you know?" Jesse snarled "I'm just not hungry, get it? And I don't need you clucking over me every minute of the day! Maybe if you ever had to go through pregnancy you'd understand, but you don't and you never will. You're just a typical bloody man!" James turned his back on her so that she wouldn't see the tears in his eyes. Maybe Jesse was right, maybe he had been fussing over her too much, but he had only been trying to make things easier for Jesse. He couldn't help being a man and Jesse was right, he could never understand what she was going through. Jesse instantly realised how much she'd hurt him. Placing one hand gently on his back, she tenderly dried his eyes. James blinked several times, and then smiled feebly at her. "Oh, James, I'm so sorry! I just…snapped, I guess. I'm just worried, well, terrified actually, about what Giovanni is going to do to us, I didn't mean to take it out on you." Jesse cast her eyes to the floor and James saw her furiously trying to blink back tears.
"Ohh, Jesse, you silly girl! Come here" James enveloped her in a bear hug. Jesse hugged back. "You really shouldn't worry yourself this much, it's no good for you and it's no good for the baby. I'm sure it isn't easy for you, but you have to try and relax to take care of yourself." He glanced at the clock on the wall "Come on, it's after half one, we'd better get going. Just remember what I've said, OK? I love you, you're the world to me, and this baby will make our lives complete." James gave Jesse one last squeeze and let her go. Jesse wiped her eyes and tugged on her boots. James pulled his own boots on and they left the apartment. It was now late spring and the air was richly scented with blossom and new flowers as they walked into the city centre. James snaked his arm around Jesse's waist and pulled her in close to him.
They reached the hospital five minutes after their appointment was due to start and were met with a glare from the receptionist. James grimaced apologetically as he caught sight of the other people in the waiting room, but they were ushered almost immediately into the ultrasound room. Jesse lay back on the bed, her stomach fully exposed. James held her hand and started intently at the screen as the doctor performed the scan.
"Well" The doctor began " if you look at the screen there, you'll notice a darker area on the scan. That's baby number two. Congratulations, you're expecting twins."
"RWINS?" Jesse and James chorused in unison. Jesse propped herself up on her elbows to get a good look at the screen. James also stared at the screen, his face portraying an odd balance between shock, terror and ecstasy.
"Oh my god, James, we're having two babies, *two* babies! We didn't exactly plan for one in the first place. James, two babies, oh my gosh." Jesse fell back onto the bed and stared at the ceiling. James; eyes darted between Jesse's face and the screen. He was obviously ecstatic, but before he could say anything, the doctor intervened.
"All parents need time to get over the initial shock of discovering they're expecting twins, but they really are a double blessing. You two obviously care deeply about each other and that love will reflect itself upon your children. I'm sure you will be very good parents." James squeezed Jesse's hand and grinned at her. She squeezed back and looked once more at the screen before the doctor turned the machine off. James glanced at his watch.
"Jesse, it's three o clock, we really need to get to the boss." Jesse nodded. They both shook hands with the doctor and departed. They hurried through the park to Rocket HQ. The guard on the door looked them up and down and sneered
"Ah yes, it's you two. Go right ahead, my boss awaits you." Jesse and James nervously ascended the five flights of stairs to Giovanni's office. His secretary was filing her nails and talking to someone on a headset. She gestured for them to go through. They both shivered as they entered the office hand in hand. Giovanni had his back turned to them, which gave them time to drop hands and look innocent. Jesse looked vaguely normal from the front, except for her trousers. She stood close to James without actually touching him. Giovanni spun smoothly round in his chair and spoke softly to them.
"Jessica and James, I've been expecting you." His face was in shadows. The eyes of the Persian at his left side glinted evilly. Giovanni sneered at them, as he looked them over. "Hardly two of Team Rocket's brightest stars, but that certainly does not provide an excuse for what you have done. I must say, I always had a suspicion that it would only be a matter of time before you two engaged in a relationship, I suppose in a way I was conducting my own little experiment, testing your loyalty to our cause. It never occurred to me that the two of you, especially you Jessica" he glared at her "Would have the ignorance, stupidity and outright audacity to land yourselves in a situation of this magnitude. I suppose that poor old James never did have the intelligence to avoid something like this occurring, but Jesse" He stared her straight in the eyes. A chill ran through her as if she were trapped in the ice beam of an Articuno. "Jessica, I am disgusted with you. You've not only disgraced yourself by allowing this to happen but you've disgraced me, Team Rocket but, worst of all, the memory of your mother. She would turn in her grave if she knew what you had done. The late Miyamoto, greatest Team Rocket member who ever lived, to think that her own daughter could bring such shame to Team Rocket!" Jesse's face paled. She felt a great remorse combined with a great anger surging inside her. The babies moved inside her and it felt like a cold flame licking at the inside of her womb. All that she wanted at the moment was for her children to disappear. She wished with all her heart that the pregnancy had never come to be, but there was no turning back. Tears stung the back of her eyes, but she blinked them fiercely away. She wasn't going to give Giovanni the satisfaction of seeing her upset. Giovanni stroked his Persian and spoke again. "I cannot risk this story being leaked to any outsiders. You have two options Jessica. Either you have the foetus aborted or you server the six month imprisonment as punishment for your foolish actions." Despite the sensitivity of the subject, Giovanni spoke with a heinously perverse ease, as if he put people in situations of this nature everyday. Jesse hung her head and remained silent. James was shocked that she wasn't saying anything, but then he realised that it was finally his turn to do the talking. Jesse had talked the pair of them out of trouble on countless occasions whilst he just stood there like a wimp. He felt an immense strength rise inside himself and allowed his words to flow without considering the implications.
"We refuse. You can't do that. There is no way that Jesse can have an abortion, it's too late anyway. If one of us has to go to prison, you can take me" Jesse stared at him, shaking her head violently in protest but James seemingly ignored her and continued. "I will not allow my children to be born into a jail, without a father. I beg of you, don't take Jesse away. Do what you will with me, but spare her and our babies."
"Babies? More than one?" Giovanni glared at Jesse in disgust, as if it was her fault that she had wound up expecting twins. "This just gets better and better doesn't it Jessica? What James seems to have overlooked however is that Jesse was the one stupid enough to land herself in this much trouble and must therefore be punished appropriately." Giovanni pressed a button on his desk and four uniformed guards entered the room. Two of them grabbed Jesse from behind and began to drag her away. The other two restrained James. Jesse kicked, bit and elbowed the guards but overpowered her and held a cloth doused in chloroform to her nose. James watched as she went limp and thrashed like a man possessed, trying to escape the iron grip of the guards.
"JESSE!" He screamed out to her and summoning all of his strength he managed to break the iron grip of the two burly men holding him. However, the men dragging her took her through a metal door, which slammed in James' face. He banged on the door screaming out her name, in floods of hysterical tears, until he collapsed on the floor, trembling and out of breath.
"You always were pathetic, weren't you James? Quite frankly, the thought of you and Jesse together sickens me, but I feel I must also congratulate you on bedding such a sweet young thing as Jesse. They don't come much finer than her. I just hope that her time inside teaches her a bit about being careful." Giovanni was outwardly insulting the woman James loved. He couldn't bear to hear anybody, especially Giovanni. James clenched his fists, feeling the seething anger building inside him.
"Take those comments back and let her go!" James snarled. Giovanni laughed coldly and smiled at James in mock-sympathy.
"I'm terribly sorry, but I can't let her go, it's Team Rocket regulations. If only you'd been more cautious. Oh well, you'd better run along now before I call my guards to escort you. I doubt that you would find their company very pleasant."
"I'm not leaving without Jesse."
"Don't be so foolish." Giovanni stood up and walked around his desk so that he was face to face with James. "You don't stand a chance of getting her back until six months are over and from the way you're acting she may have her sentence extended."
"You can't do that! That isn't fair!"
"Yes, I can and life itself, my dear James, isn't fair." James could bear it no longer. He drew his fist back and punched Giovanni round the side of the head, catching him off-guard. Giovanni staggered slightly, then growled
"I really don't think you should've done that"
THAT EVENING
James had returned from the meeting with Giovanni with a black eye, a sprained wrist and no Jesse. Meowth held an ice pack to James' eye whilst James recounted the fight between himself and the boss, and lamented about Jesse being locked up. James spent the rest of the evening pacing up and down the living room, ruminating the situation. Meowth had gone for a walk and probably wouldn't return for a few days. James sat up all night until, as the first light of dawn broke at 4 am, James came up with an almost fail safe plan to get Jesse out. He knew that the guards changed every eleven weeks, and they had been changed this week, so that gave him ten weeks of waiting. It was longer than he wanted to leave Jesse for, ten weeks longer that he wanted to leave her on her own, but if the plan worked, he would disguise himself and exploit the changing of the guards as a means of getting her out of that heel hole. He felt an indescribable guilt as he thought about Jesse being alone for so long, and that turned to pain as he realised that he would miss out on a quarter of her pregnancy, the time when she needed him the most, but he tried his best to push such thoughts out of his mind. He also decided upon what he could to for her whilst she was in prison that she'd appreciate.
TWO MONTHS LATER
"She's still not eating? She can't go on like this for much longer. What was Giovanni thinking, locking her up in her condition? I know we're Team Rocket and we shouldn't question his judgement, but we're not heartless, or at least I'm not. How old did you say she was?"
"18, I think" The other guard tutted.
"Poor kid. It must be awful for her. She can't be with the man that she loves and if she carries on at this rate she'll lose her babies too. I feel terrible standing by and watching her suffer like this." The guard lowered his voice. "I slipped some vitamin C into her water. I know I could get kicked out for that, but it'll make her feel a little better. She's sleeping now, we'd better leave her."
Jesse heard the footsteps trailing slowly away from her cell. She had hardly touched a morsel of food since she'd been imprisoned. She knew that that was the worst thing she could possibly do for the babies, but she had no appetite and worst of all, no will to live. She was painfully thin, her normally beautiful, effeminate features gaunt and angular making the large swelling on her abdomen that carried her children seem even larger. She didn't know how long she had been in here for, day and night were indistinguishable in her tiny, windowless cell. She lay on her side and wept for her children. What kind of life would they have, born into this environment? The only thing that kept Jesse going was the tiny glimmer of hope that James might come to save her.
TWO WEEKS LATER
James crept through the shadows dressed in a Team Rocket guard uniform. He had negotiated his way to the prison, now only a few guards lay between him and his beloved. He was obviously in luck, as the night watchman was asleep. He found an inmate's list pinned to a notice board and was delighted to find that Jesse's cell, cell 562, was just around the corner at the end of the corridor he was facing. He managed to creep to her cell unhindered, but was horrified to see two men stood over Jesse's body, which was convulsing violently in a state of delirium. He hung back and listened carefully.
"I'd give her 72 hours as an absolute maximum. The babies will die a few hours after she goes. I hate to lose them so young, especially when they're expecting, but there's no more we can do for her now. At least she's been eating a little for the last week. She's just lost the will to live." The doctor sighed and shook his head solemnly. James let out a barely audible groan. This couldn't be happening, surely Jesse couldn't be so ill that…James couldn't even bring himself to think it. He had to get her out of there. The babies were due in just over a month and a half; he needed to get Jesse back home, where she could recover. One of the doctors whipped around and caught sight of him.
"What the hell are you doing here? You're not on the guard team!" The other doctor made a move for the alarm just outside the cell door. James didn't have a chance to think, he swung his arm round and knocked out the doctor before he reached the door. The other guard pulled out a gun and aimed it at James' head. James kicked the guard in the stomach and as the guard was doubled over in pain James whacked him around the back of the head. He stood string at the crumpled bodies of the two guards, but was distracted by Jesse's voice. She feebly whispered his name and he ran to her. He could see she was suffering, she was painfully thin, she was merely a shadow of the Jesse he had last seen ten weeks ago. She called out his name again. He knelt down next to her and stroked her left cheek.
"Jesse, I'm here, it's OK, everything is going to be fine, I'm taking you back home, I'm sorry I took so long, Jess I'm sorry. I love you so much." Choked by tears James was unable to continue. He grasped Jesse's hand and her eyes met his. James had never seen Jesse look this way before. The omnipresent sparkle was absent from her eyes and her whole face reflected the depth of her depression. They shared a few seconds of silence, then James grabbed the gun from the hand of the unconscious guard and shoved it into the holster on his belt. He picked Jesse up despite her protestations that she could walk by herself. He proved his point by setting her down on the floor and catching her as her knees gave way. He glanced up and down the corridor and seeing it was clear, prayed for a safe escape and ran down the passage. He reached the first flight of stairs but was stopped dead by a horribly familiar voice behind him.
"I suggest you go no further." James spun around and saw Giovanni. He had a gun pointed at Jesse's head. She buried her face in James' jacket and he could feel her trembling. He stroked her hair and hugged her more tightly. James shook his head as he stared at Giovanni.
"You wouldn't" James grimaced slightly as Giovanni's grip tightened on his pistol.
"Oh, I would James, I would. You see, I don't appreciate it when team members play against their own side. I can't stand disobedience, James. Now, I gave you the option and you chose imprisonment. It was your decision, and how do you respond? By trying to break a convict out of prison. That is despicable conduct. I'm disgusted that I ever employed you and now you must be punished." Giovanni lined his pistol up with the centre of James' forehead. James was faster. He pulled out his gun, setting Jesse on the floor with arm around her waist to support her; he blindly shot twice at Giovanni. He opened his eyes and saw the other man grasping his right shoulder. Giovanni collapsed against a wall and James saw his chance. He swept Jesse up in his arms once again and sprinted out of the building. He didn't stop running until he was through the door of the apartment. He laid Jesse gently down on the sofa and threw himself into an armchair. The enormity of what he had just done hit him and his body began convulsing in huge, choking sobs. Jesse stood up and slowly walked across to him, holding onto the sofa for support. She fell into his lap and draped her arms around his neck. She held him close to her, kissed the tears from his eyes and stroked his hair. James hated himself for this display of weakness. Jesse needed his help to recover and get her strength back. They had six weeks left before the babies were due, not very long. James didn't have too much time to dwell on this fact, as they both fell asleep in the armchair within minutes and the next morning they awoke together. They hugged, and Jesse stayed and rested in the chair whilst James prepared breakfast. Before Jesse knew what was happening, the table was laid with cereals, fruit, toast and juices. James had carefully selected foods that wouldn't put too much of a strain on Jesse's stomach. James needn't have worried; Jesse ate enough to feed a small army. He was delighted as he watched her finish off the stack of toast. When she was finally satiated, she flashed James a huge grin and he saw the twinkle return to her eye. He grinned back, but his grin turned to puzzlement as Jesse's face fell.
"Jess? What's the matter? Was it breakfast? Oh, I *knew* I should've checked what you wanted first!"
"James, calm down!" Jesse giggled "It's not really that important, I was just thinking, we've only decorated the nursery for one baby, and then when we find out, we didn't really get a chance to…" She trailed off as she noticed James smirking. "What?"
"Follow me" He held out a hand to her and she took it. He led her to the nursery door. "Eyes shut!" He teased, and took her through the door. "OK, open them." Jesse gasped as she looked around the nursery. There were two new pine cribs with blankets and a purple teddy bear on each. The curtains had been changed to blue and pink vertical stripes and the carpet was pale pink, the ceiling pale blue and the walls lilac. There was a pine rocking chair by the side of each crib and in the corner of the room was a changing table in between a bookcase and a chest of drawers. Jesse turned to James, her eyes sparkling.
"It's just perfect! Thank you James" She kissed his cheek.
"I wanted to surprise you." James shrugged "It was nothing, really. It was driving me insane, being stuck here without you. I had to do something to occupy myself!" Jesse hugged him and as she pressed her body against his, James could feel the babies moving inside Jesse. He rested one hand gently on either side of Jesse's bump and slowly moved his hands round to her back. It was at that moment that he truly realised what was going to happen, they were about to be parents. He felt excited and scared and confused all at the same time, but these were overpowered by an all-conquering love, love for Jesse, love for their unborn children, love of love. They eventually let go of each other. James gazed into Jesse's eyes and knew instantly that she felt the same way.
TWO WEEKS LATER (MID JULY)
James was amazed by how much weight Jesse had put on over the last two weeks. She was eating like a horse and was bigger than ever, her features once again rounded, feminine and beautiful. There was now just under one month until the babies were due to arrive. Jesse was sat in an armchair and James was astounded to see Meowth happily curled up asleep on her lap. He had never seen Jesse look so contented as she did now. Her bump was huge and she seemed to be permanently tired, but she was happy and relaxed. They had just eaten lunch. James was curled up on the sofa reading a romance novel when Jesse said, definitely, "We're going for a walk." James was slightly taken aback, but nonetheless shrugged, nodded and pulled on his sneakers. Jesse did likewise and James gazed at her, amazed by how she always looked stunning without effort. She was heavily pregnant, dressed in baggy denim dungarees and a white T-shirt and her hair was pulled loosely back into a scruffy ponytail. It didn't seem like the most fetching ensemble, but Jesse nonetheless made it look good. James reflected upon how much Jesse had changed over the past few months and yet had stayed the same Jesse. She had mellowed a lot since she became pregnant, her temper was nowhere near as fiery, but she still had more than enough charisma and self-assurance for the two of them.
They walked into the park, arms around each other's waists, in the scorching midsummer heat. Jesse complained "Don't ever let me get pregnant so that the kid's due in late summer! The heat's tiring enough without carrying passengers! I think that the least you can do is but me an ice cream!" James happily obliged and they sat on a grass bank feeding the ice cream to each other. James smeared some all over Jesse's cheek and was licking it off when a high-pitched voice chimed
"It's Team Rocket!" Jesse groaned and she and James turned around to see the twerps standing over them. Brock gaped at Jesse's stomach.
"You're pregnant huh? Hmm, that must mean that you guys have had se…"
"Brock!" Ash cut him off "We get the idea OK? Looks like they won't be trying to steal Pikachu for a while."
"Actually" James interrupted "We don't work for Team Rocket anymore. So we have better things to do with our time than waste it trying to steal your Pikachu. We're just normal people again, basically strangers to you."
"Uh…Ok...well...goodbye then." Ash sounded confused but the three of them walked away, each muttering about how wierded out they'd been. Jesse yawned and snuggled up to James.
"Oh no, c'mon. If you're going to fall asleep then I'm taking you home. I'm not carrying you back from the park right now and…. oh, OK, we'll stay here then." Jesse had fallen asleep. She seemed to be doing a lot of that recently. James concluded that it must be the "three months weary" thing, so he though it best to leave her to sleep. The afternoon sun was pleasant on his face and he drifted off to the sound of birds chirruping in the trees to his side.
Jesse urgently nudging his shoulder awaked him. "James! James! Wake up! It's 4 pm! I've got another scan at 4:15! Wake up!" James jumped up, pulled Jesse up, and they hurried across the park to the Hospital. They were five minutes early but were taken straight to the ultrasound room. Jesse lay back on the bed and James held her hand as the doctor ran the scanner over her abdomen. They watched the screen, fascinated by the tiny human beings displayed on it. The doctor looked slightly concerned
"Hmm. They appear to be a touch underweight." The doctor saw the worried look on James' face and smiled "Oh, it's nothing to be too worried about, I just think you need to be eating a bit more than I daresay you have been doing. With them being twins as well, the mother needs to eat more than normal anyway." Then the doctor grinned. "That aside, they look perfectly healthy. I wouldn't be surprised if they put in an early appearance, that tends to happen quite frequently with twins." Jesse's face reflected her nerves.
"You mean that they may arrive early?"
"It's quite probable. I can't give you and exact date, but I think you should start to make preparations. Hopefully, the next time I see you, you'll have your babies!" Jesse and James thanked the doctor and strolled leisurely back to the apartment hand in hand. Neither one felt like cooking, so they ordered pizza. Jesse ate two and James and Meowth had one each. Meowth was becoming a lot more independent, which suited all of them. Ho now rarely even came home to sleep. Jesse and James appreciated their time alone together even more as the babies drew ever closer.
Jesse had just eaten her last slice of pepperoni and was licking her fingers when she squealed "Ooh!" James was instantly alert.
"What id it Jess? Are the babies coming? Oh my god, oh my god…" Jesse giggled as James got himself into a flap.
"Don't be so silly, I'd definitely let you know if they were. No, they're just kicking me. The one on the left's the strongest kicker. He's probably going to be a soccer player by the time he hits grade school. The other one's slightly gentler, I'd guess that she'll be a dancer." James had an odd, half-smile on his face. Jesse regarded him quizzically and he asked
"You think we're going to have a boy and a girl?" Jesse shrugged.
"It was just a gut feeling, my guess is as good as anybody else's." James nodded and agreed.
"Good point, although I'd quite like two girls, then they could wear pretty dresses, with pink lace and ribbons." James grinned.
"I'd prefer two boys personally. Less trouble and more adventurous." Then a thought occurred to Jesse. "James, we haven't thought of any names yet! We cant' have children without names!"
"Hmm. Well, Jesse and James junior are god names…"
"Ooh, imaginative!" Jesse rolled her eyes. "I really don't know, I'd have to see them first. We don't know what they're going to look like, or even if they're boys or girls." James conceded that they should wait until the babies were born before they named them.
10 DAYS LATER-JULY 25TH
"Well that was delicious James, you've exceeded yourself!" James grinned and started to clear up the plates. Then Jesse felt something happen, something BIG. She took in a breath sharply and gritted her teeth. James dropped the plates he was carrying on the kitchen floor and ran to her side.
"Jesse? What happening?"
"I'm pretty sure the babies are coming." She gasped "Hell yes, they're definitely not hanging around any longer."
"Do you want me to call the hospital?" Jesse almost cracked up at James' panicked expression. He was pale as a sheet and was almost hyperventilating.
"James, firstly, calm down and breathe. I don't think that there's –oh damn that's painful- time to get to the hospital. Just call Doctor Proctor on his cell phone and get him to come straight over." Jesse gritted her teeth again and James ran to the phone. He returned a few moments later.
"He's in the middle of seeing another patient right now, but he says he'll get here as soon as he possibly can. Meanwhile, he's told us to sit tight and practice our breathing exercises." Jesse snickered
"Was that advice for me or for you?" James ignored the taunt and helped Jesse up off the sofa and into the bedroom. James then ran around like a headless chicken, collecting clean towels and hot water.
"James, you're making me dizzy. Calm down, the babies aren't going to be here for a while yet. Just take it easy." She smiled at him, but then her breathing increased in speed and James knelt down next to her. They breathed in unison as they had done at the classes they'd been to. James held Jesse's hand and she squeezed it so hard he thought his fingers would break, but he said nothing about it and bore it with a brave face. After half an hour, Jesse's contractions were coming every 30 seconds and Doctor Proctor still hadn't turned up. Jesse and James both knew that it was time for the babies to come and Jesse was in pain, a lot of pain, but her face reflected nothing but joy. She had never felt this good, she felt as if she we're stood at the top of the highest mountain, looking down on the earth. She was frightened and she was in agony, but she was about to bring two new people into the world. She felt something shift inside her and she knew it was time. "James, I need to start pushing now. Will you get the babies when they come out?" James was stuck for words but let go of Jesse's hand as she pushed, suing every ounce of strength in her body. She fell back, gasping for breath. James looked into her eyes and exclaimed
"It's got a head! It's got a head! Come on! Keep pushing! It's got shoulders and arms! Come on, just a little more Jesse! Almost there, it's got a body, it's…it's…it's a boy!" Doctor Proctor burst into the room as the child's first cries rang out. He ran straight to them, gently took the baby from James, cleaned it and wrapped it in a blanket.
"OK Jesse, you need to do the same again, come in now, that's a good girl." James held both of her hands and breathed with her whilst the doctor kept an eye on the progress of the second baby. James saw an odd expression on Jesse's face. It was obvious that she was in large amounts of pain, but she still looked happy. She was already exhausted, but she continued to push and push until she fell back onto her pillow, out of breath. Suddenly, the pain got a whole lot worse. Jesse could take no more. She pulled James' sleeve and yelled
"James, I can't cope with this anymore! I can't do this anymore! It hurts too much!"
"No Jesse, don't give up! We've got one baby and you're almost there! Just once more!" She squeezed James' hand harder than ever and he almost screamed. Jesse screwed up her face and her whole body shook for a few seconds, then she relaxed and they heard the cry of another baby.
"It's a girl. Well done Jesse, you were fantastic." The doctor wrapped up the second baby and laid both children gently in Jesse's arms. James felt a lump rise up in his throat and tears welled in his eyes as he gazed upon the woman he loved cradling their children. Their children, it didn't seem real. He rubbed his eyes with the back of his now extremely bruised hand and he smiled at Jesse. He sat down next to her on the bed and took his first proper look at his children. The babies had stopped crying and were now gurgling quietly. The little girl had a delicate covering of scarlet hair on her head and her huge, glittery eyes were a beautiful emerald green. The baby boy had a downy crop of lavender hair with deep sapphire eyes that glinted in the early evening sunlight pouring in through the window. James gently stroked the little boy's fingers and blinked back tears. Jesse handed the baby to James. He cradled his son and the tears lurking at the back of his eyes spilled down his cheeks. He sobbed tears of joy and Jesse wiped them away with her spare hand. She kissed his cheek.
"I know James. I feel the same way." Jesse's eyes sparkled. Doctor Proctor broke up the moment.
"If you let me give the mother and babies the once over, I'll be on my way. I see no reason to cause them further stress by transferring them to hospital. Err…James, if you wouldn't mind giving us a few minutes, I'll call you in when we're ready." James handed the baby back to Jesse and grudgingly left. He sat in the living room, his head in his hands. They were parents to two babies. They were parents, Jesse and he. They had children. No matter how often he repeated it to himself, it didn't seen real. No matter how often he repeated it to himself, it didn't seem real. He stood up and wandered randomly around the room, a disbelieving grin playing across his face. He was a father. He flopped back down into a chair and waited.
When the doctor finally emerged, he smiled at James. "All three of them are doing wonderfully. The babies couldn't be healthier, but Jesse needs to rest for a while, just until her blood pressure comes down. Your family is perfect. Jesse's feeding them at the moment. I'll call back tomorrow evening, just to check how you're getting on. Oh, and I changed the sheets for you." The doctor smiled wistfully and departed. James trod softly back to their bedroom to find Jesse feeding the babies. He sat slowly down next to her and she nuzzled him, as she didn't have any hands free.
"James, the babies need names. We never decided on any." James shrugged and looked deep in thought. After a few moments, Jesse softly said, "I was wondering, if it's OK by you, could we name the girl Miyamoto? When I look at her, I just see my mother and I'd like to think that a part of her could live on in her grandchild. I know my mother would have been proud." Jesse felt a lump rise in her throat and was unable to continue. James stroked her hair and kissed her cheek. He knew that the wounds Jesse had endured when she lost her mother might never truly heal, as they had been so painful. James gazed at his now-sleeping son. He looked so peaceful, so perfect, just like an…
"Angel." He announced. Jesse looked at him, perplexed. "I think we should name him Angel. He looks just like an Angel." Jesse wrinkled her nose at James. "Or maybe Angel isn't the best name. It is kind of dumb, in a way. We don't want him to get picked on." Jesse giggled. "What was the name of that angel, the one that came to Mary in the Bible?"
"Gabriel?"
"Yeah, Gabriel. What do you think of that for a name for him?" Jesse smiled
"I think it's beautiful." By this point, both babies were asleep. James brought the tiny cots he had bought for when the babies were newborns into the bedroom and laid the children down gently in them. James glanced out of the window, disappearing over the horizon. It had been a very long day for all of them. James shuffled closer to Jesse, who still couldn't take her eyes off their children. Her head eventually began to nod and she drifted into sleep, James close behind her.
Jesse awoke early the next morning. She had a dull ache in the pit of her stomach but that aside, she had never felt better. Jesse stretched and glanced at the cots. To her alarm, the babies weren't there, but then she noticed James wasn't in bed either and she relaxed. Jesse shakily stood up, pulled on her robe and unsteadily walked to the living room. James was curled up on the sofa, one baby in each arm. He sang a soft lullaby to them, completely oblivious to Jesse watching him. Jesse sighed quietly and listened to his singing. He had such a beautiful voice; she almost wished that she were one of the babies so that she could listen to him. After a few seconds, there came a scratching at Meowth's cat flap, which James had locked earlier. James jumped.
"I'll get it!" Jesse announced, making James jump again.
"Oh, hi Jess! I didn't know you were up. Miyamoto started crying about an hour ago. I didn't want them to wake you, so I brought them in here." Jesse smiled at how sweet James was and unbolted the cat flap. Meowth ran in. "Dere's some friendsa mine I tink yous should meet. Can dey come in?" Jesse blinked a few times.
"Um…sure?"
"Tanks!" Meowth ran back outside, then re-emerged, carrying a small ball of fur in his mouth. Jesse regarded him quizzically, but was somewhat more taken aback when a smaller, female Meowth walked in carrying another two fur balls. The two cats deposited the balls of fluff at James' feet in front of the fireplace. On closer inspection, the fur balls turned out to be tiny Meowth kittens. "Dese are my babies and dis-" He nuzzled the female Meowth "Is Diamond. Dat's why I ain't been home much lately. Yous twos had enough ta tink about." James raised an eyebrow but Jesse was smitten by the kittens.
"Oh, James, they're so sweet! Meowth, why didn't you tell us earlier? Where were you staying?"
"Out on da streets mostly. Diamond's trainer abandoned her. I tought I could bring her here when she had da babies." Meowth glanced at James. "Meowth! I'm not da only one wid kids!" Jesse beamed and snuggled up next to James on the sofa. She took Miyamoto in her own arms, leaving James with Gabriel. The tiny kittens were fed by Diamond whilst Meowth looked on proudly. James kissed Jesse's cheek lightly. Jesse nuzzled him and softly sighed.
"We have babies. We'd better prepare for trouble." James laughed.
"Correction, two babies. We'd better make it double!"
THE END? (Don't bet on it!)