Chapter 7: James' confession
Meowth had looked everywhere for James and was getting really worried. It was nearly dark and still his friend hadn't come back to the cabin. Mondo had gone round to the HQ to check James wasn't there but Meowth was really starting to fear for his friend's safety. What if James had done something stupid? Meowth started to run faster. There was one more place where his friend could be. The place where Jesse met her end. Meowth was taking her death hard but he knew for James it would be like someone had taken the other half on him away and he was left alone and frightened. There were some things that did concern Meowth through. James seemed to know that Jesse was dead before Giovanni told him and his uniform had been so messed up the day after they had that fight. Meowth was beginning to wonder if James had told him everything about the night Jesse died. Meowth reached the waterfall and scanned the vicinity for James. He spotted him a few minutes later. James was sitting on the riverbank just passed the waterfall and the bridge looking into the water. Meowth could tell that he was crying; cats could see better in the dark than humans could. "Jimmy?" Meowth came up beside him. "Me and Mondo were looking for yous. Yous haven't been home all day. Yous frightened us Jim. If we lost yous too den…" Meowth trailed off realising that James did not want to hear this right now. Instead Meowth sat down beside him. "Da river sure is beautiful tonight" he commented. James nodded and went back to staring into the water. The moon reflected off the rushing water and seemed to break into thousands of pieces as the water from the falls smashed into the reflection.
"I found da photo," Meowth said at last "Da one of Jess with her mom. Did yous know dat was why she was so upset dat night?"
"No but I should have" James replied. "But all I could be bothered about was those stupid bottle caps. It was all my fault"
"James she was mean to yous too! Dis ain't all you're fault"
"You don't understand Meowth"
"Understand what Jim? I've been trying to understand for two days now. Me and Mondo just wanna help yous"
"I killed her"
"Don't say dat! It's not true. It was a tragic accident. Just because yous had a fight doesn't mean dat is was your fault. Jess must have slipped"
Meowth felt more tears coming as he spoke of his dead friend but he could not cry in front of James anymore. He had to try and be strong for him and Mondo. But it was tearing Meowth up inside to see James like this.
"It was my fault" James cried his voice cracking slightly. "I was there, Meowth and I killed her"
Mondo hurried into the HQ looking everywhere he went for any signs of James. Mondo was terrified that his idol had done something stupid. James was like a brother to him and if he lost James as well as Jesse then Mondo didn't think he could bear it. Mondo had lost all his family in a fire when he was 8 and Jesse and James were the only real family he had, had since then. Mondo turned round a corner and smacked into someone. "Ow" he moaned rubbing his head, similar groans coming from the person that he had run into. Mondo looked down at the young woman lying in front of him. "I am so sorry" he gasped extending a hand to help her up. The woman with pink hair smiled slightly blushing as she took the offered hand. "It was my fault" she said apologetically "I was in a rush". She bent down to gather her papers off of the floor. Mondo helped her and handed them to her. "Here you go"
"Thanks. Say you haven't seen another woman round here have you? Red hair, blue eyes, kind of grumpy"
Mondo took a step back instantly thinking of Jesse but this woman couldn't mean her. Jesse was dead now. "No" he choked out.
"I heard you calling for someone too," she said.
"I was looking for one of my friends. He's had a bad time lately. I was worried about him"
"My names Cindy" the woman said.
"Mondo"
"Well Mondo I guess we're both looking for someone. What do you say we team up?"
"Sure" Mondo said. "What are all those papers for?"
"Just some patient notes"
"So you're a doctor then?"
"Nurse actually. I was treating a young woman about a year younger than me but she ran off. I was hoping that someone round here had seen her through I very much doubt that she is still inside the HQ"
"My friend ran off too. We had a fight. I think I upset him"
"What's his name? It might be easier if we call for them both"
"James"
Cindy drew a sharp breath at this. Mondo instantly panicked "Is he ok?" he asked shrilly.
"Oh Mondo I haven't seen him" Cindy cried, upset that she had frightened the boy. "I'm looking for his partner Jesse"
"Jesse's dead"
"No she isn't. I'll explain on the way come on"
When Jesse finally reached the cabin she found it empty. To avoid running into Giovanni's team who could still be near the waterfall she had gone the long way round to the cabin. The door was locked but Jesse easily forced it. When she stepped inside she found most of the mess of two days ago cleaned up. Jesse hurried upstairs and went to the bedroom she and James shared. It was the only room that was still a mess. The only thing that had been moved was her torn up photo and the broken frame. Someone had carefully repaired both of these and they were lying on the bedside cabinet as if waiting for her. Jesse smiled and picked them up. She saw a few stray cat hairs stuck into the frame. "Meowth" she said softly knowing that it was the cat that had fixed it. Her thoughts then turned to James. Where was he now? Jesse wanted her answer straight away. She had already decided what to say and now she had to wait? Jesse didn't want to wait frightened that she would loose her nerve. Jesse also didn't want to stay in this room anymore. Memories of the argument they had came flooding back to her. Jesse hurried back downstairs to wait in the front room. There was a makeshift bed on the sofa, Jesse assumed that Mondo was staying with them. Still she couldn't believe that Giovanni had made an error like that. True it had been Millie's fault but Giovanni had put Meowth, James and Mondo through hell for no reason! Had James gone though hell because she had 'died' or had he been glad that she was gone? Did he really hate her? Or was it just his anger talking that night? And what would Jesse do if he told he did shove her off that bridge? Stop it Jesse told herself James did not hurt you. James would never hurt you. Or would he? Jesse just didn't know anymore. This brought up another question in her mind. If James didn't push her then who did? There was no one who was capable of that. What no one capable except James the logic in her mind screamed out at her. "No!" Jesse screamed at the empty cabin. "James did not push me. He wouldn't he cares about me too much!"
Now she was just being delusional. James caring for her? Not in a million years. James had never showed a romantic interest in her and never would either. What was she to James? Before Team Rocket Jesse had thought she knew. She was his best friend. It was her and James against the world. Now what was it? Jesse and James of Team Rocket? Things had changed since those carefree days in the bike gang. They still remained as close as ever but Jesse started hitting James and yelling at him. It was almost like she blamed him for her being attracted to him! James couldn't help that! He couldn't help it if he was so damn good looking! What are you doing? That nasty logic was back again. He tried to kill you! No he did not! Jesse told her mind firmly. James isn't capable of that. Of course not the logic said he's too wimpy and pathetic to do anything like that. That is why he did it. Because he knew he wouldn't get caught.
"What the hell am I doing now?" Jesse shouted. "I'm making him out to be some cold blooded killer!"
Maybe he's just going to turn out like Donna the little voice whispered in the back of her mind.
"Right" Jesse shouted louder this time, trying to convince herself as she spoke. "James is not a killer. He was just mad with me that was all. Maybe he came up to the bridge to say sorry and I slipped. I could have imagined that shove in the back or maybe he was trying to tap me on the back to let me know he was there and he caught me off balance"
Those explanations didn't make sense. If James had done either of those things then he would have reached down to pull her back up. Jesse just didn't know anymore. Then the door to the cabin opened.
"Jesse what are you doing here?" James gasped.
Meowth had looked everywhere for James and was getting really worried. It was nearly dark and still his friend hadn't come back to the cabin. Mondo had gone round to the HQ to check James wasn't there but Meowth was really starting to fear for his friend's safety. What if James had done something stupid? Meowth started to run faster. There was one more place where his friend could be. The place where Jesse met her end. Meowth was taking her death hard but he knew for James it would be like someone had taken the other half on him away and he was left alone and frightened. There were some things that did concern Meowth through. James seemed to know that Jesse was dead before Giovanni told him and his uniform had been so messed up the day after they had that fight. Meowth was beginning to wonder if James had told him everything about the night Jesse died. Meowth reached the waterfall and scanned the vicinity for James. He spotted him a few minutes later. James was sitting on the riverbank just passed the waterfall and the bridge looking into the water. Meowth could tell that he was crying; cats could see better in the dark than humans could. "Jimmy?" Meowth came up beside him. "Me and Mondo were looking for yous. Yous haven't been home all day. Yous frightened us Jim. If we lost yous too den…" Meowth trailed off realising that James did not want to hear this right now. Instead Meowth sat down beside him. "Da river sure is beautiful tonight" he commented. James nodded and went back to staring into the water. The moon reflected off the rushing water and seemed to break into thousands of pieces as the water from the falls smashed into the reflection.
"I found da photo," Meowth said at last "Da one of Jess with her mom. Did yous know dat was why she was so upset dat night?"
"No but I should have" James replied. "But all I could be bothered about was those stupid bottle caps. It was all my fault"
"James she was mean to yous too! Dis ain't all you're fault"
"You don't understand Meowth"
"Understand what Jim? I've been trying to understand for two days now. Me and Mondo just wanna help yous"
"I killed her"
"Don't say dat! It's not true. It was a tragic accident. Just because yous had a fight doesn't mean dat is was your fault. Jess must have slipped"
Meowth felt more tears coming as he spoke of his dead friend but he could not cry in front of James anymore. He had to try and be strong for him and Mondo. But it was tearing Meowth up inside to see James like this.
"It was my fault" James cried his voice cracking slightly. "I was there, Meowth and I killed her"
Mondo hurried into the HQ looking everywhere he went for any signs of James. Mondo was terrified that his idol had done something stupid. James was like a brother to him and if he lost James as well as Jesse then Mondo didn't think he could bear it. Mondo had lost all his family in a fire when he was 8 and Jesse and James were the only real family he had, had since then. Mondo turned round a corner and smacked into someone. "Ow" he moaned rubbing his head, similar groans coming from the person that he had run into. Mondo looked down at the young woman lying in front of him. "I am so sorry" he gasped extending a hand to help her up. The woman with pink hair smiled slightly blushing as she took the offered hand. "It was my fault" she said apologetically "I was in a rush". She bent down to gather her papers off of the floor. Mondo helped her and handed them to her. "Here you go"
"Thanks. Say you haven't seen another woman round here have you? Red hair, blue eyes, kind of grumpy"
Mondo took a step back instantly thinking of Jesse but this woman couldn't mean her. Jesse was dead now. "No" he choked out.
"I heard you calling for someone too," she said.
"I was looking for one of my friends. He's had a bad time lately. I was worried about him"
"My names Cindy" the woman said.
"Mondo"
"Well Mondo I guess we're both looking for someone. What do you say we team up?"
"Sure" Mondo said. "What are all those papers for?"
"Just some patient notes"
"So you're a doctor then?"
"Nurse actually. I was treating a young woman about a year younger than me but she ran off. I was hoping that someone round here had seen her through I very much doubt that she is still inside the HQ"
"My friend ran off too. We had a fight. I think I upset him"
"What's his name? It might be easier if we call for them both"
"James"
Cindy drew a sharp breath at this. Mondo instantly panicked "Is he ok?" he asked shrilly.
"Oh Mondo I haven't seen him" Cindy cried, upset that she had frightened the boy. "I'm looking for his partner Jesse"
"Jesse's dead"
"No she isn't. I'll explain on the way come on"
When Jesse finally reached the cabin she found it empty. To avoid running into Giovanni's team who could still be near the waterfall she had gone the long way round to the cabin. The door was locked but Jesse easily forced it. When she stepped inside she found most of the mess of two days ago cleaned up. Jesse hurried upstairs and went to the bedroom she and James shared. It was the only room that was still a mess. The only thing that had been moved was her torn up photo and the broken frame. Someone had carefully repaired both of these and they were lying on the bedside cabinet as if waiting for her. Jesse smiled and picked them up. She saw a few stray cat hairs stuck into the frame. "Meowth" she said softly knowing that it was the cat that had fixed it. Her thoughts then turned to James. Where was he now? Jesse wanted her answer straight away. She had already decided what to say and now she had to wait? Jesse didn't want to wait frightened that she would loose her nerve. Jesse also didn't want to stay in this room anymore. Memories of the argument they had came flooding back to her. Jesse hurried back downstairs to wait in the front room. There was a makeshift bed on the sofa, Jesse assumed that Mondo was staying with them. Still she couldn't believe that Giovanni had made an error like that. True it had been Millie's fault but Giovanni had put Meowth, James and Mondo through hell for no reason! Had James gone though hell because she had 'died' or had he been glad that she was gone? Did he really hate her? Or was it just his anger talking that night? And what would Jesse do if he told he did shove her off that bridge? Stop it Jesse told herself James did not hurt you. James would never hurt you. Or would he? Jesse just didn't know anymore. This brought up another question in her mind. If James didn't push her then who did? There was no one who was capable of that. What no one capable except James the logic in her mind screamed out at her. "No!" Jesse screamed at the empty cabin. "James did not push me. He wouldn't he cares about me too much!"
Now she was just being delusional. James caring for her? Not in a million years. James had never showed a romantic interest in her and never would either. What was she to James? Before Team Rocket Jesse had thought she knew. She was his best friend. It was her and James against the world. Now what was it? Jesse and James of Team Rocket? Things had changed since those carefree days in the bike gang. They still remained as close as ever but Jesse started hitting James and yelling at him. It was almost like she blamed him for her being attracted to him! James couldn't help that! He couldn't help it if he was so damn good looking! What are you doing? That nasty logic was back again. He tried to kill you! No he did not! Jesse told her mind firmly. James isn't capable of that. Of course not the logic said he's too wimpy and pathetic to do anything like that. That is why he did it. Because he knew he wouldn't get caught.
"What the hell am I doing now?" Jesse shouted. "I'm making him out to be some cold blooded killer!"
Maybe he's just going to turn out like Donna the little voice whispered in the back of her mind.
"Right" Jesse shouted louder this time, trying to convince herself as she spoke. "James is not a killer. He was just mad with me that was all. Maybe he came up to the bridge to say sorry and I slipped. I could have imagined that shove in the back or maybe he was trying to tap me on the back to let me know he was there and he caught me off balance"
Those explanations didn't make sense. If James had done either of those things then he would have reached down to pull her back up. Jesse just didn't know anymore. Then the door to the cabin opened.
"Jesse what are you doing here?" James gasped.