Chapter 3

"Yeah, Jim?" Meowth always called James by Jimmy or Jim either when he was happy, or when he felt he needed to comfort James.

"I don't know what happened....one second she was right behind us, then pushing us out of the way of a falling tree that she should have been able to escape from, then she gets shot with an arrow. Who would do such a thing? And why?" James was in deep concentration, with his eyebrows furrowed and tears running down his face in frustration, fear, and curiosity. Whether or not Meowth answered his questions, he needed to say them to help clear his mind. James was still in deep thought when Meowth spoke up.

"I dunno James....but I do know that she will be wakin up soon....and will be in a lot of pain," replied Meowth. Then after a pause to let what he said sink into James, who was still lost in his thoughts on Jessie, he said, "We gotta do someting about the arrow now." With that, James snapped out of his trance. Meowth's words were like a wake-up call.

"Well, I know the arrow has to be removed, but how do you propose we do that, Meowth?" James was busy toweling off Jessie and himself with the towels Meowth was finally able to bring. He had an idea, but he feared it wasn't a good one, so he asked Meowth.

"Well.....for one- it has ta come out. Two- dere isn't a hospital around, and it would be hard gettin dere. Three-we woul-" Meowth was cut off by James.

"Would you tell me something I don't know, Meowth! I know all this already, just get to the important part, which is removing the arrow! I know we have to do it, so just go from there! I just want this over with! My best friend in the whole world could be dying, and all you can think about is stuff I already know!" James was frustrated and his frustration was turning to anger.

"Will you let Me-owth finish!" James received a slight scratch attack from his burst of anger towards Meowth, but that seemed to make him sit and listen to Meowth, who now spoke quietly.

"James, remember, if you yell too loud, you'll disturb Jessie. Why don't you think of what's best for her, and not for yours-"

"I am thinking about her Meowth," James interrupted, his voice full of meaning, but quieter now, after taking in Meowth's advice to be quiet. "I want more than anything for her just to be o.k.. I would rather die than cause any harm to come to her ever. It kills me every day after that damn rat blows us all into the sky like we're just targets in a video game. It kills me to see Jessie injured from a blast off. I want nothing more than to see that rat get blasted off for hurting her. Actually, I want nothing more than to see his fucking twerp of a trainer get blasted off. But even more, I want to hurt the one who did this to Jessie. She doesn't deserve this at all. Yeah, she acts tough, but at heart she means no harm to anybody....well maybe except for the twerps, but.... anyway, I just want my Jessie to be happy."

James had now begun crying into his hands softly while seated on the floor next to Jessie. Meowth had known James cared, and possibly liked Jessie, and he had always hoped for them to be together one day, but now he knew James' feeling were deeper than he had thought. Now Meowth knew that James was in love with Jessie. For the past year, Meowth had suspected a deeper affection than a crush, but James confirmed Meowth's suspicion when he said he would rather die than hurt Jessie, but especially when James referred to Jessie as being his Jessie.

"James, I know you are upset, but we need to focus and help Jessie, I think she's starting to wake up," said Meowth, starting to boil some water. For the moment, it was his job to be the focused one.

"You're right, Meowth," James said still solemnly. Meowth turned and looked at James, who was now stroking Jessie's cheek with a sad, frightened, frustrated, and concerned look on his face. Meowth was about to say something, but then James blinked and his solemn expressions changed to those of anger, protectiveness, and aggression. He stood up from caressing Jessie's cheek with his fists clenched, yet his face perfectly placid. Except for his eyes- his eyes gave him away. Meowth could almost see a raging inferno burning in them. This fire was of James' soul, anger, and his love all mixed together in a huge volcano of emotion. His primal instincts of a male to protect his family were stronger than ever. He loved Jessie, and after going through so much together, they were like a family. Meowth had seen James angry, frustrated, and loving, but he had never seen James look and act the way he was now. Meowth was sure that if James didn't collect himself, that he could hurt himself, or worse- Jessie. If James let his emotions and instincts take over him, then he would be of no use in trying to save Jessie. Meowth adored both of his friends. They were nearly the only friends, human or Pokemon, he had because they accepted him the way he was; no tricks, lies, or evils. Meowth felt he belonged with Jessie and James.

But that was the thing- Jessie and James, together. Without one would be like day without night; an unbalance. If day ceased to exist, then night would remain, darkness would remain, and eventually, night would cease to exist because there is no day to balance the equation. You don't get Jessie without James, and you don't get James without Jessie. Meowth had wondered if there was such a thing as soul-mates in his past, and thought that the idea was silly. He figured that there were too many people to actually know which person was made for you. To Meowth Jessie and James were the closest to soul mates he had ever seen, but with a differnece. Meowth believed that they shared one soul, each born with one half. They aren't soul-mates, they are soul-sharers. Basically the same thing, but the bond is stronger. That was Meowth's beliefs on what Jessie and James are together.

"So, let's ge-," Meowth began, a little intimidated and worried about James new stance, even though he knew James would never hurt a fly.

"I'm getting Jessie out of this! And when I do, I'm going to track whoever the mother fucker was who did this to Jessie, and make them pay!" James interrupted. "I'll make them know about pain! What they did was cruel, it is god-damned fucking wrong to shoot people with arrows! Arrows! God damn it! Arrows!" James was verging on hysterics and gave out an ironic 'ha!' at hearing the word 'arrow' again. " I hope whoever did this plans on rotting in Hell with the rest of the fucking people who have ruined my life!"

At this point he was in a rage of tears, as his voice started to crack. "I hope they can feel the sorrow and emptiness of coming so close to losing the most important being in their life!" With that, James collapsed on the floor near the couch crying loudly through his now fading anger. Now he said in a barely audible voice, "I hope they know how it feels to coming so close to loosing the person they love."

James had broken down completely by this point, and was now sobbing uncontrollably , with his hands gripping the sides of his head on the ground. He didn't care if Meowth had heard his last comment, because he was too stressed at this point, and he figured that the cat probably already knew.

This scene completely shocked Meowth, for James never really cried about serious things, only about vanity, bottle caps, or food. Meowth was crying to himself. He had said it, James had said it through his rage that he was in love with Jessie. Meowth had figured it out, but he had never heard James actually say it till now. He was positive Jessie loved James. He remembered one night, he caught Jessie talking in her sleep saying James name and then relaxing with a smile on her face after a nightmare.

Meowth hoped they could make it out of this nightmare. But this one was for real. It was flesh and blood, not fragments of the subconscious mind. Now, Meowth looked through teary eyes from James on the floor, to Jessie on the couch. Now two of his friends needed his help. He heard the water boiling steadily at this point, and knew he needed James to snap out of it.

Meowth slowly edged his way over to James, still unsure if he was volatile or not, and spoke. "Jimmy, da water's boilin now, just like you wanted," he tried. Still no response from James, who was now rocking back and forth, holding his head. Meowth was beginning to grow impatient, but he realized that in order to help Jessie, he first had to help James.

So he scratched James- pretty hard, too, then quickly hopped away, as he was still unsure of James in his mood.

"Meowth!" was all James cried as he clutched where he was scratched.

"Look, James, dis is da second time you have broken down!" Meowth yelled. Then Meowth looked to Jessie in time to see her furrow her eyebrows. "We have towels, bandage tings, boilin water, and ourselves. We also have our friend to take care of." Meowth had lowered his voice to a whisper to say that last part after looking at Jessie and remembering to keep quiet. Meowth paused and looked into James eyes, seeing if he had understood and snapped out of his break down.

James nodded his head furiously as he wiped away his tears after a few seconds of thinking it over. He then stood up and took a big breath of air. "Now we just need to remove the arrow, huh?" James asked.

"Yeah.....do you know how we are gonna do it?"

"Yes, I think so, Meowth," James answered Meowth. He was trying to stay calm now because he figured that he and Meowth were Jessie's only chance. He then took a deep breath before continuing. "Well, we can't just pull it out.... It has to be pushed through, then the end has to be broken off, then we can remove it." James looked at Meowth, who nodded agreement in response, then to Jessie again. He now saw her eyebrows furrowed in pain as Meowth had a minute ago. She gave a little moan, now with tears of pain escaping her closed eyes.

"James?...... James?...... James....," Jessie cried out his name meekly, her eyes still shut, while trying to sit up an move around on the couch.

"Jess, I'm right here. Sshhh.....it will be fine, lay back down on your side, or you'll hurt yourself mor-"

"James, it hurts, it hurts, James," Jessie interrupted. She was now lying down, clutching onto James arm tightly.

"I know, I know. Meowth and I are going to help you."

"Dat's right, Jess. Meowth is here ta help you, too," said Meowth in a comforting way, then spoke quieter, to James. "James, all of da stuff is ready: the water, towels, and I also remembered that we would need something too ."

"Alright, Meowth," said James. As Meowth went to retrieve the supplies, James spoke to Jessie.

"Jessie, we are going to have to remove this arrow. O.k.?"

"But.....James? It won't hurt.....will it?" Jessie asked hopefully, although she already knew the answer. She was trying to slightly rock herself while lying on her side because of the pain. Her eyes were also shut tightly.

"Jessie, look at me. Open your eyes," James ordered softly, taking Jessie's chin in his hand, tilting her face toward himself.

"But it hurts," Jessie cried softly.

"Jessie, you know Meowth and I would never do anything to hurt you.....we would never do anything that wasn't for your own well-being. Now, I know it hurts, but please, open your eyes. For me?" She slowly opened her eyes, as if it hurt to do so.

"That's better. Now, Jessie, Meowth and I are going to remove the arrow. We will try to do it quikly....but it will hurt," James informed her. Jessie let out another moan, shutting her eyes, but nodded in agreement.

"Yes. It needs to come out. I trust you. Just get it over with." Jessie knew this was for the best, but feared the pain.

"Here's da stuff, James. We should just get it ova wid, like Jess said," said Meowth, upon entering the room. He set the supplies on the coffee table.

"O.k. Thanks, Meowth," said James, then turned back to Jessie. "Jessie, are you ready?" She nodded a 'yes' and let James, who was now sitting on the couch facing her, lift her into a sitting position to lean against the front side of his shoulder. She clutched onto him tightly again. Then he spoke into her ear, "Alright, Jessie, first, we are going to have to push the arrow through, o.k." Jessie nodded again. She was now breathing deeply, with tears still streaming down her face, but she was trying her best to be strong. She was in a lot of pain at the moment, but she knew that it wasn't even close to what she would be feeling.

James then spoke to Meowth, "O.k. Meowth, can you be ready with the towels and bandages?"

"Sure ting. I already have dem," answered Meowth. Then after giving a look of confidence to James that said 'you can do it', he said, "Just make it fast." James nodded.