And after the funeral, Jiraldan kept his word, guiding the new head of Team Rocket. He threw himself wholeheartedly into the task, not only because he had made a vow to Giovanni to help Tessa, but also because doing so lessened his grief over Giovanni's death. After twenty years together, his heart and soul had been intertwined with Giovanni's and the loss was difficult to bear. At first, Jiraldan wondered if he would be able to cope with having a constant reminder of his lost love around, but surprisingly, having Tessa around lessened his grief. Sometimes Jiraldan would catch a glimpse of Giovanni in the way Tessa drummed her fingers impatiently on the desk that had once been her father's or the way her eyes flashed with dark fire when she was getting ready to reprimand an errant Rocket. And Tessa did resemble her father more so than her half-sisters did. Sometimes Jiraldan would catch himself staring at her and swear that she was Giovanni reincarnate.

One morning, Jiraldan entered Tessa's office and found her pouring herself a drink from the crystal decanter that still sat in its usual place on what had been Giovanni's desk.

"Good morning, Jiri. Sit down and have a drink." She held out a glass of scotch – the drink that had also been her father's favorite.

Jiri smiled as he took the glass from her. Tessa was so much like her father that it never ceased to amaze him. "Why did you want to see me, Tessa? Did you want to discuss the emerald-eyed Dragonair the Team Rocket operatives captured in the Orange Islands?"

"No, Jiri, although if you want it for your collection, it's yours. The reason I wanted to talk to you was because I want to ask you a favor."

"Anything, Tessa. Name it."

"Jiri, Cassie and I are planning to have a child together."

"You are? Congratulations, Tessa." His expression saddened. "I just wish that Gio had been here to see his first grandchild."

Tessa's smile became wistful. "So do I, Jiri. Anyway, the reason I wanted to talk to you is because Cassie and I would like you to be the donor."

"Donor?"

"Yes, Jiri. I want you to father our child."

Shocked by Tessa's proposal, the glass slipped out of Jiraldan's fingers and tumbled to the floor. "Tessa…I…I don't know what to say."

"Jiri, you were Papa's closest companion. He trusted you implicitly, as do I. I can think of no one more suitable to father the next leader of Team Rocket." Tessa mistook his silence for reticence. "Don't worry, Jiri. You won't have to sleep with me - I know that's not your preference. We can have everything taken care of at the doctor's office."

"Sleep with…? Tessa, you're going to carry the baby?"

"Yes, Jiri. Why are you so surprised?"

"It's just that you're so busy with the affairs of Team Rocket that I assumed that Cassie would bear the child."

"No. Cassie and I agreed that she can have the next baby and any babies after that, but the heir of Team Rocket must have Peccati blood. It was important to my father and it's important to me. Besides, I can still run Team Rocket as long as you're here by my side. Being pregnant didn't stop my grandmother when she was Madam Boss, so I'm not going to let it stop me. So…what do you think about my proposal, Jiri?"

After the initial shock had worn off, Jiraldan began to realize the true meaning of Tessa's words.

Oh, Gio…you and I will be united forever in a child. The child who will be the next leader of Team Rocket. What we couldn't have together I will have through your daughter.

"I take it from your smile that you're pleased by my proposal."

"I'm honored, Tessa. Nothing would give me more pleasure than to father Giovanni's grandchild – the next leader of Team Rocket."

"Good. Then I'll make the appointment with the doctor and…"

"Tessa, you don't have to do that."

Tessa gave her partner a puzzled look. "What do you mean, Jiri?"

As Tessa's dark eyes met his, Jiraldan swore for an instant that he saw Giovanni staring back at him. And his heart leapt at the thought. "Tessa, I will sleep with you, if that's what you want."

Tessa's eyes widened in surprise. "Jiri, I know that you're not the type who prefers women. I appreciate the offer, but I like you too much to make you have to go through..."

"No, Tessa. I want to do this. The thought of Giovanni's grandchild being conceived in some laboratory just… No. Giovanni's grandchild must be conceived here, among the things that meant the most to him."

"I certainly didn't expect this reaction from you, Jiri. Now I understand why you and Papa were so close. You loved him as much, if not more, than I did."

"Yes, Tessa. I did. Your father and I were partners in every sense of the word."

"I know you were, Jiri." Tessa smiled at Jiraldan's surprised expression. "Yes, Jiri. I know that you and Papa were lovers. But Papa also slept with women, too. Obviously, otherwise I wouldn't be here. And I've slept with men before, so sleeping with you won't be too traumatic for me. But have you ever slept with a woman, Jiri?"

"Once, when I was in high school. But that was before I knew that I preferred men."

"Well, at least you'll know what to do, then." Tessa held out her hand. "Then we have a deal?"

Jiri took Tessa's hand and to her surprise, kissed it. "Yes, Tessa. We do."

"Good. I'll get with my doctor and figure out when would be the best time to conceive, then I'll let you know. We can schedule a 'meeting' then."

It was just like Tessa to be so businesslike as to refer to making a baby as having a 'meeting'.

And Giovanni would've done the same thing, Jiri smiled.

The "meeting" took place late the following week. Once Tessa had let him know exactly when it would take place, Jiraldan had gone straight to work. Everything was going to be perfect for their union – the union that would, hopefully, result in the next Peccati heir. Jiraldan had insisted that they use the bedroom that he and Giovanni had shared for many years. He had even gone so far to have the bed made with the deep green silk sheets that had been Giovanni's favorite.

Ah, Gio…it's just like how it used to be, sighed Jiraldan wistfully as he poured himself a glass of wine and ran his hand over the elaborate brocade bedspread. Your grandchild will be conceived among the things that meant the most to you.

A rattling at the door interrupted his reminiscence. Tessa, looking harried, burst into the room and began pulling off her shoes. "Sorry I'm late, Jiri. The meeting with the Rocket Executives took longer than I thought. Stupid imbeciles…I should fire all of them." She yanked off a pump and threw it across the room.

Gio's temper, too, Jiri thought with a smile. "Tessa, why don't you calm down and have some wine?" Jiraldan poured her a glass of Giovanni's favorite vintage and offered it to her.

Tessa glanced in his direction while trying to undo her skirt. "That's all right, Jiri, but I…" She did a double take and looked at her partner once more. Jiraldan was wearing a deep green silk robe embossed with the Rocket insignia. "Oh…you're already…where did you get that?"

"Your father gave it to me." He handed her the glass of wine. "Sit, Tessa. Relax. A glass of fine wine always did wonders for your father. And I want this to be as pleasurable as possible for the both of us."

Tessa raised an eyebrow and took a sip. "You don't have to get me drunk to do this, Jiri. But if that's your intention, you certainly picked an excellent wine with which to do so." After another sip, she put the glass on the bedside table and finished pulling off her skirt and stockings. "That's better. I can't see how my grandmother was able to stand wearing suits every day." Jiraldan watched with interest as Tessa then proceeded to undo her blouse.

"Don't tell me this is turning you on, Jiri," Tessa smiled with amusement as she tossed aside her red silk blouse to reveal a black lace bra. "Are you sure you're not bisexual?"

But Jiraldan, much to his surprise, was becoming aroused. Not because that Tessa was a beautiful woman, but because she looked so much like her father physically – tall, broad shouldered, yet narrow in the waist and hips, muscular legs. Except for the breasts and an overall feminine softness, Tessa was her father reincarnate. And the resemblance was so uncanny that just looking at her like this had stirred up passions that he thought had died with Giovanni.

"So what do you think, Jiri?" Tessa asked once she lay naked against the deep green sheets. "Sorry that I'm not a man, but try to use your imagination. That way, maybe it won't be too awful for the both of us."

But to her surprise, Jiraldan leaned over and kissed her tenderly on the cheek.

"Tessa Peccati, you are beautiful," he murmured. And he meant it with all his heart.

Through your daughter, Gio, I shall be with you once more. Our love will live again through her and through the child that will be born of our lovemaking.

And being with her was making love. The love that he had held in his heart for Giovanni would be reborn – innocent, pure, in the form of a child. And at the height of his pleasure, Jiraldan closed his eyes and imagined that he was with Giovanni once more.

You and I will be united always, my beloved Gio. You may be gone, but to see you reincarnated in your grandchild - you and I mingled together forever - will be the greatest joy of my life.

"Well, that wasn't so bad, was it?" Tessa said airily as she got dressed. "Hope I didn't make you suffer too much."

"Tessa, what I felt with you was just the opposite. Thank you," said Jiri, his voice choked with emotion at the thought of just having created a child that was part of Giovanni.

Tessa gave him an incredulous look. "I'm surprised that you enjoyed it so much, Jiri. Maybe you should try women for a change."

Jiraldan shook his head. "You are the only woman that I have ever truly made love to, Tessa."

"Well, don't get too used to it," Tessa said, slipping on her shoes. "Cass will have a fit if she knows she's got competition. Besides, men are fun once in a while, but really all they're good for is making babies. I prefer bedding another woman. It's more satisfying to be with someone of the same sex. You're truly equals – partners in every sense of the word."

Jiraldan gasped. "Tessa, you truly are Giovanni reincarnate."

Tessa smiled – Gio's smile. "Thanks, Jiri. I think that's the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me." She kissed him lightly on the lips. "And thanks for everything, Jiri. I'll know in a couple of weeks if we were successful. If not, we'll try again."

And three weeks later, Jiraldan was ecstatic when Tessa announced that their coupling had been successful and she was indeed pregnant.

"Looks like I won't have to put you through the torture of having to have sex with me again, Jiri," she teased as she showed him the doctor's report.

"It wasn't torture, Tessa. Nothing gave me more pleasure that knowing that I helped create Giovanni's grandchild. Which means that you're going to have to take it easy from now on, Tessa. You must take good care of yourself." He made a move to help her to a nearby chair, but she waved him away irritably. "Nonsense, Jiri. Other than being a little tired, I'm fine. Besides, my grandmother went through four pregnancies when she was Madam Boss, so I think I can handle one."

"You have your grandmother's and your father's spirit," Jiraldan smiled. "I hope that the child inherits that, too."

"I just hope he has your nose, Jiri. I've always hated this Roman nose of mine." She frowned and stretched out her hands. "That and these fingers. I hope he or she has your hands, too." She picked up Jiraldan's right hand and studied it. "You have an artist's hands. Long, tapering fingers."

"That's what Gio used to say. I think that's why I became a collector in the first place. I've always had an appreciation for fine art."

"Which reminds me, Jiri…one of my operatives found the most amazing statue of what appears to be a Suicune the other day and I'm dying for you to see it. Come on."

Jiraldan extended his arm to her. "Even though you say you don't need any help, amuse me by letting me take care of you during your pregnancy. After all, isn't that what partners are for?"

Tessa smiled and took his arm. "All right, Jiri. You win."