Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon.

Authors Note: Yes another Rocketshippy story, and once again it takes place after they have entered the Houen region.  For those who are unaware Miyamoto is Jessie's mother.  She only appears in the Japanese CD drama called 'The Birth of Mewtwo' and has supposable been kill in an avalanche in the Andes Mountains while looking for Mew.  I hope you enjoy my story, and thanks for reading.

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Icy Past

By,

Ninee

"I can't believe that the twerps came all the way back to Pallet town." Jessie moaned.  They had been following Ash and Co. threw the Houen region when the group decided to make a U turn and go back to Pallet town.  It was late in the morning as Meowth walked down a path ahead of an exhausted James and Jessie trailing behind him. Meowth's plan was to get ahead of the group and ambush them outside of Pallet town.  To do that they had to keep moving all night to get a head start on them, and that meant without stopping to rest.

"I think their going back for his mother's birthday." Meowth stated as they entered a field.  "If you ask me it's just a big waste of time." He added looking back to them.

"Well I think it's sweet.  She'll be so surprised." James butted in.  He smiled looking over to Jessie but stopped seeing her looking disagreeably at him.  "What?" James questioned.  He looked at her uncertainly with big sorrowful eyes.

She rolled her eyes at him and let out a disgusted sigh.  "It's hard to believe that you actually ran away from you parents with that kind of 'mommy's boy' attitude." Jessie growled walking ahead of him.  James stopped and stood there sulking at her remark. 

"I am not a mommy's boy." James whimpered as he looked up and realized that Meowth and Jessie were a considerable distance ahead of him.  "Hey wait up!" He called as he ran to catch up with them.

Jessie looked back to him and stopped so he could catch up.  "So do you think we should call the boss and let him know where we are?" Meowth asked as he stopped and looked back to James. 

"No!" James argued running up to them.  He slumped down to sit next to where Jessie stood, to rest.  Jessie looked down at him with both disgust and contentment in her eyes.  "I don't want get yelled at again." James finished looking up at Jessie.

"Yeah but, we haven't reported to him in for awhile.  The longer we wait the more upset he'll be." Jessie explained offering her hand down to him.  "We might as well get it over with." She finished pulling James to his feet.

"Jess can't we please take a break." James whined looking pitifully at her.  She couldn't help but chuckle at his childlike expression.

"No way. We have to keep ahead of those twerps." Meowth yelled at James.  Jessie looked into James's emerald eyes pleading with her; she was just as tired as he was. 

"Well, we know where their going so we don't really have to…" Jessie stared but was cut off. 

"What!  What about our plan to trap them before they get to Pallet Town?" Meowth now yelled at Jessie.  She didn't appreciate his tone or that he cut her off.  She grabbed him by his collar, lifted him up off the ground and gave him a very outraged glare.

"Look if we had been able to sleep all night while someone else carried us the whole way maybe we wouldn't be so tired." Jessie yelled at him dropping him to back to the ground.  Meowth looked away sheepishly as Jessie glare intensified.  He had forgotten that Jessie and James took turns caring him that night so that he could sleep.  She took a deep breath to calm down and looked back a James.  "I think we can deal with one day without the eclectic shocks." She explained.  James shook his head in agreement.  "We'll take a short break before we enter Pallet town and call the boss.  We can rest over there." She said pointing to a shady tree near the edge of the field.

"Alright!" James yelled smiling excitedly as he happily ran over the tree.  He sat down and leaned up against it closed his eyes and fell immediately to sleep.  Jessie smiled at his peaceful expressions as he drifted to sleep.  She sat down next to him and laid her head against his shoulder.  This triggered him to roll his head and rest it on hers.  Meowth let out a small laugh as he watched his friends sleep.  He curled up in a sunny spot and fell into peaceful sleep.

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Hours went by before anyone began to stir.  Meowth was sleeping stretched out in the sun enjoying the warmth.  James and Jessie had fallen from their sitting positions to lie over each other in the shade.  James was sleeping on his back with one arm under his head to use as a pillow, and his other arm draped across Jessie's back.  Jessie was sleeping across James using his chest as her pillow with her arms slung around him.  A gently breeze flowed threw the field causing strands of Jessie's hair to dance across James's face.  The gentle movement caused James to gradually wake up.  He rubbed his hand across Jessie's back as he slowly stretched out.  Jessie opened her eyes feeling James move under her.  She turned to face him and gazed sleepily into his drowsy eyes.  She let out a deep content sigh and closed her eyes.  James smiled at seeing her so comfortable with him, but he knew they had to get up.

"Come on Jess." James yawned as he rubbed her back vigorously.

She reluctantly pulled herself away from him and sat up with her eyes still half closed.  "What time is it?" Jessie yawned as she watched James sit up. 

"I don't know…  The sun hasn't started to go down yet…  It can't be that late." James spoke between yawns. 

Jessie rose to her feet and extended her arm down to James to help him up.  "Come on, we've got to call the boss." She said slowly as she pulled James up. 

"But Jess I don't want to." James whined as they walked over to Meowth.

Jessie gave him an angry look in response.  She turned back to Meowth and began to push him lightly with her foot.  "Come on, we've got to get going." Jessie said rocking him harder. 

"Ok…Ok!" Meowth hissed sleepily.  "I'm up, I'm up."  He yawned as he stood up.  They slowly made their way back to the trail.

"We'll stop at the first phone we see and call the boss." Jessie said walking behind Meowth.

"But Jess…." James continued to whine following closely behind Jessie.  "I don't want to get yelled at." He continued. 

"You never get yelled at anyway." Meowth laughed back to him.  "As soon as you hear the boss you hid behind Jessie and let her deal with him." He laughed looking at Jessie to see her shaking her head in agreement.

James looked at Jessie regretfully.  "Ok, so… then I don't want Jessie to get yelled at." He complained again.

"Give it up James, we have to report in or we'll get more than just a stern talking to." Jessie sighed as they came to a road that led into Pallet Town.

They soon found a phone out side of a Pokemon center.  "Check it out Jess, I actually found some change so we don't need to charge the boss for the call.  That's a first for Team Rocket." Meowth smiled handing her the coins.  She took the coins and inserted them into the video phone.  She hesitantly dialed the number for the Team Rocket office.

"Hello…Oh it's you…" A Rocket member sighed over phone.  "I'll connect you to Giovanni." He told them as the screen went to a call waiting scream.

Every minute that went by as they waited made them more and more nervous.  James had taken his position behind Jessie with his hands digging into her shoulders.  "Well it's about time you called in." Giovanni yelled as his pictures popped up on the screen.  James immediately hid his face behind Jessie.  "Well, what do you have to report?" He asked angrily.

"Well sir, were in Pallet Town, we're still following the kid with the Pikachu." Jessie said trying not to sound nervous.  

"Still!  You two are the worst agents I've ever seen.  You haven't gotten me any Pokemon since you've started." He yelled.  "Jessie, you had so much potential, what happened?  Maybe we should have let you work solo." He sighed looking at James cowering behind her.  His head was now imbedded in her back.  "You're wearing my patients thin.  Anymore fails and I'll have to take sever actions towards you.  Now get out of my sight." He hissed as he slammed the phone down and the monitor turned off. 

They stood at the phone still to tense to move.  James still clung to Jessie tightly.  "James... You're hurting me." Jessie said softly. 

James jumped away, not wanting to cause her any more discomfort.  "Sorry Jess." He moaned looking away from her.

"Well that could have gone worse." Meowth commented.

"Ha-ha, you got it trouble!" An irritating voice laughed behind them.  They turned around to see Ash and Co. pointing and laughing at them.

"Mind you own business kid." Meowth shouted at him.

"Aw, what's the matter?  Don't you have any ideas on how to steal our Pokemon today?" May added laughing at them.

"Maybe we don't want to steal any Pokemon, especially from little kids." James shouted clenching his fists.

"You guys are the worst trainers ever."  Brock cut in.

"We're a lot stronger than you think." James defended.

"Please, that's why you guys have never won a battle against me." Ash bragged.

"Did you ever think that we let you win?" Jessie butted it angrily.

"Prove it!" Ash challenged.

"Fine!" Jessie and James yelled in unison taking their place next to each other.

"Let make it a two on two battle." Brock said standing next to Ash and pulling out a poke ball.

"Fine!" James and Jessie agreed taking out their poke balls.

"Alright this will be a two on two battle with Ash and Brock verse Jessie and James.  One Pokemon from each trainer and no substitutions." Max ran over the rules before the battle started.

"Fine!" The all agreed.

"Go Mudkip." Brock called tossing the poke ball into the air.

"Cacnea come on out." James called letting it out of it poke ball.

"Let's go Seviper." Jessie called opening her poke ball.

"Pikachu, you go." Ash said to his Pokemon friend.  "Ok start out with an Iron Tail to Seviper." Ash yelled.

"Seviper counter with screech." Jessie instructed.  Its attack forced Pikachu to stop and cover his ears.

"Cacnea, Pin Missile!" James yelled pointing to Mudkip.

"Mudkip, use Mud-Slap." Brock commanded his Pokemon.  Its attack blinded Cacnea, causing his pin missile to miss. 

"Seviper, use Poison Tail on that mud fish." Jessie called to her Pokemon.

"Knock it back use Take Down." Brock told his Pokemon.  Seviper poison tail missed and was launched into the air by the Mudkip's take down attack.

"Pikachu, use Quick Attack." Ash commanded pointing to Cacnea.

Cacnea was wiping his eyes as Pikachu came charging to him.  "Quick, stop it with your Faint Attack." James called.  It raised its arms and grabbed Pikachu by his arms.  "Now Needle Arm." James yelled at the opportunity.  Its attack sent Pikachu flying across the field. 

At the same time "Seviper, now's your chance, use Body Slam." Jessie called up to her Pokemon.  The snake Pokemon landed hard on Mudkip, causing it to become paralyzed.  "Finish it, use Poison Tail." Jessie commanded.  The attack knocked Mudkip to Pikachu. 

"Both Pokemon are unable to battle.  Team Rocket actually won." Max said stunned at the quickly finished battle.  Everyone called back their Pokemon.

"Wow you guys are really good." May said excitedly.

"No kidding." Jessie said confidently.

"Not that I'm complaining but if you guys are so powerful then why do you have such a hard time stealing Pokemon." Brock questioned.

"Like we said before we don't like stealing Pokemon." James answered. 

"We don't really have a choice." Jessie added.

"Why?" May asked.

"Listen kid, if you knew anything about Team Rocket than you'd understand." Meowth said standing next to James.

"We would have never joined if we knew we were signing our lives over to a mad man." James added.

"I don't understand?" Ash questioned.

"We told you that you wouldn't understand." James explained.

"If we were to steal you Pokemon or any Pokemon the boss would just send us off on an ever worse mission." Jessie started.  "So we decided if we just followed you and didn't succeed we wouldn't have to do any thing that bad.  We get paid either way." Jessie explained.

"So you do this every day, you can't even have a real life or think about a future… that's really sad." May commented.

"Yeah thanks, we didn't know that already." Jessie growled.  She motioned to James to leave.  They started walking away.  Ash and Co. didn't know what to say or think they just watched them walk way into a forest.

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They walked threw the forest in silence, Jessie leading the way.  She didn't know where she was going, but she didn't care.  "Where are we going Jess?" Meowth finally broke her thoughts.

"I don't know." Jessie sighed as she stopped.  She leaned up against a tree and gazed at the forest floor.

"You know there right." James sighed looking at Jessie.  "Our lives are pointless."  He sighed leaning against a tree across from her.

"Big news flash.  How long it take you to figure that one out?" Meowth laughed at him.

"Meowth, why don't you go find some where to campout tonight.  Give us a minute to think, alright." Jessie hissed looking at him harshly. 

"Ok fine…" Meowth sighed shrugging his shoulder as he lifted them.

Jessie turned back to the ground and shut her eyes.  James looked at her nervously, unsure what to say.  "Are you ok Jess?" He finally asked as he pushed himself away from the tree.

She heard him but didn't open her eyes to look at him.  "James, when was the last time you had a dream.  I don't mean when you sleep, I mean like a dream about your future." Jessie asked softly. 

James could hear the confusion in her voice, which made him to take a gentler tone with her.  "I don't know, I can't remember." James said softly walking over to her.  "Why?" He asked kindly.

She finally looked into up at him to see him looking tenderly at her.  "That is sad…" She said staring into his eyes.

"What's sad?" He asked standing in front of her.

"The fact that we really have no future, it's sad." Jessie sighed looking away from him.

"Well what does it take to quit?" James asked as he sat down in front of her.  He looked up at her waiting for an answer.

"I don't know I don't know anyone who's tried it before." She answered looking down at him.  She slumped down beside him.

"Well what's the worse that could happen?" James asked looking at her sympathetically.  "We'd be yelled at, we won't have a job; we'd be out of money…" James listed.

"We could be killed…" Jessie added.

"Possible, but I think killing us would be more trouble than it's worth." James smiled as he saw Jessie laugh at his statement.  "So nothing really different than our situation now, except we'd be free." James said happily.

Jessie smiled warmly at him as she stared at him.  "I don't know… I still like being forced to hang out with you." Jessie chuckled bumping into him.

"No way." James said looking seriously at her.  Jessie looked at him baffled by his reaction.  "There's no way I'm quitting unless you're in this with me." He said looking at her firmly.  "We're partners, apart of Team Rocket or not." He said sternly never taking his eyes away from hers.

She looked at him stunned, but just let out a small giggle.  "I was only kidding.  You're the only friend I've got, you're stuck with me." She laughed getting up.

"Really?" James smiled up at her.

"Come on James we've been threw too much together for me to just leave you like that." She smiled as she helped him up.  "I may be mean, but not that mean." She smiled at him. 

"So we'll quit then?" James asked sheepishly.  He was embarrassed for even thinking that she would abandon him.

"We'll go see Giovanni tomorrow and tell him that we quit.  We'll just have to see what happens." Jessie smiled.  He looked at her with watery eyes.  "What ever it takes, we'll get though it…" Jessie said extending her hand for him to shake on it.

"Together." James smiled taking her hand.  She expected him to shake it in agreement but instead he pulled her to him and hugged her tightly.  "Thanks Jess." He whispered releasing her.  She looked up into his eyes glowing with affection.  She smiled back tenderly.

"What is going on here?" Meowth yelled walking up to them.  "I leave for five minutes this is what I find." He laughed running between them.  Both looked away from each other blushing deeply.

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It was late in to the night when they settled down in a field to rest for the night.  Meowth found a soft stump to sleep on.  James and Jessie had found a patch of grass to call their bed for the night.  Both lay facing away from each other but next to each other. 

"Hey Jess are you still awake?" James asked softly not moving from his position.

"What…yeah, what's up?"  Jessie yawned as she turned to face him. 

"Are you sure you really want to do this?" James asked softly as he rolled his head to look at her.  Jessie could see anxiety in his eyes.

"You're scared aren't you?" Jessie asked as she shifted closer to him until she was right up against him.  She laid her head down next to his shoulder waiting for his response.

"I'm just nervous." James sighed as he rolled on his side to look down at her.  She looked up happy to see him staring at her.  The way he looked down at her lying on her back made him feel dominant. 

"We'll be fine." She smiled up to him.  It was a strange feeling, for once in her life Jessie felt submissive to James, and didn't mind the least.

"I know, it' just…" James started as he lay on his back next to her.  "This just fells like a really big change for me." He said gazing up at the stars.  "I've always been apart of a group.  This will be my first time on my own." James sighed. 

"You won't be alone…" Jessie started, but James interrupted her.

"I know I won't be alone, that's what makes me more nervous.  I don't want to mess up.  Not only will it affect me but you too." James sighed turning his head to look at her only to see her smiling at him.

"James, I know what it's like to be on your own, and I know we'll be just fine." She smiled at him reassuringly.  "So once we do quit, what do you want to do?" Jessie asked to change the subject. 

"Well… you promise not to laugh." James smiled nervously as he turned his head back to the sky. 

"Maybe." Jessie laughed looking at him begin to blush.  "Come on tell me." She said sitting up and looking down at him. 

"No, you'll laugh at me." James smiled turning away. 

"I will not." Jessie giggled as she pushed him playfully.

"Will so." He sat up and playfully pushed back.

"Will not." She laughed pushing him down to the ground.

"Will so." He laughed as he started to get up.  But Jessie jumped on top of him and held him down by his shoulders.

"Will not." She said firmly looking at him seriously.  "Now tell me." She smiled taking a softer tone.

"I want to raise Pokemon." He said looking away from her.  "I know it's a dumb idea, but when we saw Numaji and his Mudkip, I don't know, I just really like the idea to be able to raise Pokemon." James said continuing to look away from Jessie.  She looked interested hearing his idea and slowly pulled herself off of him. 

Seeing him still not looking at her she flopped to the ground in front of his face, making him look at her.  "What kind of Pokemon." She asked smiling at him wanting him to continue. 

He let a small smile grace his face sensing that she didn't think his idea was laughable.  "I don't know all kinds.  I've always liked Growlithe's." James smiled at her.  James felt his heart beat faster as he watched Jessie still smiling at him.  She seemed to really like hearing his idea.

"Growlithe's huh." Jessie snickered wanting him to continue.

"Yeah, we could get a little place in a nice wooded area far away from the cities and not be bothered."  James said getting excited.  "And we could go get Growlie and he could live with us again." He said smiling happily looking at Jessie. 

"'We' and 'us'." She questioned sitting up and giving him an inquisitive smile.

"Yeah…  I mean… I thought… If you wanted… yeah…" James's convinces fell at her question.  He looked at her sadly with tears welling up in his eyes thinking that she had not intention of being with him.  "Jessie…" He whimpered looking into her eyes.

"What?" Jessie asked smiling at him, she knew what he was thinking and knew he was wrong.  "I just didn't think you'd want me to hang out with you that long." She chucked standing up in front of him.

"Jessie?" James looked up questionable at her.  Her soft playful smile told him that she was just being mischievous and her statement meant nothing.  He had never seen her act so playful and carefree before.  She seemed so happy standing there waiting for him to respond.  "Sorry Jess, but like you said, 'your stuck with me' too." He laughed giving her a wicker grin as he jumped to his feet. 

Jessie laughed as she fled from him.  She had never showed this side of her before; she was gentle and kind, something that completely mystified James.  He had never played with her before, but he loved it.  She would stop and wait for him to almost catch her then would spring off in another direction to prolong the chase.  Jessie finally stopped to wait for James.  She looked around but could not find him.  "James?" Jessie called becoming more nervous as she searched for him.

"Got yeah." James laughed as he sprung out from behind a tree and tackled Jessie. 

"James!" Jessie laughed as she fought to get away.  Both laughed hard as their wrestling continued.  Finally Jessie managed to jump away from him.  She was on her knees still laughing trying to catch her breath. 

James knelt up from the ground laughing.  He gazed at her joyfully seeing her so happy.  "I've got you now!" James laughed leaping toward her.  Jessie looked up just as he pushed her down by her shoulders.  She laughed as she pushed off the ground and caused them to begin tumbling down a small hill with each other.  Jessie let him win as they crashed into the soft ground at the bottom of the hill.  Both were breathing heavily and hearts pounded in their chests. 

James looked into Jessie's sapphire eyes as he leaned over her.  She looked happily up at him smiling.  "So, we're going to raise Growlithe's." She said tenderly looking up at him.  Between the ruff housing and now knowing Jessie liked his idea, James felt like his heart was going to explode in his chest.  "Do you feel better now?" She smiled seeing how happy he had become.

"A lot.  Thanks Jess." James said thankfully as he pulled away from her and stood up.  "Come on, let's get back to Meowth." He smiled as he extended his hand down to her and helped her up.

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The sun rose high in the sky over the field.  It was already late in the morning, but no one had awakened yet.  Meowth still lay on his stump sleeping peacefully.  Jessie had fallen asleep on her stomach with James flop across her back.  The sun began to skip across Jessie's face, causing her to begin to stir.  She took a deep yawn and felt James on her back.  She turned her head to look down at him sleeping peacefully.  "Come on James, time to get up." She said as she reached a hand down to his head and began to shack him. 

"I don't want to…  Come on Jess, five more minutes." James whimpered in half asleep as he wrapped his one arm around her waist and pulled her closer. 

"Let's go James, get up." Jessie smiled at him as she slowly got up, forcing him to slump into a sitting position.    He whined pitifully as he stretched out and rubbed his eyes.  He slowly opened his eyes and looked up at Jessie.  She was standing over him smiling sweetly.  "We're still going to do it?" He asked as he rose to his feet.

"Of course."  She smiled.  "And the sooner we get there, the sooner we can leave.  Let's get going." She said as she went over and knocked Meowth off of his stump. 

"Thanks for the wake up call Jess." Meowth moaned as he got up and followed his companions.

No one said a word as they made their way to the Team Rocket Head Quarters.  The closer they got the slow they walked.  Finally they came into a clearing that housed the large building.  Meowth looked up a Jessie as she took the first step into the clearing, he followed but James didn't move.  He looked at the ground shacking from his nervous.  Jessie looked back at him sadly.  She knew he had to be terrified.  She offered her hand out to him.  "Come on James." She spoke softly.  He lifted his head and saw her holding her hand out to him.  He let a small smile quickly pass across his face as he welcomed her comfort. 

He reached out and grasped her hand.  "Thanks." He whimpered softly as they began to walk to the dreaded building.

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"Wait here, he'll be with you in a moment." A Team Rocket receptionist instructed as he lead them to Giovanni office door.

James was desperately clinging to Jessie's arm.  Though he was hurting her she it took her mind off of the fear she felt herself.  Meowth was nervous, but new that his friends were going to get the worst of it.  The door slowly crept open.  "Come in." Giovanni growled from his dark office.  The door slammed behind them as they nervously made there way to his desk.  "You two again, what is it this time, and it had better be good news." He hissed from his large chair.  He glared into Jessie's eyes, it made her nervous, but she was able to hide most of her fear.

"Sir." Jessie finally found the courage to speak.  "We're quitting sir." She said firmly.  James's heart beat faster as the words left Jessie's mouth. 

Jessie watched in confusion as Giovanni eyes lightened at her statement.  "That's my girl." He said as he rose from his seat.  "You're finally ready Jessie.  I've been waiting a long time for you grow up and confront me." He said excitedly. 

Jessie looked puzzled at he continued to talk to her.  He seemed to completely ignore James and Meowth who had stepped back from Jessie as he came closer to her.  "What are you talking about?" Jessie questioned looking up at him.

"Jessica, my little girl.  I've been watching you ever since you were born." Giovanni continued.  Jessie looked at him not understanding what he was saying.  He saw her confusion and began to explain.  "You look so confused.  Why do you think your mother was so poor?" He asked looking at Jessie, but she didn't answer.  "And all those horrible foster homes." He continued.

"What are …" Jessie looked at him puzzled as he cut her off.

"Didn't you notice that you were always in the most violent and hostile homes?  Your mother abandoning you, then dying, leaving you at such a young age.  I was so proud when you finally ran away to live on your own.  That was a very bold move for such a small child." He smiled tenderly at Jessie.  "Now you're finally ready." He said strongly.

"Ready for what?" Jessie questioned feeling so confused that her head began to spin.  She could not understand why he knew so much about her childhood.

"Ready to take your place by my side accepted your destiny and become part of the family business."  Giovanni smiled at her dazed expression.

"I… I don't understand…" Jessie breathed.  She started breathing deeply as a desperate attempt to calm herself.

"Don't understand." Giovanni laughed.  "Come on Jessica.  The mood swings, your courage, the aggression towards everyone, you desire to lead and give orders.  You're just like me, my daughter." Giovanni smiled running his hand over Jessica face. 

Jessie's breath stopped short, her heart felt like it stopped.  "No…" She whimpered trying to grip what he just told her.  Everything he said had begun to make sense, her life; it felt like her life just a set up, nothing more than some complicated plot to get her ready to take over his business.  "No!" Jessie yelled.  She held her head and ran out of the office tears streamed down her face.

"James!" Giovanni yelled at him.  He was still in a state of shock at the event that just played out in front of him.  "Go find her!" He yelled pushing James towards the door.

"Jessie…" James breathed as he looked down the empty hallway.  He had to find her, help her, comfort her.

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Jessie was running, where she didn't know, why she didn't care.  She had to get away, away from everyone.  Her life was falling apart in her hands and there was nothing she could do to stop it.  Finally out of frustration she fell to the ground not to far from the building.  She buried her face in her arms sobbing uncontrollable not knowing what else to do.  Her stomach hurt, she felt like she was going to be sick.  Her head was pounding with confusion as she tried to make sense of what happened. 

"Jessie…" A voice called out to her, but she didn't dare answer.  She knew it was James, but she couldn't face him.  "Jess…" again she didn't respond.  She felt his warm hand pass over her back as she lay there weeping.  "Oh Jessie, its ok…" James tried to sooth her.

"No it's not." She cried back to him.  James didn't know what to do or say, he felt helpless sitting next to her.

The only thing he could think of was to start crying with her, but he couldn't do that, he had to be strong.  "Come on Jess, please don't cry." James pleaded with her as he placed his hand on her head and stroked her hair. 

"How could I be so stupid?" She cried back finally looking up at him.  He didn't know what to say to her.  "I should have seen it connection before.  I'm so mean, so heartless, so forceful…. I'm just like him." Jessie cried harder.

"No!  Jess…you not." James stopped her.  "I don't know your mother, but I do know you, and you're nothing like Giovanni." James said firmly.  "Your nothing like him, you could never be.  I know it hurts, but you have to see that you're better than he is; you've grown where he has not.  You're stronger than he is because you're not like him." James said trying to help her.

She looked up at him, her tears stopped falling but she still looked like she was in pain.  "James…  It hurts so much…" She whimpered softly.

"There she is." A group of Rockets rushed over to them.  "Come on get her on her feet." One yelled as the rest forced Jessie up.  "Come with us." He told James as they lead Jessie back to the building. 

"Wait here." A Rocket instructed James out side of Giovanni's office.  Then lead Jessie into the room.

"You should know better than to run." Giovanni hissed at Jessie as she stood before him.  "Leave us." Giovanni growled at the Rocket that brought Jessie.

"Yes sir." He said leaving the room.

"What's the matter Jess?  Does the truth hurt?" Giovanni smiled at her.  She looked away harshly.  "You're perfect, cold, hard, stubborn, you know how to control a situation, just like me."  He continued.  "That's how you were born you know your mother didn't know how to control a situation.  She was weak." He laughed at his memory. 

"You take that back.  My mother was not weak!" Jessie yelled at him not wanting to believe him.

"Oh please.  She didn't even want you.  She wanted you dead." He argued with her.

"No, she loved me." Jessie said getting teary eyed again.

"Yeah right…  She wanted to kill you, said that she couldn't afford to have you.  That's all she thought about, money.  Why do you think she went though your birth?"  Giovanni asked but didn't expect a response.  "I paid her, that's why." Giovanni laughed.

"That's not true, it can't be!" Jessie yelled more to herself.

"She wanted nothing to do with you, that's why she made you're an orphan.  But all of that was good for you.  Now look at you, your strong and smart, you'll make an excellent leader some day." Giovanni smiled at her.

"No!" Jessie shouted looking at him firmly.  "I quit.  I want nothing to do with this horrible business." She said forcefully.

Giovanni looked at her, his face changed from pleased to furious.  "And just like your mother, with the morals." He growled angrily.  "I hated that about her, and your stubborn, which means you'll never change you mind.  You bitch." Giovanni yelled harshly at her.  "So you want to quit, fine.  But you have to make it worth it to me." Giovanni said going to his desk.

"And how do I do that?" Jessie questioned irritably.

Giovanni pulled a map out of his desk and spread it out on his desk.  "You're going to go here." He said pointing to a mountain on the map.  "This mountain has not been reported yet, so not a lot of people know it exists.  There are rumored that there are many rare dragon and ice Pokemon that live there.  Yourself, James and Meowth must climb this mountain and catch me a Pokemon.  Knowing your track record if you even come back with a Pokemon I'll release James and Meowth.  And if the Pokemon is worth more than you, which shouldn't be too much, I'll release you." Giovanni instructed Jessie.  She looked over the map furiously.  "It's either this or I'll lock you up and let you watch as I slaughter your friends." He growled as he pushed a button on his desk.  "Get in here." He yelled over the speaker.  "Now get out of here.  A Rocket will meet you out side and show you to what would have been your room.  Get some rest and we'll transport you tomorrow morning." He commanded her.

Jessie nodded and walked out of the room.  "Hey Jess, are you ok?" James asked as she walked out.  But she didn't answer. 

"Let's go." The Rocket yelled as he walked up to them.  He showed them to a large room.  "We'll be in contact with you tomorrow." He said leaving the room.

"Wow, this is nice." Meowth said looking over the room.  It had a living room with a TV, a kitchen and large bathroom, and a large bed room that held a huge bed.  But Jessie didn't care; she took a set at the kitchen table and fell into a daze.

"Hey Jess, are you ok?" James asked sitting across from her.  She looked up with confusion in her eyes.

"Do you trust me James?" She asked softly looking into his eyes.

"Of course I do." He said with sincerity glowing in his eyes.  "What makes you ask?" He questioned softly.

"No reason, I just really need you to trust me." Jessie said looking away.

"Trust!  You!   The daughter of Giovanni." Meowth laughed as he joined his friends at the table.  Jessie looked away from him ashamed. 

"Meowth, she's still the same Jessie." James defended looking at him harshly.  Jessie let out a sigh and walked to the bedroom.

"Hey, I was only kidding." Meowth said sorrowfully.  They watched as Jessie threw herself on the bed. 

"Let me talk to her." James said getting up and leaving Meowth.

"Jessie, what's the matter." James asked sitting on the bed next to her.  She had her face hidden in a pillow.

"Nothing, just please, I'm tired and I want to go to sleep." She sighed never moving. 

"Alright, but Jessie, I do trust you, don't forget that." James whispered as he got up.  As he left the room he could her begin to cry but he knew she needed sometime alone.

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Jessie had fallen asleep in the evening.  James didn't know what to think of the situation.  Jessie just seemed to fall apart on him and he didn't know how to help her.  After hours of worried thinking James decided to go to bed.  It was well past midnight when crashing sounds caused him to wake.

"Jessie…" he yawned looking next to him in bed, but she was gone.  He looked at the foot of the bed, Meowth was still there sleeping.  James slowly got up and went into the kitchen where the sounds had occurred.  He peeked in to see Jessie sitting at the table with her head down.  "Jessie, are you ok." He asked walking into the kitchen.  Right away he noticed her hand wrapped around a more than half empty bottle of liquor.  "Oh Jess…" James sighed at the sight.  She never drank normally so he knew something really had to be bothering her to make her even consider a drink.  He slowly walked over her and placed his hand on her shoulder. 

This caused her to instantly pick her head up.  "You know James….  This ….  This is the only thing… that could…. can make… me… feel better." She stuttered smiling sleepily at James.  She lifted the bottle to take another drink, but James didn't let her, he took the bottle and dumped it down the drain.  "Oh… come on… James." Jessie whined at his action. 

"Jess…" James sighed sadly at her.  "Come on let's get you back to bed." He said softly as extending his hand down to her.  She looked at his hand and began to cry.  She folded her arms and laid her head down the table sobbing. 

"James…  It hurts so much…" She sobbed. 

"It's going to be ok Jessie." James tried to calm her but did not succeed. 

"Oh what do you know…" Jessie yelled.  "You have parents that cared about you and… love you."  Jessie sobbed.  "Giovanni's an asshole and my mom… she wants me dead." Jessie continued sobbing.

"Jessie you know that's not true." James tried to calm her.  "I don't know what Giovanni told you but you know he lies." James was cut off by Jessie sobbing.

"I know, but it makes so… much sense." Jessie sniffled looking up at James.  "Maybe I should do what my mom wanted and just die." She said sadly looking at his feet. 

"No way Jessie.  I don't know how any thing can make sense to you in this state, but that's not the right way to be thinking." James said placing his hand on her head. 

She looked up sorrowfully at him pleading for help.  "It hurts James." She sighed.

"It's going to be ok.  Come on Jess, let's get you to bed.  You'll fell better in the morning." James whispered wrapping his hands around her to help her stand up.  But as he lifted her a wave of nausea overcame her.  She ran from his grasp and into the bathroom. 

James waited out side until he heard no more sounds from the other side of the door.  "Jessie, are you ok." He asked as he slowly opened the door to check on her.  She was lying on the floor with her eyes half open.  "Come on Jess." He whispered as he pulled her from the floor and helped her to bed. 

"James…  My stomach really hurts." She cried as he covered her up. 

"I'm sorry Jess, just try to go to sleep." He said softly as he ran his hand up and down her back to help sooth her.  She soon fell into an uneasy sleep.

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Jessie woke up to the sounds of banging.  She opened her eyes and sat up holding her throbbing head.  The banging continued.  "It's the door." She mumbled as she made her way out of bed and to the door.

"Here." A Rocket stood at the door and handed her two bags.  "I'll be back in one hour to pick you up." He said leaving.

Jessie took the bags and sat it down on the table.  She held her head, it was pounding as bad as she expected.  "Jess, who was that." James yawned as he walked into the room.

She looked up at him sternly.  "Wake Meowth up and take a shower." She instructed.  He just nodded and left the room.  She went threw one bag pulling out heavy clothes the other one was full of supplies.  She separated the clothes into three piles.  She picked up two piles and walked back to the bedroom when she met James walking to the bathroom.  "Take this." Jessie said as she handed him the pile of clothes. 

"Ok." He said questionable and walked into the bathroom.

"Meowth, here." She handed a pile to Meowth.  He looked at her questionable but didn't argue.  She made her way back to the kitchen to wait for the shower.  She sat at the table holding her throbbing head.  Meowth walked in dressed in a thick pair of pants and layers of jackets.  He sat down but saw the pain that Jessie was in and decided that it was better to keep quite.

"Jessie, the shower is all yours." James called to her as he left the bathroom. 

She reluctantly made her way to the bathroom.  The warm water seemed to help her headache melt away as she washed the sick smell off of her body.  She got dressed in the clothes that she was given and walked out to the living room to see a James and Meowth with a pair of Rockets waiting for her.

"You're early." She mumbled as she walked up to them. 

"Come on, let's get going." One said as they lead them out of the room.  They lead them up to a helicopter that was waiting for them.  "Ok, this chopper will take you to another location where a vehicle will be waiting for you to take you to the base of the mountain." They instructed as they prepared for take off.  The rockets shut the door and watched as the helicopter rose into the sky and flew out of sight.

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Jessie, James and Meowth sat in silence though Meowth had managed to fall asleep.  "So happened last night?" James asked Jessie who was gazing at the floor.

She looked up at him sorrowfully.  "I'm sorry James; I didn't mean to get sick like that." She said regretfully. 

"It wasn't that you got sick, but what made drink like that.  You never drink." James said looking concernedly at her.  "I know you're hiding something, but what bothers me is that you won't talk to me about it." He said softly laying a hand on her knee.

She looked at him almost in tears.  "James, you just won't understand." She said sadly keeping her tears at bay. 

"I can try.  Besides you'll feel better if you tell me." He said trying to get her to talk to him.  "You told me last night that your mom wanted you dead, I know that can't be true." He said trying to get her to talk.

"I shouldn't have told you that, but it is true." She said sorrowfully.  "She was so obsessed with money that she knew that I was only going to be a waste of it so she was going to kill me.  Giovanni paid her give birth to me.  That's the only reason I'm alive." She admitted to him.

"Jessie, you haven't told me much about your mom, but that just doesn't sound like something she would do.  And why would you believe Giovanni?" James questioned.

"I don't trust Giovanni, but what he said makes sense, beside, I don't know what to think any more." Jessie said looking away from James.  "My whole life was one big act, no one really loved me." She said sadly. 

"Now that I know is not true." James tried to comfort her.  He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her to him.  "I am not an act.  I was not forced to be here.  I want to be here, with you.  It's my choice; I'm here because I care about the Jessie that I grew up with.  I don't care who your parents are, I care about who you are." He said gently.  Jessie looked up at him with tears escaping her eyes.  She took a deep breath and laid her head down on his chest.  He smile and pulled her closer as he laid his head down over hers.  Both drifted into a peaceful sleep.

Hours later the helicopter landed.  "Come on lets go." A Rocket yelled as he brutally forced every one to their feet.  "Here's you ride.  See yeah." He said knocking them out of the copter and took off.

"Come on get in, I want to get back before it gets dark." Another Rocket yelled as he pushed them into a jeep and dove off.

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"Well this is great. Its cold and its wet.  What are we supposed to be doing up here anyway?" Meowth asked Jessie as they made their way up the mountain.  It the sun was beginning to set as the snowy mountain became colder.

"What do you think?  We're climbing it." Jessie yelled at him as she began to lead around the side of a snow covered cliff.  James could see that she was feeling better, but knew that it was just a show, something was still bothering her.

"It's getting colder." Meowth whined as he made his way around the edge and back to wider ground.

"Well it's usually cold when it's snows." James commented as he looked up seeing snow starting to fall.   "Do you think we should stop and set up camp?" James asked looking towards Jessie. 

"Not yet, let's get a little further." She said leading them in to up and into the storm.

The snow began to fall harder and the winds began to wipe the side of the mountain as they continued to scale the steep cliffs.  "Jessie… I really think we should stop!" James yelled to her though the wind.  He was now caring Meowth who was having trouble walking in the knee high snow.

She looked back at his pleading eyes.  But there was no safe place to stop.  "We can't stop yet, we have to keep moving." She yelled as the wind whipped past her head. 

"But Jess, I'm cold and wet.  My hair is turning to ice." James whined as he followed.  He looked up at the storm not watching where he was going.  He stepped right on a ledge that clasped on contact.  He screamed out throwing Meowth into a snow bank.  He tried desperately to grab anything that would stop his falling, it was then he realized that he was having trouble feeling his fingers.  "Jessie… Help!" James screamed in terror as he slid more and more to the edge.  He closed his eyes feeling he feet dangle off of the edge.

"I've got you." Jessie yelled.  She dove towards him and grabbed his hand breaking his fall.  She looked at him regretfully.  He was soaked and covered with snow, just as she was.  She cursed herself for not stopping when the storm first started.

"Jessie…" James opened his eyes, tears streamed down his face as he pleaded for her help.

"It's ok James, I've go you." She assured him as she struggled to pull him up.  It took every bit of energy to pull him back from the edge.  He was breathing heavy as he fell to the ground, relieve that he was on cold, but solid ground.  "Are you ok?" Jessie asked sitting down next to him.  Meowth joined them on the cold ground.  The wind picked up and blew harshly over them, making it difficult to move.

"It's so cold." James cried as he picked up Meowth and pulled him into his lap. 

Jessie slid her arm around James and pulled herself to him.  "I know James, I'm sorry." Jessie yelled as the wind continued into pound them.  James managed to look at Jessie, her eyes were closed tightly.  The winds continued to blast them, forcing James to close his eyes as well.  He wrapped his arm around her and buried his face in her shoulder to try to block the wind from his face.  "We're going to be ok." She whispered to him as she pushed her head in front of his to help protect him.  Jessie opened one eye to see where they were, she had to find them shelter.  They couldn't stay out in the storm.  Suddenly a flash of pink light caught her eye.  "A Pokemon…" Jessie mumbled to herself.  If she could catch it then their ordeal would be over. 

She jumped up causing James to cringe as her body no longer protected him.  He watched as she ran off around another cliff.  "Jessie!  Come back!" He yelled as she ran out of sight.

Jessie ran head first into the violent storm.  She could no longer see the light or any sight of the Pokemon, but she continued to run until she collapsed unable to catch her breath in the icy arctic air.  She lay still in the freezing cold snow unable to pick herself off of the ground.

"Jessie!" she could hear James call her, but she was unable to respond.  "Jess, where are you!" He yelled.  He carried Meowth as he frantically searched for her.  He walked into small clearing as saw her lifeless body beginning to be covered with snow.  "Jessie!" He screamed in terror as he ran over and fell to his knees beside her.  He picked her head up and was relived to see her awake and looking at him.  "Jessie, are you ok?" He cried looking down at her.  But she didn't pay attention to his question; her eyes were fixed behind him.  Once again a pink light flash by caused her to spring to her feet.  "No!  Jess!  Please don't run again." James pleaded as made desperate grab to stop her, but missed as she ran off into the relentless storm once again.  James fell to the ground with Meowth, too cold to move.

Jessie ran getting closer and closer to the light.  She had no idea how long she had been running or where she was, but it didn't matter, she was so close now and was not going to stop.  The light suddenly stopped high in the sky over a clearing in the peak filled cliff.  Jessie ran up and stood under it trying to see the Pokemon.  With out warning a familiar ground shacking movement was felt under her feet.  She looked down as the ground broke out from underneath her.  She fell hard in to the pitfall but found relief from the brutal winds in it.  She looked up and saw that the light was gone.  "Why do I always fall for other people's traps?" She moaned as she looked around into the darkness.  It was a very wide hole, at least what she could see of it.  "Well it isn't a total lose, that fake ground was made of wood." Jessie sighed as she gathered the broken piece of wood to build a fire.  She banged the snow off of them, pilled them up and tossed as lit match onto them.  "I've got to fine James." She said tossing more pieces of wood on to the fire. 

Jessie tied a rope to a rock and flung it out of the pitfall.  She tested its hold then climbed out of the pit ready to face the storm once again.  "James!" Jessie called into the wind.  She was unable to see where she was going.  The wind was stirring up snow and tossing it into the air casing a white out.  "Meowth, James!" Jessie continued to yell struggling against the wind.  She walked down a familiar cliff.  "Meowth!" Jessie ran over to the unconscious Pokemon that was lying on a snow covered rock.  She picked up the ice-covered Pokemon and looked him over.  He was shacking uncontrollably but still alive.  Jessie unzipped her jacket and tucked him into it to protect him from the cold winds.  She resumed her search knowing that James would be close.  She walked by a mound of snow and noticed a limp hand reaching out of it.  "Oh on…James!" Jessie screamed as she frantically began to unbury him from his icy tomb.

"Jessie…" James moaned as he felt the snow being lifted from his face.

"It's ok James, I'm here… I'm here…" Jessie cried as she lifted him by his shoulders and pulled him out of the mass of snow.  He was breathing heavily and having trouble keeping his eyes open.  "Come on James, you've got to get up." Jessie cried pulling him to his feet.  He couldn't stand on his own.  Jessie wrapped his arm around her shoulders to support him.  But eventually Jessie was forced to carry him, as they made it back to the shelter of the pitfall.  She slowly lowered him down then jumped in beside him.

"Sit down, and take off your wet clothes." Jessie instructed him helping him sit by the fire.  It didn't provide any real warmth, but it illuminated the deep den.

She took off her own jacket, letting Meowth out.  He woke to Jessie removing his wet clothes.  She went through their supply bag and pulled out a towel and a blanket.  She vigorously rubbed Meowth to help remove the moisture from his fur, and then covered him in the blanket.  "Thanks Jess." He mumbled as he fell to sleep by the fire.

Jessie smiled happy to here his voice.  She laid his small clothes out to dry then began to remove her own soaking wet clothes.  By the time she got to dry clothes she only had an undershirt on and a pair of tight shorts, but at least she was dry. 

She turned to James to see him still fully dressed.  His hair had literally become strands of ice silks.  She walked over and picked up another towel as she watched as he desperately struggled to grip his zipper to remove his jacket.  She sat down in front of him and wrapped the towel around his head to help dry is hair.  He looked up at her pitifully with tears in his eyes.  "I can't… I can't feel my fingers." He sniffled looking frightened. 

"It's ok; I'll take care of them but let's get these wet clothes off of your first." Jessie soothed as she unzipped and removed his sopping wet jacket.  She removed every layer of clothing that was wet, leaving him dressed in his under clothes like she was.  She then began to look over his cold, white and clammy hands.  "Can you move them?" She asked taking them in her hands.

He looked at her with eyes full of tears.  "I'm trying… but I can't." he cried terrified.

"Don't cry James, it will be ok." Jessie soothed as she began to vigorously rub his hand in hers.  She lifted them to her lips and began to breathe on them to help them warm up.

"Why Jess?" James cried looking confused.  "Why are we here?  Why did you run?" James questioned not wanting to think about his hands.

"I'm so sorry James for making you do this." Jessie said sorrowfully.  "Giovanni said that the only way for you and Meowth to quit is to catch a Pokemon from this mountain.  If we didn't then he is going to kill you." She said cringing at the memory.  "I thought I saw a Pokemon out there, that's why I was running; I thought that if I could catch it we'd be able to leave sooner.  I didn't mean for you to get in this kind of trouble." She said regretfully, upset by her foolish actions.

He could see the sorrow in her eyes, but didn't know what to say to help her.  "It's ok Jess, we'll be alright.  So what did he say about you?" James questioned looking tenderly at her.

"If the Pokemon we catch is worth more to him that I am, he'll let me go." She sighed looking away from his gaze.  "How are you hands feeling?" Jessie quickly changed the subject.

"They are stinging, is that bad?" James said pulling his hands from Jessie's warm hands. 

"No that's a good feeling.  It means there getting better." Jessie explained looking up at him.  She watched as he placed his hands under his arms to warm them.  She removed the towel from his head.  "And your hair isn't frozen any more." She smiled happily running her hands threw his soft hair.

"I'm still really cold, and tired." James whined watching her stand up.

"I know." She said going over to their supply bag.  She pulled out the last two blanks.  One she laid on the ground.  "Come on." She said with anxiety in her voice.  She sat on the sheet and motioned for James to join her on it.  He nervously crawled over to her and lay down beside her.  She spread the other blanked over them and laid down facing him. 

She nestled close to him causing James's become more nervous.  He stared softly at her feeling her arms wrap around his waist.  He jumped as he felt her cold hands slide under his shirt.  "What are you doing?" He asked wincing at the cold feeling.

"My hands are cold too.  This is the best way to warm them up." She said looking up and smiling at him.  "Go ahead, you try." She said giving him a gentle smile. 

He looked nervously at her, but her soft expressions told him that it was ok.  He slowly let his hand find their way under her shirt and rest on her warm back.  "Thanks Jess…" he whimpered looking sheepishly at her.  "How come you're not as cold as I am?" He asked drowsily feeling her body heat begin to warm him.

"I just used to it…" Jessie yawned in response.  "Now go to sleep.  You'll feel better when you wake up." She smiled.  She nestled as close as she could to him and nudged her forehead against his.

James grinned looking into her eyes.  "Good night Jessie." He said softly nudging her back. 

"Night James." She smiled softly letting her eye close seeing James still smiling happily.

************************************************************************

Jessie woke up hours later feeling something violently shacking in her arms.  She slowly opened her eyes seeing James laying on his back his whole body trembling.  "James what's wrong." Jessie sat up looking down at him.  His face was tears stained his eyes were fixed on her. 

"I'm cold Jess…" He spoke shriving.  She felt his face, it was ice cold.  She began to take the blanket off of her to give James a double layer but he lifted his hand in protest.  "No Jess." He said grabbing it with his trembling hand and covered her back up in it. 

"But James…" Jessie started to argue but he stopped her.

"Please listen to me." He started taking her hand and looking into her eyes sincerely.  "Jessie I'm sorry….  I'm sorry I so weak." James spoke softly.  "I'm sorry I was never strong for you and that you always had to take care of me.  If it wasn't for you watching over me I would have never made it this far…  " He continued.

"James… I…" Jessie started but was cut of by him.

"Jessie please, listen.  I'm sorry about what Giovanni told you, but please don't listen to him.  Don't believe what he said about you mother…" He said softly starting to shake more.  She looked down at him questionably.  "Please Jess, don't live like this, worrying if you live to see the next day.  I don't want you to.  I want you to be happy and free to do what ever your heart desires." He began to grip her hand tighter as he continued.  "Please, Jessie, please don't think that no one has ever cared about you.  I did… I do… I care." He whimpered.

"James, why are you saying this?" Jessie asked getting teary eyed.

"I'm so cold Jessie, so cold it hurts me inside.  It feels like I'm going to die." He said fearfully. 

Jessie froze at his statement.  "No James.  You're not going to die." She cried.  She pulled the blanket over her and crawled up on to his chest giving her body heat to him.  "You're going to be fine James.  Please don't give up." She begged as she began wrap her arms around him trying to warm him.  She pulled her head up to his shoulder and began to breathe on his neck to help him warm.  "Come on James, you can't leave me now." She cried laying her hand on his shoulder.  "I love you." Jessie whimpered into his ear as she tried to control her tears.

He pushed his head against hers and began to cry.  "Oh Jessie, I love you so much.  I don't want to die." He cried harder feeling Jessie body warmth began to overtake him making him feel very drowsy.

"You're going to be ok James." She said calmly trying to get him to relax.  "Go to sleep.  You're going to be ok; I won't let anything happen to you." She whispered to him. 

He began to breathe easier feeling Jessie's warm breath on his neck.  "I love you Jessie…" were his last words as he fell into a quiet sleep.

"I love you James…. You're going to be ok." Jessie said as she listening to his heart beat.  Her breathing began to match his as his gentle heart beat lulled her into a peaceful sleep.

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James felt hot, he woke up hot.  He felt something on his chest, something hot.  He slowly opened his eyes to find the source of the heat.  "Jessie…" he saw her still draped over his body protectively.  He remember what had happened only hours ago and how she confessed her love for him.  He smiled remembering her determination to not let him freeze and slip away from her.  He looked lovingly at her sleeping, but he noticed something very wrong.  Her eyes were closed tightly, her face looked flush, and he could hear her breathing becoming more labored.  James slowly rolled over to lay her next to him.

"James…" Jessie moaned faintly in her sleep. 

James lifted his hand to her head.  "She's burning up." James gasped feeling her hot forehead.  "What do I do?" he asked himself fearfully.

"James, are you ok." Jessie moaned softly catching his attention.  He looked down at her surprised to see her awake.  She took a deep breath but the action caused her to break out in a fit of coughing.  She tried to sit up to help her stop, but was unable to do so.

"Jessie…" He helped her sit up and let her lean against his chest.  He rubbed her back unsure what he should do.

"James…" she forced herself to stop coughing and turn to him.  "Are you ok?" She asked lifting her hand weakly to feel his face.

"I'm fine Jessie." James answered looking at her worriedly.

"What's wrong?" she asked seeing his worried expression.

"Jessie, you sick." He answered shocked that she didn't seem to notice.

"I'm fine." She answered as she struggled to her feet.  James stood up to help her but she refused his help.  She walked over and felt their still wet clothes.  "There dry enough." She responded looking at James, his face still boar a worried look.  "Get dressed we have to keep moving." She instructed as bent over to pick up her clothes, but as she reached for the clothes her head began to spin.  James immediately ran over to steady her.

"Jessie, you're sick.  We're not going any where." James said in a stern tone.  Jessie looked up at him surprised by his action.  She didn't argue, as he led her back to the blankets.  "There's no rush, we're safe here." He smiled down to her as he tucked her in.  He climbed under the blanket with her realizing that being under a hot blanket with Jessie was much better than the frosty artic air.  She looked away from him angrily.  "I'm sorry Jess." He mumbled sorrowfully.

"I'm just mad at myself." She growled weakly. 

"Why?  Because you're sick.  You can't help that." James soothed trying to cheer her up.  He rubbed his hand over her back to relax her, it seemed to work.

"Are you feeling better James?" She asked tenderly.  She rolled back to face him and nestled closer to him.

"Yeah.  I don't know what happened to me.  I'm sorry…" James started but was interrupted.

"Stop saying your sorry!" Jessie coughed.  "That's all you said last night, and I don't want to hear it any more.  You have nothing to be sorry for." She said smiling weakly. 

This caused him to smile back at her.   "Thanks Jess." He said sweetly as he pressed his lips her forehead.  "I love you." He whimpered pulling way.  He looked down at her for a reaction and felt her nuzzle her head into his chest. 

"I love you." She whispered to him.  "Thanks for what you said last night.  It really made me feel better." She said looking up at him kindly.  "It's nice to know that someone really does care about me." She said feeling him hug her tightly.

"Aw Jess.  I'll always care about you, I love you.  I'm sure you mother loves you too." James soothed as he watched Jessie slowly close her weary eyes.  He laid his head against hers and drifted back to a serene sleep holding her securely.

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Meowth woke up feeling a light breeze bush by his head.  He got up and looked over at his companions sleeping peacefully in each others arms.  "Aw, that's so cute." Meowth sighed to himself.  "Come on you bums.  Get up!" Meowth yelled as he ripped the covers off of them.

"Aw it's cold!" James cried yanking Jessie to him causing her to cringe in discomfort.  "Why did you do that Meowth?" James yelled at him pulling the blanket back from him. 

James felt Jessie trying to push away from him and released her not knowing what was wrong.  "It's nice to be able to breath." She wheezed taking deep breath.

"Sorry Jess." He looked away sheepishly. 

"It's ok." Jessie sighed laying her head back down.  He looked down at her affectionately and laid his hand on her head to find it not as warm as before.

"Oh stop with the mushy stuff." Meowth said in disgust.  He laughed seeing both Jessie and James begin to blush.  "So Jess, where are we?" Meowth asked looking around in the darkness.

"I don't know.  I didn't have time to look around." Jessie explained standing up and walking over to the supply bag.  James smiled at her energy, she seemed to be feeling better, but James knew she was good at hiding her pain.  "Here, take a look." She said throwing Meowth a flash light.  She then began to get dressed.  Most of their clothes were either still wet or iced up only their normal shirt and pants were dry.  She tossed James his clothes and looked back to Meowth.

"Hey check these out." Meowth called to them.  His flash light illuminated the wall showing strange carvings of Pokemon.  One in particular caught their eye. 

"That one looks familiar, but I can't remember where I saw it." Jessie said looking over the picture.  It was an image of what looked like a cat like Pokemon with big eyes, and a long tail that wrapped round the image.  Meowth and Jessie gazed at the image trying to remember where they had seen it before. 

James grabbed another flashlight and began to investigate the rest of the room.  He came up to a large steal wall that seemed to split the room in two.  "That's weird." He said to himself looking over the wall.  He let his light fall to the floor to very old and dirty bag sitting on the floor.  He bent over it and began to examine it.  There wasn't much in it, a crumpled piece of paper, three very old poke balls and one very dusty picture.  James unwrap the paper to read it but the words were too faded to read.  Just the word 'Pokemon' and a about of money was all he could make out.  He looked over the small picture and began to remove the years to dirt that had accumulated on it.  He saw a small girl, red hair, blue eyes, she was crying.  The more he cleaned the more the girl reminded him of Jessie.  "Hey Jess, come check this out." He called over to her. 

She looked back at him seeing his confused expression.  "What's up?" She asked kneeling next to him.  He didn't answer, he just handed her the picture.  Jessie's heart began to race as she looked over the picture.  "Where did you get this?" She gasped falling to a sitting position.

"I found it in this bag…" James started pointing to the bag.

"Hey Jess, what's with the baby pictures." Meowth laughed looking over her shoulder.

"I also found these three poke balls." James said handing them to her. 

"These are my mothers Pokemon." Jessie explained recognizing the old poke balls.  "Dragonair, Gyarados, and Kabutops." She sighed pointing out which poke ball contained which Pokemon.  "And that's my mom's pack." She said pilling the bag over to her.  She placed the poke balls and the picture back in it and closed it.

"So that picture was of you?" James asked softly seeing her becoming teary eyed.  He wrapped his arm around her to help convert her.

"Yeah…" Jessie said softly looking up at James.  She allowed a few tears to fall, which he gently whipped away.  "But what is her bag doing here?  I always thought she died in the Andes Mountains." She said looking more confused and getting more upset. 

"Maybe it was a cover up so that no one would find this place." James said trying to keep Jessie calm.  "Oh, I also found this." He said remembering the crumpled paper. 

Jessie recognized it, she remembered it from the day she last saw her mother.  "One rare Pokemon equals one hundred dollars." Jessie read the faded not that her mother had show her before she left.  Jessie began to breathe deep as anger began to build up inside her remember the last thing her mother said to her before she left her.  "Think about the money Jessica, I'm doing it for you Jessica!" Jessie screamed crushing the paper in her hand.  "What part of 'I don't care about money' didn't she understand?" Jessie cried as she stood and kicked her mother's bag in anger.  She ran to the other side of the room and fell to her knees crying. 

Meowth and James looked each other shocked by her actions.  James stood up and walked over to her.  "Jessie…" he sighed to let her know that he was there. 

"Giovanni was right.  She only cared about money." Jessie cried to James feeling him sit beside her.  He knew that there was nothing he could say to make her feel better.  He wrapped his arms around her giving her a shoulder to cry on.  He started to rock her back and fourth to help calm her.  She soon fell quite, but still clung to James. 

She pulled away slightly to look at James.  She looked like she was in pain.  He lifted his hand to her head and felt her fever being to return.  "I know it's hard, but you can't get so excited.  You're sick." James sighed not knowing what else to say.

"Hey guys, take a look at this." Meowth called.  He had his light on a small hole in the wall.  James pulled a blanket over to Jessie and wrapped her in it and left her to help Meowth.  He looked in and saw a small button.  "Push it." Meowth said wanting to see what would happen.  James cautiously extended his finger into the hole and pushed down the button.  Suddenly light filled the room.  A small screen flipped out from an indentation in the wall.  Jessie stood up and walked over to them to help. 

"Insert hair sample for DNA confirmation." The computer spoke opening a door and presenting a tray to accept the sample.

"Well, try it James." Meowth said looking up at him.  James reached up and removed a small hair from his many locks.  He carefully placed it on the tray; the machine instantly pulled it in and began to examine it.

"Profile not found.  Access denied." The computer spoke.

"Alright try one of my hairs." Meowth said pulling out a hair from his tail.  James took it and placed it on the tray again.

"Access denied.  No Pokemon allow in the facility." The computer flashed a no Pokemon sigh on the screen.

"You turn Jess." Meowth said looking up at her.

"Ok." Jessie sighed walking up to the computer screen.  She took a small piece of hair and placed it on the tray.

"DNA confusion.  Two possible profiles." The computer screen changed to showed two pictures.  One of Giovanni and one of Miyamoto, thus making it clear that Giovanni was Jessie father.  "Please insert a second DNA sample." The computer asked extending it tray once again.  Jessie took another hair and placed it on the tray.

"DNA confirmed.  Welcome Giovanni." The computer responded as a door slowly became visible.

"Old technology." James sighed they watched the door open for them.  Jessie led the way with James behind her.  Meowth started to follow but the door slammed shut as he walked up to it.  "Meowth can you hear me!" James shouted at the closed door. 

"Yeah, it's still complaining about no Pokemon allowed.  I'll just wait here." He replied. 

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They walked down the dark hallway trying to be as quite as possible.  Machines were operation around them making it clear that what ever building they were in was in use.  James kept a close eye on Jessie seeing her showing signs of weakness.  "Jess, maybe we should go back.  You're not looking well." James finally forced her to stop.  She looked at him trying not to appear ill but he knew better.  "Jess, I know you not feeling well, let's at least stop and rest for a minute." He said trying to convince her to stop.

"Alright, just for a minute though." She agreed.  They walked away from the hallway and hid behind a machine to say out of sight. 

Jessie sat down holding her head; James took a seat next to her.  "How do you feel?" He asked softly.  He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her into his lap. 

Jessie was too exhausted to argue with his action.  She closed her eyes and laid her head back on his chest.  "Tired." Jessie answered weary.

"Maybe we should go back." James offered, but knew that she wouldn't agree. 

"No, I'll be fine." She answered softly. 

Foot steps could be heard coming down the hallway.  Jessie and James froze, afraid if they moved they' be caught.  They watched seeing three Rockets walking down the hallway.  One was a lower level Rocket, but the other two wore high ranking officer uniforms.  Both had their face concealed. "What do you mean Giovanni in the building?" The female officer asked the lower rank Rocket.

"He's not scheduled to be here." The male officer added.

Jessie and James listened carefully hearing more footsteps running down the hallway.  "Sir, Madam…" two other lower class Rockets joined the group.  "The computer indicates that three DNA test were done at the door, one came back with Giovanni DNA in it." One explained. 

"Go call Giovanni and tell him there's been a security breach." The male officer instructed.  They continued walking down the hallway until the group was out of sight.

"Maybe we should get out of here." Jessie whispered to James climbing out of his lap.  She peeked around the machine to see if the cost was clear.  As she turned her head to talk to him but felt a sharp pain on the back of her head, knocking her out cold.

James heard a small thud and went to check on her.  "Jessie…" he whimpered looking around the corner.  He saw her lying on the ground unconscious.  He heard a small crackle from behind, turned to look and felt a blow to the back of his head, causing him to fall down unconscious. 

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"Hey, come on, wake up…" a voice called to James. 

He slowly opened his eyes; his vision was cloudy but could make out a pair of sapphire eyes looking down at him.  "Jessie…." He mumbled closing his eyes again.

"Do you need help?" another voice questioned.

"No, leave me be, I'll deal with them myself." The unfamiliar female voice responded. 

James could hear footsteps leaving.  He slowly opened his eyes again, this time seeing bars surrounded him, he was in a cell.  "What happened?" James questioned groggily.  He sat up seeing the one of the officers he had seen before look at him.  "Who are you?  Where's Jessie?" he demanded.

"She's over there." She said pointing towards Jessie's lifeless body.  "She's fine." She added.  "I real sorry, but you've accidentally stumbled into Team Rocket property."  She explained.  "You've seen too much.  I'm sorry I have to do this." She said pulling a syringe from her lab coat. 

"What's that for?" James whimpered. 

"I'm sorry." Was her only response. 

Jessie's head was pounding.  "Please don't…" she could hear James's frightened voice pleading.  She opened her eyes and saw an officer holding a needle over his arm.  Anger swept over Jessie body causing her to immediately spring to his aid. 

"Get away from him!" Jessie screamed knocking the syringe away from her hand, sending it crashing against the floor.  She tackled the officer to the floor and held her down.  Jessie was full of anger that could be seen flaming in her eyes.  The officer didn't know how to react to her aggression.  Jessie gazed into her enemy's eyes unable to continue her attack.  Something was holding her back, something she could see in the officer eyes.  Suddenly the veil that covered the officer face slipped to the ground revealing a purple haired blue eyed woman staring back at Jessie. 

Jessie's breath stopped short, her heart felt like it stopped at the sight of her.   "Jessica…" her voice pierced Jessie's heart.  Jessie rage intensified realizing who she was staring at. 

"It's Miyamoto." James mumbled to himself.  "Come on Jess." James said softly pulling Jessie from the woman.  Jessie eyes never left the woman as she allowed James to pull her away.

"Jessica, it's me…" the woman opened her arms to her.  "Your mom." She sighed looking at her enraged daughter.

"You're no mother!" Jessie growled slapping her hands away from her.

"I know you were young when you last saw me, but don't you remember." Miyamoto pleaded with her.

"I remember a money hungry woman that was always leaving me." Jessie snarled at her turning her head away from her.

"I'm sorry I never came back Jessica, but the money…" She said softly.

"Stop it with the money!" Jessie yelled turning back to her.  "Money, money, money.   Is that all that means any thing to you!" Jessie yelled.

"I'm sorry Jess… but" Miyamoto said taking a stronger tone with her.

"Bullshit!" Jessie shouted getting even angrier at her.  "That's the only thing you care about, money.  Your fucking daughter means nothing to you, as long as you got your money you happy!" Jessie shouted clenching her fist.

"I'm not just working for me I was working for you too." Miyamoto began to yell at Jessie.

"I've lived my whole dam life without the pleasure of money.  Why the hell would I want it something I've never had!" Jessie yelled at her.

"Do you have any clue about the responsibility of raising a child?" Miyamoto shouted at Jessie.

"What does money have to do with raising a kid!" Jessie screamed.

"You don't understand." Miyamoto said strongly. 

"Your right I don't understand!  I never understood!  I didn't even know what money was or why you had to abandon me because you didn't have it!" Jessie screamed being to feel tears well up in her eyes.  "One hundred dollar!  One hundred dollars to desert your child!  How is that worth it?" Jessie cried.

"I needed all money I could get my hands on!  I needed it for you!"  She yelled back at her daughter.

"The only thing I needed was my mom!" Jessie shouted tears beginning to stream down her face.

Miyamoto fell silent not believe that her own daughter that she hadn't seen for most of her life was crying, why, because she wasn't there for her.  She watched as James walked over to her daughter and comforted her.  "Jessica…  I'm…" she started.

"Just stop." James said strongly back to her.  "I didn't want to believe the things I heard about you, but now I know there all true." He hissed watching her stand up. 

"I'm sorry…" she said looking sadly down at him. 

"Just leave us alone!" James growled strongly.  He watched as she left the cell and locked the door and left.  James looked down at Jessie, she was still crying, even harder than before.  He lifted his hand to her head.  "Your fever is getting worse." He said.  He sat down on the floor, pulling Jessie with him, holding her to his chest.  "Jessie, you've got to calm down." He tried to sooth her, but she didn't listen.  Her whole life was falling apart.  Nothing made sense to her any more; nothing that James said could help ease her pain.  

"Jessica… I'm so sorry." Miyamoto voice cried.  James looked up to see her leaning up against the outside of the cell crying.  The sound of her voice though caused Jessie to sob even harder.  "Jessica, please listen, I'm sorry I wasn't able to come back.  I made a deal with Giovanni.  He said that if I worked in this lab he would give all the money that I made to help you.  He promised me that you were going to have a great life without ever knowing Team Rocket.  I never thought he would lie to me." She explained sadly.

"What is going on?" A voice boomed into the room.  A group of Rockets walked up to the cell.  They looked in seeing James looking at them strangely.  "You said that you were going to kill them." One yelled at Miyamoto.  He motioned to the other Rockets to open the cell door.

"I won't!  She's my child." Miyamoto cried. 

"That's no excuse." The Rocket forced her to her feet. 

Jessie looked up seeing one Rocket unlocking the door and another Rocket pulling his hand back to strike her mother.  Rage surged threw her body stopping her crying.  "Get away from my mom!" Jessie screamed.  She sprang from James's hold and lunged at the door.  The Rocket opening the door didn't have time to react.  She threw her body at the door, clung to it and swung with it smashing him against the cell wall.  She felt the other Rocket grab her and restrain her arms, causing her to cry in pain. 

James didn't think about what he was doing, he jumped up and ran to her aid.  "Let her go!" he yelled slamming his shoulder against the Rocket, knocking him away from Jessie.  Jessie fell the ground landing on one knee she looked up at the other Rockets, anger burned in her eyes.  Jessie didn't care any more, she was hurt, she was sick, but nothing mattered to her any more.  All the anger, all the rage began to overtake her.  She was angry at her mother for leaving her, but now she wasn't sure who to trust.  Her angered began to build up in her no longer targeted at any one in particular.  Her vision became clouded feeling her anger rise, she turned and saw James.  He was the only thing that she could see clearly.  Even in her blinding rage, she still knew that James love her and didn't deserve her anger.  Even her mother didn't seem as clouded in her raged eyes, but any one else was fair game.

"Call for back up!" another Rocket yelled grabbing James. 

Jessie watched in slow motion as he lifted his hand to strike James.  His motioned, his threat to the man she loved trigger her rage to burst.  Her heart began to race, her breath got deeper, her mussels tensed, and her eyes full of hatred.  She leaped at him knocking him to the ground and held him down.  "Don't you dare touch him!" She growled clenching her fist and launching it into his stomach causing painful cries to escape him.  The room began to swarm with Rockets, everyone making Jessie more enraged. 

"Don't just stand there, get her." The Rocket under Jessie coughed.  Jessie felt every part of her body being pulled as the Rockets tackled her to the ground.  James stood back towards Miyamoto in shock. 

"Get off!" Jessie yelled knocking every Rocket off her.  But they kept coming, grabbing her hitting her, but pain no longer registered to Jessie as she fought back fiercely.  No matter how many time they would strike her she came back at them with more and more aggression. 

"Jessie!" James's panicky voice rang threw her head making her aware of him.  She looked over seeing a Rocket holding her mother's throat.  James was trying desperately for free her, but to no avail. 

Jessie pulled herself from her opponents grasp and lunged at her mother's attacker.  As she threw him to the ground Jessie's mind told her that she had to get them out of the building.  "Let's go!" Jessie growled pushing James and her mother out of the room.  They ran as fast as they could, but there pursuers were closing in.  Jessie stopped to face them.  James looked back seeing her standing bolding awaiting there arrival.

"Jessie!" He shouted running back to her, Miyamoto following closely. 

"Get away James.  Take my mom and get out." Jessie growled back to him.  He looked at her teary eyed, confusion and fear ran over his face. 

"We can't get out; only Giovanni's DNA opens the door.  That's why I've never be able to escape." Miyamoto explained.

Jessie just looked at her unfazed by her statement.  She reached back and ripped a handful of hair from her head.  "Take it and go!" Jessie yelled handing James her torn lock of hair.

"But Jess…" James spoke softly.  Tears began to flow down his face.

"I'll be right behind you." Jessie assured him tenderly.  "No go." She said with anger returning to her voice.

James turned and ran with her mother, sobbing uncontrollably.  Jessie watched as they faded out of sight, then turned to her attackers.  They were armed with deadly weapons, but fear did not exist in Jessie any more.  She ran towards the pack of Rockets ready to do any thing she could to stop them. 

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James ran threw the now opened door, the last thing he hear before it slammed shut was a single gun shot ring out in the darkness.  The sound stopped James in his tracks as the sound echo threw his mind.

"Where's Jess?  And who's this chick?" Meowth asked looking at James's horrified expression. 

"We have to get out of here, Giovanni is on his way." Miyamoto explained picking up her once abandoned backpack.  She ran over to the rope that Jessie had used before to escape the pitfall.  She looked back a James, he never moved from his position.  "Come on James." She yelled at him, but he didn't respond.  "She's going to be fine.  I know she will be." She said tenderly.

"Come on James." Meowth pulled James shacking him out of his shock.  He ran over to climb the rope, with Meowth on his back.  He looked back at the door one last time before pulling himself from the hole.

Miyamoto led the way down the mountain.  They had made a good ways away from the hidden building.  They stopped by a cliff to wait for Jessie.  The group fell to the ground breathing deeply.  James looked at Miyamoto sadly, and then at Meowth, who had taken a seat in her lap.  He laid his head back against the icy wall thinking about Jessie.  The way she looked, they way she acted, it was like she had no feeling inside her, nothing but anger. 

"What was that?" Meowth asked nervously as his ears perked up.

"What was what?" James asked looking toward him.

"What are you doing still alive!" Giovanni voice roared over them as he walked out from pecks by the ledge.  "And you, how did you escape?" he yelled at Miyamoto.  "No matter.  I'll take you back, there's no escape now." He growled at her.  "But I'll take care of you right now." He shouted turning towards James.  He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a pistol.  He threw his aim at James, marking his chest.  James closed his eyes awaiting his fate.  He heard the trigger click, but heard nothing else.  He opened his eyes to see what was happening.  He saw Giovanni smiling at him.  "Take it like a man." He laughed watching James eyes fill with horror as he jerked the trigger back. 

James then heard something unexpected.  An enraged screech followed by a flash a red that hit Giovanni's hand, sending the gun flying off the ledge of the cliff.  "Jessie!" James cried seeing her standing to face Giovanni.  Her sighted sickened James, the red flash, it was blood, Jessie's blood.  Blood that stained Jessie's clothes.  Her arms, her legs, her body, her beautiful face, all spewed the thick red liquid.

"Look at you, you stupid bitch.  Don't you know when to give up?" Giovanni yelled at the sight of a very alive Jessie. 

"Stubbornness, it runs in the family." Jessie growled giving Giovanni a wicked smile.  She lunged at him to knock him to the ground, but he over powered her and slam her back against the ground.  But Jessie had no pain; it was a foreign feeling to her.  She raised her fist and threw it to Giovanni face. 

He jumped off of her holding his lip that began to ooze blood.  "No one hits me!" Giovanni yelled lunging at her.  She pounced back at him knocking him to the ground.  "Bitch!" Giovanni growled as he threw her off of himself sending her crashing into the side of a peck.  Jessie pulled herself back on her feet just as Giovanni rushed her raising his fist and hit her sending her sliding off the side of the cliff.  Giovanni smiled watching her struggle to pull herself back up.  The blood that ran down her hands made it impossible for her keep a grip.

James couldn't move as he watched Giovanni laugh down at her struggling as she fought to hold on to anything she could.  "You should have joined me Jessica, but you had to cherish the life of your dimwit friends." Giovanni paced over her.  "But guess what." He smiled pulling a knife from his pocket and kneeling down her.  He took a deep breath then drove the blade into Jessie's hand.  Jessie screamed in pain as she lost her grip and was now being held up by the same blade that caused her to lose her grip.  "They still die." Giovanni growled pulling the blade from Jessie's hand to let her fall.  But she wasn't going alone.  With her last bit of strength she wrapped her bloody hand around Giovanni's throwing off his balance.  He looked at Jessie; hatred glowed in both their eyes as they plunged to their death.

James stopped breathing, Meowth couldn't speak, Miyamoto's heart broke.  They stared at the bloody snow that now covered the cliff.  "Jessie…" James voice cracked as he at last was able to pull himself for the ground.  "Jessie…" he whimpered looking down the ledge where she had slipped away from him.  "Jessie!" James screamed felling to his knees sobbing uncontrollable.

************************************************************************

She could feel warmth, she could hear her heart, she could see nothing but a pink glow.  Jessie stared into the pink cloud that engulfed her.  "Jessica, your snowrgasbord is ready." A soft voice filled her head.  Images began to play out in front of Jessie's eyes.

"Thanks mommy, you're the best." A young girl thanked sitting down at a cardboard box to eat.

Another scene played out in front of her.

"Jessica, mommy will only be gone a few days." A young woman told the little girl.

"But mommy I'll miss you." The girl cried running to the woman.

"I'll miss you too." The woman let a single tear fall holding the crying child.

The scene flashed and changed again.

"But Giovanni, what about our child?" the woman asked the dark figure.

"Abandon the dam thing.  You can't take care of it." The figure replied harshly.

"I can't, I love her." The woman cried.

"Either get rid of it or I will." The man yelled at the woman.

The final image caused feeling of rage to swell up in Jessie once again.  She looked into the woman's blue eyes as the image faded, but the eyes did not fade with the image.  She then found herself staring into the eyes of a Pokemon.

"Mew." Jessie gasped realizing what she was staring at.  The Pokemon giggled and began to fly over her head.  The cloud faded and Jessie found herself lying at the base of the mountain.  Pain soon filled Jessie reminding her of her injuries.  "My hand." Jessie cringed bringing her mangled up hand to her face.  Mew floated just above it, looking it over.  It gave a sad expression then smiled as it placed its hand on hers.  Jessie's body began to glow with a pink light.  As the light faded Jessie felt all her pain disappear, she gasped seeing the wound on her hand gone.  She sat up and examined her body seeing all her wounds gone the only evidence of her battle where her blood stained clothes.  "Thanks." Jessie thanked amazed at what Mew did for her.  "Do you know what happened to the other human that was falling with me?" Jessie asked the small Pokemon. 

It hovered in front of Jessie then swirled its tail making a transparent image appear.  Jessie watched as the images showed her falling and Giovanni calling on his phone.  The next image that appeared was one of Giovanni in his helicopter.  She could hear his voice.  "Leave them, there as good as dead.  Take me back to Head Quarters." His voice faded out.

Jessie sighed in relief knowing that he had not going back for James.  "I have to go; I have to find my friends." Jessie smiled standing up beside the Mew.  "Thanks for your help." Jessie smiled as she ran off leaving the Pokemon still hovering there.  It let out a giggle then formed a pink glow and flew off into the sky.

************************************************************************

The mournful group slowly made its way down the mountain and now found themselves walking threw a meadow.  No had spoken since they watched the two humans fall to their demise.  James sobbed silently caring a teary eyed Meowth.  Miyamoto lag behind then sadly.  She could never forgive herself for what had happened between her and Jessie.  The last thing she told her daughter where excused for why she had never been there for her. 

James held Meowth tighter remembering Jessie struggling to save herself and never trying to help her.  There was no reason she should have been allowed to fall.  He was scared, of Giovanni but scared that he hurt her.  He did hurt her, and James did nothing to stop him.   "And now she's gone." James whimpered as more tears flowed down her face.  He dropped Meowth and fell to his knees holding his head, sobbing.  "I let her fall.  It's my fault she's gone!" James cried hard. 

"James you can't help what happened.  Giovanni couldn't have been stopped." Miyamoto tried to comfort him, but he wouldn't have it.

"It's my fault.  I should have never left her behind.  I should have stopped Giovanni from hurting her.  I should have saved her from falling.  And I didn't, it's my fault." James sobbed regretfully.

"James, there was nothing you could have done…" Meowth tried to console him.  "Jessie wouldn't have let you help any way.  You know how she is, she never accepts any help…" he continued to try and help James.

"No!" James cried becoming hysterical.  "I let her get hurt, I let her fall, I let her die!" James sobbed jumping to feet.  He held his head tightly wanting the pain to stop.  "It's my fault, my fault." James cried franticly running away from the comfort of his companions.

"Hold it.  Stop right there!" A Team Rocket jeep dove in front of the path that James was running, stopping him.  Meowth and Miyamoto ran caught up to James to see was going on.  Two Rockets stepped of the car.  "These must be the two intruders." One Rocket said to the other.  "You two are in big trouble now." The other Rocket growled.  One took a gun a pointed it towards them.  "If any one moves I'll be forced to shot." He instructed.  The other Rocket pulled an out a rope to restrain them. 

"What are you idiots doing?" a cruel voice howled over the field.  The two Rockets looked frantically to find who was yelling at them.  They turned to see an officer walking towards them threw the trees.  The uniform he wore showed that he was a very high ranking member of the team, but his face remained hidden amongst the shadows of the trees.

"Sir." They stood at attention.  "These are the intruders that broke into the lab…" They started but were cut off by the officer.

"Those intruders have already been taken care of." The officer yelled harshly.  "If you two numb skulls had been listening to your intercom instead of music you would have know that the search was over and that Giovanni has already pulled out of the area." He yelled accusingly.

"But sir, we didn't have the music…" They tried to explain themselves.

"I don't want to hear it.  Now I have to take care of these citizens because you've told them too much." He screamed pointing to James and Miyamoto.  "Get out of my sight!" he yelled back at them.  They stared at each other blankly then turned to leave.  "Take this with you." The officer yelled making them turn back to him.  He threw a cloth bundle at them.  They looked over it, seeing it full of bloody clothes.  "Take that to Giovanni right away."  He instructed them.  "Tell him that I found 'that' mangled at the bottom of a rock pit." He snarled his message.  "Do it right away and maybe I won't report your incompetence."  He growled.

"Yes sir." They said in unison then jumped into their jeep and drove off. 

The officer then turned his sights on James.  "Excuse me sir, we are members of Team Rocket." Miyamoto tried to explain but he didn't listen.

"Hah, pathetic individuals like you, apart of the notorious Team Rocket.  I don't think so." The officer laugh.  "Now to take care of you." He hissed as he slowly began to move from his position taking aim at James. 

James stood there to terrify to move.  Then suddenly the officer leaped out of the shrubs tackling James to the ground.  James stared up at him, seeing his deep blue eyes, his long red hair, his mischievous smile.  "Jessie!" James squealed realizing that this was no officer, but his Jessie.  "Oh Jess!" James cried swinging his arms around her yanking her down to him.

"It's ok James." Jessie laughed letting him squeeze her at hard as he could. 

"It's Jessie!  She's ok." Meowth said excitedly running over to his ecstatic friends. 

James cried harder feeling her holding him tightly.  He rolled over to now gazing down on her.  "Oh Jessie I was so scared!" James started to talk excitedly.  "I thought you were gone, I thought you were dead!  You looked so upset and so angry!  You got hurt really bad, you were coved in blood!  Then you fell, and I thought you died!  And now you back, and not hurt!  I don't know how you are not hurt any more, but I don't care!  You back!   Your ok!  Oh Jessie!" James cried collapsing on her embracing her. 

Jessie both laughed and cried in happiness at his at his joyful display of affection for her.  "I told you that you were stuck with me." Jessie laughed holding him securely.  They laid there for what seemed like hours to them, laughing, crying, too overjoyed to let go. 

"Jessica…" Miyamoto voice broke their moment.  James sat up allowing Jessie to sit up next to him.  Her eyes fixed on her mother as she watched her fall to her knees looking at her.  "Jessie…" She called again opening her arms to her daughter. 

Jessie hesitated for just a second, then let a smile form on her face.  "Mom!" Jessie cried excitedly running over her.  She threw herself to her mothers embrace, causing them to fall to the ground. 

"Oh Jessie…  I'm so sorry I left you.  I love you so much." Miyamoto cried holding her child. 

"I know mom.  I'm sorry for being so mad at you.  I love you." Jessie cried holding her tightly.

James and Meowth smiled at Jessie being reunited with her mom.  They looked at each other both with joyful tears falling from their eyes.  "Jessie…" They cried together running over to her, joining their embrace.

Jessie felt James's arms wrapped around her, her mom still held her, and Meowth was hugging her leg.  Jessie had never felt so much emotion before.  She felt loved, not only from James, but her mother and Meowth.  Jessie now knew that she was always cared for even if her mother wasn't with her, she still loved her, and no one could convince her otherwise.

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The moon glimmer high in the sky, illuminating the field where the reunited group slept.  Though it was no longer cold, Jessie and James clung to each other, afraid to let go.  Meowth slept a little ways away from them, wanting to give them some privacy.

"She's so happy." Miyamoto sighed looking over them.  She was gathering her belonging up, getting ready to leave.  "I'll miss you Jessie." She whispered looking down at her child before she started walking away.

"Where are you going?" James questioned.  He had woken up hearing someone moving around.

"I need to get away for awhile, to think." Miyamoto explained looking back at James. 

"But you've just come back to her.  You can't leave her now." James protested.

"She doesn't need me, she got you.  I'll comeback to her again soon, I promise." She smiled at James turning to continue walking.  "Oh, and James…" She turned back to him.  He looked at her questionable.  "Thanks." She smiled letting a tear fall.

"For what?" James questioned.

"For loving her." She answered softly walking away.

James watched as she walked out of sight, then his eyes fell back down to Jessie.  She looked so happy sleeping in his arms.  James never felt so content before.  Everything he had ever wanted in life was lying peacefully in his arms.  He let out a joyful sigh leaning down and laying a kiss softly on her head.  As he pulled away he looked down at her seeing her sapphire eyes gazing up at him.  "James.  My mom left didn't she." Jessie asked sleepily. 

"I'm sorry Jess…" James sighed looking at her tenderly.

"It's ok. I had a feeling she would." Jessie smiled up at him softly. 

He stared down at her love gleaming in his eyes.  He leaned down and nudged her forehand against his own.  She smiled warmly nudging back.  "I love you James." She sighed happily.   

He let a smile grow on his face hearing her.  "I love you Jessie." He sighed deeply lowering his lips to hers.  "I'll always love you." He breathed softly pressing his lip to hers.  She kissed back tenderly feeling his heart beating threw her body.  She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down to her, making their kiss more passionate.  He let a soft moan escape him as he wrapper his arms around her wanting to get as close as he could to her.  He could feel her warmth fill him as the intense of their passion grew as they shared their first kiss. 

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It was a warm autumn day as a slight breeze blew thought a small meadow outside of a forest, and a small cottage sat right in the middle.  "I can't believe this took so long to build." Meowth whined sitting down against a tree and admired his new home. 

"Yeah but it was worth it, it's perfect." James sighed sitting next to him against the same tree.  He looked up seeing Jessie walking towards him.  He opened his arms out to her for her to sit with him.

"It takes longer when you're striving for perfection." Jessie laughed sitting down in his lap.  She snuggled close to him as he draped his arms around her, kissing her forehead. 

Meowth roll his eyes in disgust.  "You two are awful." He chuckled as he watched his friends cuddle with each other.

"You're just jealous." Jessie smiled mischievously at him.

"Whatever.  I'm going inside; I need a break from all the mushy stuff." Meowth hissed getting up and walking to the house. 

James laughed watching Meowth walking away in disgust.  His eyes fell back to Jessie who was lying up against his chest with her eyes closed softly.  "So this is ok right?" He asked nervously.

She opened her eyes gently looking up at him softly.  "Of course." She smiled nuzzling her head in to his chest.  "As long as you're happy." She sighed softly. 

"Jessie, it's not just about me.  Are you happy?" He laughed looking down at her. 

"Of course I am.  It's only been a few months and look at how much we've accomplished."  She smiled pulling herself up to look at him eye to eye.  "We don't have to worry about Team Rocket.  We have a house, and we don't have to worry about money.  Best of all I've got you.  You couldn't make me happier if you wanted to." She smiled adoringly at him. 

"Don't say that, I have to try to make you happier." James laughed smiling contentedly.

"No you don't." Jessie smiled playfully pushing him. 

"Yes I do." James laughed pushing her back.

"Do not." She laughed jumping from his lap.

"Hey get back here." James laughed jumping to his feet.

"If you want me back come and get me." She laughed smiling teasingly.

"Oh I'll get you." He laughed showing a playful smiling.  He started to run after her as she ran off.  He watched as she jumped behind a tree to hide.  "I've got you know." He laughed jumping towards the tree.  As he jumped a red flash dove on to him, knocking him back to the ground.  "Growlie!" James cried happily seeing the Growlithe sitting on his chest.  The puppy Pokemon covered him with kisses.  Jessie laughed walking back from around the tree.

"How did you get him here?" James asked rubbing the Pokemon's head.

"I contacted a good friend of mine.  She's very experienced at snatching Pokemon for people." Jessie smiled as she watched James try to calm down his Growlithe.  Just as James managed to sit up Jessie jumped on him, returning him to back to the ground.

"Jessie you're the best." He smiled looking happily at her.  He wrapped his hand around her head pulling her down to him and placed his lips to hers.  She happily kissed back allowing herself to fall to him.  Growlie ran around them excitedly as they kissed passionately.

A figure moved threw the trees watching the happy couple sharing a loving kiss.  "That's my girl." Miyamoto sighed happily as she watched from a distance.  Tears fell from her eyes, she was happy to see her daughter enjoying her new life filled with love.