Blows kisses to Bansheegirl and Eeveekitty! Thank you for your comments, suggestions, etc. You are wonderful people! . Enjoy the chapter, it is dragged out a lot and I personally found that it started to get a bit boring…sigh But anyway, read and review please!

-Rose

It had started to rain. The light wind blew the cold liquid over my face as I waded miserably through sticky wet mud, shielding my eyes with my paws, and watching the almost blue tinted clouds merge together, a crack of lightening splitting my thoughts. I yelped and bolted onto James's torso, quaking there, terrified. Neither of my friends were having much fun either. Jessie was shivering uncontrollably, repetitively cursing the team rocket skimpy uniform which wasn't helping her keep bodily warmth, whilst James just looked glum and depressed as he traipsed over the squishy, brown earth. Squinting, I spotted the silhouette of a small hut, and I demanded for James to quicken his pace so that I could double-check my sightings. I was right of course. The old place looked abandoned, the windows were broken, glass shattering the wet grass outside and the bare floorboards inside. The door wasn't even attached to the hinges, and it leant messily against the wooden frame, white graffiti sprayed over almost everything. Apon reaching this, Jessie climbed the few rickety stairs to the terrace and looked expectantly inside. It was deserted. She squeezed past the door and stepped inside, James following immediately. It was small. There was a green ripped sofa in one corner, a muddy thin red rug on the floor and a cobbled fireplace, ashes littering the area surrounding it.

"Its probably where tramps and pikey's come to sleep."

Jessie suggested in an attempt to reassure us, kicking her way through Kentucky fried chicken cartons and Pepsi cans to the couch, where she placed herself gingerly apon one of the arms, glaring at us.

"Oh come on. It's the best we're going to get."

She added, her neatly painted lips turned upwards in a grimace. I hesitated. She was right, I supposed. We would never be able to get back to the balloon in the current weather. Almost to prove my point, another clap of thunder echoed around the tiny shack, shaking the old wooden walls as I hid myself under James's' indigo hair. He pulled me roughly out by my curled tail and dropped me on the floor, before wandering over to Jessie and sitting beside her, whilst I sat up, rubbing my head and glaring daggers at James. I scampered over and leapt onto her lap, snuggling myself down.

"Have we got any food?"

James questioned. Typical. Jessie pulled off her sling bag and rifled through it, rolling her eyes in irritation, although I know she's hungry too.

"Umm…sausages."

She mumbled, retrieving a cold packet and slapping James across the face with them, to which both Jessie and I both started laughing. He peeled the food off of his face and stuck his nose in the air, turning away from the two of us.

"Aww sorry James."

Jess leant against him and snatched the sausages away from his gloved grasp and flipping it over to read the sell by date. James seemed to forget the previous incident in a second and soon was leaning over Jessie's shoulder to see what she was doing.

"We're going to need wood. Lucky some of us come prepared with matches."

She smirked, tugging out the small box, awaiting praise, which she didn't get. She scowled and I grinned.

"Wood?"

James queried. How stupid can you be?

"Yes."

Came Jessie's short reply as she leant down on the sodden floor in order to get some lighter from the shattered window,

"And you and Meowth are gonna get some, and set it up in that fire place there. There's no point in going outside; it will all be wet. Try and scrounge up some from that old pile over there."

She gestured vaguely towards a grey sack like object with a few logs and things inside it. I glanced at James, and he shrugged in reply, so we tottered over and began to arrange a decent enough fireplace. Jessie ripped open the packet, and sorted the sausages out between us. 15 in a packet - 5 each. She struck up the branches and watched the flames engulf each separate log until it was burning well enough. I speared my own food on a stick and held it over the fire to cook. Jessie seemed impressed by this, so we all soon were sitting there. The small meal seemed to brighten my spirits a little, so as James and Jessie collapsed back down on the ragged excuse for a sitting area, I leapt between them. A cold silence drifted around the tiny area, and when there is silence, you can hear more of the things that you don't want to. The wind whistling through the cracks in the panels on the wall, and the occasional creak of the hut rocking in its loose foundation. I shivered.

"I don't think I can stay here."

I mumbled. Staring at my fluffy sandy painted paws. I expected Jessie to smack me one and tell me how inconsiderate I was and how I didn't appreciate what I had, but to my utmost surprise she replied humbly,

"I don't like it either. But its here or in the rain."

"Well at least in the rain there is a smaller chance of some murderer sneaking through the door any second."

James answered flatly, laying his head against the sodden windowsill and gazing awkwardly up at the badly thatched roofing. Jessie hesitated and laid her head on his chest before replying,

"Well…what do you want to do?"

I nearly leapt out of my fur. Jessie was asking us what we wanted to do? Maybe because she didn't want to take the blame. Although she knew we wouldn't risk our lives by pointing this out. I looked at Jimmy. Neither of us were used to having options when around our bossy team member. He didn't say anything. I exhaled in sorrow and suggested weakly,

"We gots pay cheques. Is there any point in finding some hotel? We could always bail out early if we didn't want to pay."

I preoccupied myself by playing with one silky lavender strand of James's hair, which always hung loosely over his olive eyes.

"We're quite far from town. About an hour I think. Do you want to risk it Jess? The rains died down a little."

James noted, turning to glance at the pattering rain apon the shards of glass littered outside.

"Alright."

She murmured. We all stood up, James simply knocking the door down for us to trample over, as we stepped back out into the lightly spitting rain. My fur was still wet from the previous down pour, and now the icy wind made me feel even colder than before. Jessie and James clung together, which was about the only bit of amusement I'd had the whole day, so I jumped up and sat on their shoulders, between their heads, trembling from the cold. James looked cold, but reasonably all right, but Jessie had just gone as white as a sheet as though she was either about to vomit, or faint. I began to get concerned.

"Jess is you okay?"

Of course we'd been out in bad weather conditions before, but usually not for so long, and we'd have a reasonable sleeping place to look forward to, in our case a tent and cosy sleeping bags. Not this time. Blue lipped, she paused, her whole body seemingly gone past the shivering faze and now too cold to bother.

"Of…course. I have to be. I gotta take care of you two clowns right?"

She managed a half smile, but quickly resumed her stern facial expression, her jaw set and teeth clenched. James glanced at her, and awkwardly put his arm around her shoulders.

"Its okay Jess. About…10 minutes to go."

I whispered, spotting the hazy lights of offices through the pale grey mist. So, on we went. Finally, we arrived back at the town, and I watched the water fountain where we had thrown our coins only a few hours before, and then Jessie's candle shop, a couple of spiced cinnamon candles still flickering shadows. James glanced up at the nearest hotel. It seemed a bit crap from the outside, but anything was better than that hut we could have slept in. Jessie began rocking herself backwards and forth, her arms clasped across her chest as she hugged herself, sapphire blue eyes tightly shut and her now unstyled hair sticking to her face and sweeping down her shoulders like flame licked waves.

James wandered over and disappeared inside, for about 10 seconds. When he emerged, he told us that there were a few spare rooms, so we traipsed in, the weird guy with glasses at reception handed us a key, and we stumbled up the staircase and collapsed into the room. I was satisfied. There were two identical single pine beds on either side of the room, crisp white sheets folded over the mattresses and three pillows each plumped up, the carpet was the colour of red wine, and there was a small burgundy coloured beanbag in the corner. A small portable television rested on top of the chest of drawers, and apon further investigation I discovered a small white bathroom, silver taps and free bars of soap.

"This is nice."

I commented, curling up on the beanbag and swishing my tail in a rhythmic motion. Jessie nodded and locked herself in the bathroom, whilst James just sat down on the end of the bed, looking concerned. I opened one lazy eye and noticed his crest fallen expression. Cats are very good at reading little emotions you know. I sighed.

"Okay Jimmy. What's the matter now?"

I mumbled in my mother-like manner. He scowled, but his face relaxed quickly as he pondered over the words to choose as a retort.

"Do you think Jessie is okay?"

I sat up and flicked one delicate paw over the shining gold on my forehead, before preening my whiskers lightly and replying,

"Sure. Why wouldn't she be? I mean she looked cold and all. But after a bath and some pampering Jess will be just fine. She always is."

James's expression didn't faultier, and he hesitated before shaking his head.

"No Meowth, that's not what I meant. Why has she suddenly started allowing us to make the decisions? I mean one second she's normal and the next she's all floaty as though she's off in her own little world. Remember at the hut? And at the stream the other day?"

I didn't look at him. I continued to groom, eventually noting that he had collapsed backwards onto one of the beds, his legs dangling off the edge as he stared at the ceiling.

"She's going through one of her stages. She'll be fine. Give her a chance to sort it out for herself, if she doesn't, well, that's when you step in Jimmy boy."

He turned at me, jade eyes glistening as the pale lighting from the dusted bulb above reflected and I adverted my gaze swiftly.

"Why me?"

I smirked, and squinted my eyes a little. I yawned and stretched out my paws, fangs shining dully before whispering in a voice that was quiet, but clear enough for James to hear,

"I think you know why."