Fated

Summary: Jessie finds herself in exile, forced into captivity with a mysterious stranger. With nowhere to go and seemingly no hope of escape, they share the stories behind their miserable fates. Hers is filled with questions. His is filled with answers.

Chapter 8: Awkwardness Managed

Your love is thick and it swallowed me whole
You're so much braver than I gave you credit for
That's not lip service

You've already won me over in spite of me
And don't be alarmed if I fall head over feet
Don't be surprised if I love you for all that you are
I couldn't help it
It's all your fault
...Alanis Morissette - Head Over Feet

Jack was silent for a long time. He leaned back in a chair and stared at the wall, pensive and in thought. Jessie, in boredom, was picking the bark off of a piece of wood. She winced when she caught a splinter under her nail and spent another five minutes digging it out.

"Alright," she huffed, "I'm bored out of my mind…and I might need a band aid."

Jack sighed and got her a band aid, "What would you like to do, Jessilina?" he asked.

"Anything!" she exclaimed. He smirked at her.

"I'll tell you what. You tell me the next bit of your story and I'll see about finding something for you to do," he bargained, "If I remember correctly, you and your partner had just slept together."

Jessie couldn't help the blush creeping to her face as she thought about that night. It was different last night when she told the story because he couldn't see her face…especially at the more explicit parts. Now, however, he could quite plainly see when parts of her story caused her to blush embarrassedly. Actually, that kind of reminded her of something…

Things got a little awkward the next morning. Yes, it was a totally unforgettable night and yes, we obviously had chemistry, but we had just taken things to a whole new level. When we had gotten ready for bed the night before, we were best friends. When we woke up that morning, we were…well…that was part of the problem. Were we lovers, friends with benefits, friends who comforted each other, or just participants in a one-night-stand?

Now, you'd think things would get awkward right after we had sex, and they did. After getting dressed, we hardly said anything as we went back to camp to our respective sleeping bags, both of our red faces hidden by the shadows of the night. I pretty sure neither of us slept, though. I was too wrapped up in thinking about everything. James was my best friend and I had just slept with him. I have a bad track record with men. Usually, I find the ones who I think are class acts, but then they just leave me with nothing but a broken heart. When I slept with a guy, usually it meant that the relationship was over because he got what he wanted and then I'd never see him again. I didn't want that for me and James. James was the one constant thing in my life. He was always there for me and I didn't want to lose that. Obviously, if the nightmares were any indication.

And I think it was about five am when I finally realized the irrevocable truth: I was in love with my best friend. I nearly swore out loud before I remembered that I was not alone in the camp. I remembered a long time ago when I had sworn off love, when I learnt how painful it could be, both emotionally and physically-

"Physically?" Jack asked, his voice laced with concern. Jessie scowled at the unpleasant memory, one that involved his brother.

"Don't ask," she said shortly before continuing.

Anyways, I had sworn off love after learning how truly evil it could be. I said I would never let myself get hurt again. And now James had somehow wormed his way past my defences and I had fallen in love with him. I cursed him under my breath and sighed, silently berating myself for getting in this mess, for giving him the power to tear me down the way I had given it to so many others. I couldn't sleep after that. I was riddled with disgust at myself.

"Has anyone ever told you that you that your not invincible?" Jack asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Only James. And Meowth. And pretty much anyone else I've ever met that didn't care if I kicked their ass," she replied.

So that morning, as Meowth was drooling over the VERY meagre breakfast of half a sausage and a piece of toast to be split three ways, I was staring at James's left boot and he was staring at my neck. Sometimes we actually dared to look each other in the face, but usually we did that at the same time and would end up turning red when our eyes met.

Meowth was as oblivious as ever in his quest for food, exclaiming, "Don't burn it, Jimmy!" in those moments where James was lost in the same place I was. After breakfast, we did the usual: spying on the twerp and his twerpy friends.

Of course, that didn't last long.

"Give me back my pikachu!" Ash Ketchum screamed as he chased after us flew away in our meowth-head hot-air balloon. You would think that after six years of this, he'd have something new to say. We at least mixed it up a little.

"Looks like we've got it this time!" James cheered, smiling up at me. I cursed myself when I blushed. Our capture was lying lazily in the shock-proof cage, examining its claws in disdain.

"Err…what's it doing?" I asked, looking at Pikachu. James and Meowth also watched the odd behaviour.

"Staaaaar!" we whirled around, hearing the familiar cry of the twerp's staraptor. Shit.

"Wing attack!" the twerp called triumphantly. Like usual, there was now a hole in our balloon and it was flying crazily through the air. Pikachu's shock-proof cage fell from the basket as we continued on our merry way to the stratosphere.

"We're blasting off again!" we cried the usual words as we braced ourselves for a landing that would most likely hurt.

"AHHHHHHH!" we screamed as we landed in a heap on the forest floor, me on top of James.

"Ouch…" Meowth said, looking a little worse for wear as he stumbled to his feet. You could practically see the pidgey flying around his head.

"I'll say," James agreed, shifting under me, but then he stopped, apparently realizing the position we were in. I looked down at him and he looked up at me. I cursed my body for reacting to his proximity.

"I go sleep now," Meowth uttered before falling flat on his face.

"Err…um…" it took me a minute to stammer as I pushed up off of James, "I'll go get some firewood," I volunteered, leaving quickly to hide my red face. I could barely look him in the eye all day and there I was straddling him and I didn't want to move. Mew, I was an idiot. A complete dumb, love-struck idiot. I leaned against a tree and wished the sky would fall down and crush me.

"Jess?" I heard his voice question. I looked up and saw him coming towards me.

"Hey, James," I said in what would have been a nonchalant voice if there hadn't been a tremor behind it.

"Can we talk?" he asked nervously. I felt a little queasy as I nodded. I braced myself for the inevitable.

"You know, James, I don't expect anything," I started, "Last night-"

"Was great," he finished for me. I looked up into those earnest green eyes as he continued, "It meant a lot and…and I want you to know that I meant everything I said. I care about you, Jess. A lot."

"You do?" I asked dumbly.

"Yeah, I do," he repeated, raking a hand through his blue hair, "and I'm sorry…sorry if you thought I took advantage-"

"You took advantage?" I repeated, raising an eyebrow in surprise. If anything, I was the one who started tearing his clothes off.

"Well, you were upset," he reminded me, "and you probably weren't thinking clearly and I don't blame you if you hate me, but last night was the best night I've ever had," the words tumbling out of his mouth so fast that I could barely get a word in, "I've never felt that way before, but…but it's not really surprising because I've…well…you're…perfect, Jess. Perfect for me."

"Wha-" this conversation had gone a completely different way that what I thought it would.

"I know it's crazy! You're my best friend and I don't wanna lose you, but then there's all these feelings…I don't blame you if you don't feel the same way and I…I understand if you wanna walk away," he finished, a horribly anguished, terrified look on his face.

I blinked several times. He had just offered me the out that I had been planning on offering to him. I could very easily turn around and walk away from him, leave us as friends and pretend that last night was just something meaningless.

But last night had meant something to me as much as it meant something to him. I had feelings too, strong feelings that told me that he was perfect for me too.

I took a step towards him, invading his personal space. My face was inches from his as I stared into his eyes.

"You're not walking away?" he asked softly.

"Are you going to walk away?" I countered in a similar voice. He swallowed and I've never been so nervous in my life.

"No," he said, shaking his head slightly, "I'm not going anywhere."

"Then neither am I," I told him. He blinked, as if he couldn't believe it, and then he leaned in and kissed me. It was just as good as the night before. I responded instantly, wrapping my arms around his neck.

Yeah. This was right.

"Jessie? James?" I heard Meowth's dazed voice calling us. I guess he came to.

"Stupid cat," I growled as James and I broke apart at the interruption.

"Worst timing," James agreed, and I was a little surprised to hear frustration similar to mine in his voice. Usually he had a much higher tolerance level for Meowth than I did.

"Jimmy? Jess?" Meowth still hadn't found us yet.

"Are we telling him about…uh, this?" James asked, looking over my shoulder for any sign of the cat. I frowned.

"That depends," I said slowly, "Could we survive all the catty remarks, stupid jokes, and annoying renditions of 'Jess and Jim sittin' in a tree'?" I asked, doing a poor imitation of the cat's accent. He chuckled.

"It might be smarter to leave him in the dark," he agreed.

"Dere youse two are!" Meowth exclaimed, "Where'd you go?" he asked, looking up at us.

"Gathering firewood," we said at the same time, smirking down at him.

"And that phrase became our excuse to ditch Meowth for some alone time," Jessie said, smiling wistfully.

"Your feline friend is extraordinarily unobservant," Jack commented, chuckling. Jessie nodded.

"In his defence, he did just crash headfirst into a tree," she said.

"So you and James seem to have started something," he observed.

"Something good," she added, her smile becoming more pronounced.

After we made a campsite, we went about the usual routine: dinner and bed. It was funny how over breakfast James and I could barely look at each other and then over dinner, all I wanted to look at was him.

I still had trouble believing that he really wanted to be with me, but I could see it every time we exchanged those stolen glances. He was just as smitten as I was.

As bedtime came closer and closer, I began to wonder if he expected a repeat of the previous night's activities. Not that I'd be complaining if he did. He was pretty good in the sack. I watched him as he unrolled his sleeping bag and I did the same.

"I'm still hungry," Meowth pouted as he curled up in his tiny sleeping bag. So was I, but hunger was taking a bit of backseat lately.

"Just go to sleep, Pal," James told him, lying down, "Dream of chocolate-covered hotdogs."

Eww.

"Okay! Night!" Meowth said excitedly and closed his eyes. Like the cat he was, he was out like a light. I looked over at James and found he was looking at me. I smiled.

"Sweet dreams," he murmured.

"Sweet dreams," I said back.

"Youse two are interruptin' my dreams," Meowth mumbled. I snorted and James tried using his sleeping bag to suppress the giggles.

"Goodnight," I mouthed to James and he did the same. I closed my eyes.

I was sitting by a river, laughing with James about something. It was fun, peaceful, and warm.

"You know, I don't think you need this," James said, tugging at my shirt.

"Catch me," I requested, evading his arms and running along the river bank, laughing hard as he chased me. Then the sun went away and the world was shrouded in black. Cold laughter made us whirl around. The boss was there, holding his gun. He fired at me.

There was a scream, but I wasn't the one who fell. James did. He was lying in a pool of his own blood, his face deathly pale.

"James!" I screamed, rushing to his side. Giovanni fired again.

There was another scream, but it came from James, who fell to the ground again.

"No!" I cried out. Then Giovanni fired a third time. James took the bullet again. Over and over, until I screamed.

"Stop!" I cried out, jolted awake. I was sitting up and panting as beads of sweat poured down my back. I buried my aching head in my hands, hoping that the images would leave my mind.

"Jess?" I heard James asked, his tired voice laced with concern. I looked up. He was still in his sleeping bag and his hair was all over the place. He was looking at me. I knew exactly where I wanted to be. I chanced a look at Meowth, who twitched in his sleep and mumbled something about whipped cream and pizza. For a moment I cringed at the food choices of my male companions. Then I got out of my sleeping bag, shivering as the cool night air met my sweaty skin. I crawled over to James and unzipped his sleeping bag enough to let me in. He was warm.

"I've got you," he whispered, wrapping his arms around me. I said nothing. I just snuggled closer to him, my head on his chest. In no time, I was lulled to sleep by the steady beat of his heart.

I didn't wake up until morning when James gently shook me awake. For the first time since the encounter with the boss, I woke up feeling happy. I smiled up at him and he smiled back. He pecked me on the lips, but I stopped him before he could move completely away. I closed the distance again and kissed him properly. Seriously, why hadn't we been doing that all along? He broke the kiss and then I felt his lips on my neck.

"Morning," I murmured, wriggling so that I was pressed right against him.

"Morning," he echoed, "Sleep well?"

"Very," I replied. It had been the best night's sleep I'd had in a long time. It seemed that I had found my cure for nightmares.

There was a soft smile on Jessie's face as she relived that morning with James. That was probably one of the best mornings she had ever had. Definitely better than the one she had just woken up to.

"Wow, you really do love him, don't you?" Jack chuckled, dropping a wood crate in front of Jessie.

"Uh, yeah, what the hell is that?" she questioned. Jack grinned at her.

"Well since you were complaining that you were bored, I thought we could sort through the rations, considering that things change when there's a second person involved," he shrugged. Jessie looked less than enthused.

"This wasn't exactly what I had in mind," she told him.

"I'm afraid that you don't have another option," he said, "Just think, it'll get your mind off everything."

"Woo hoo," Jessie sighed, reaching into the crate. Then Jack shot her a grin.

"Come on, Jessilina. It may not distract you like your James did, but it's better than nothing," he teased. Jessie scowled as a blush crept over her face.

"If I could reach you, I would kick your ass," she muttered.

Jack just smirked at her.

TBC

AN: So naturally there would be a little bit of awkwardness after two friends as close as Jess and Jim hook up. I like awkward...when it's not me. I also really like that I have a four month break from school. I definately need it :). I'll hopefully be doing a lot of writing. I have a feeling I'll need to, especially after tomorrow, when my parents put my dog to sleep :(. RIP Daisy.

Songs that inspired this chapter:
- Mistake Number 2 by ATC.
- I Won't Say I'm in Love by Disney. I love the movie Hercules and the song is perfect for Jessie. What can I say? I'm a little kid at heart.
- Head Over Feet by Alanis Morissette. Because, let's face it, if Jessie and James got together, Jessie would blame James for making her so soft and sentimental :)
- Disgusting by Ke$ha.
- I Caught Fire by The Used.