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 38: Hired Hitmen

When you came into this world, you were just a baby girl,
and your ruby blues just brought me to my knees.
And I learned just what to do.
Spending all my days with you.
And I've found the truth, with it I've sworn to prove:

I'd give you all the stars, the sun, the moon,
Give you my last breath if I needed to.
Let you walk away to see the world you choose.
I'd catch a falling star to light your way,
down the open roads life that will pave,
Should there come a day when you need my help to live,
I'd give you everything I have to give.

And I know this world is cruel,
I'll do my best to shelter you,
from the darkened sky that make you feel so blue.
Whether I'm away or by your side,
know that I'm your guiding light,
to lead you down a path that you believe.
...Stereo Fallout - Everything I have to Give

Jack had had time to collect his thoughts on the next part of his story. He knew all too well what had happened next. It had made one of the top three worst moments of his life. He glanced over at Jessilina, who still looked eager to listen. She would most definitely have something to say at the end of this. He was curious about what that would be.

"I was holding my daughter," Jack started, "She had gotten up in the middle of the night to come sit with me. It probably saved her life. We had heard a noise and when Arcanine went to investigate, we heard a gun go off…"

The gunshot snapped me into action. I grabbed Jessie and carried her to the kitchen.

"Jessie, Sweetheart, I want you to hide in the cupboard," I whispered frantically, "Don't come out until I say, okay, Honey?"

"Uncle Jack, I'm scared!" she whimpered.

"I know. Just stay quiet and it will all be over," I assured her, shutting her and her little vulpix into the cupboard. There were voices coming from the bedrooms. I could hear them. I could hear their boots on the floor as they moved to the hallway. I pressed myself to the wall next to the hall, out of sight. I didn't breathe as I waited. It seemed like an eternity passed before I saw the gun edge out of the hallway.

I pounced, forcing the gun over the man's head and struggling with him. We fell to the floor and rolled around the living room, knocking over a lamp and an end table.

BANG!

The shot echoed through the apartment. The dead man's blood bounced into my face as I scrambled to my feet, clutching the gun as if my life depended on it. I stared down at the man I killed. He was dressed entirely in black and even had a black ski mask over his face. I reached down and took it off.

I recognized the man. He was a newer member that Giovanni had trained.

BANG!

Another shot. I felt a searing pain in my arm.

I reacted instantly, bringing my gun up and firing. Once, twice, three times.

The man who had just emerged from the hallway raced from the room, more a coward than anything. I tore after him. He fled through the open window in Jessie's room. I stopped cold in the doorway. It now resembled a war zone, and I nearly crumpled.

A lamp was broken on the floor. That had been the crash I heard earlier.

A man lay dead on the floor, bitten about the neck and badly burnt.

And my arcanine, my prized pokemon, was on his side, not moving. I could see the hole where the bullet had entered his skull. Tears of disbelief filled my eyes, knowing that I would never see him, hear him again. Never would he and I battle together again. He had given everything protecting me and Jessie.

"I'm so sorry," Jessie whispered. She had never had to bury a pokemon, but she knew the pain of letting them go. She couldn't imagine losing one of her pokemon companions that way. Jack shut his eyes as if in pain.

"You just feel sick," he admitted, "And after you feel sick, you feel angry. I never caught the one that got away."

"You didn't go out the window after him?" Jessie asked. Jack shook his head.

Jessie screamed, waking me out of my haze.

I rushed to the living room, where Jessie was out of her cupboard and her vulpix was biting the face of a woman in dark clothing. The woman threw the little fox into the wall and then turned to Jessie.

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

I emptied the magazine of the gun and watched with a sick satisfaction as the woman fell to the floor.

Jessie was screaming and crying. I rushed to her and held her to me. I glanced all around the room, waiting for the fourth man to return. I tossed aside the empty gun and lifted the gun from the woman's body. Where was he? Or was he waiting for me to take Jessie from the apartment so he could assassinate us as we got into my car?

I lifted Jessie and took her into the bathroom and set her in the tub. I rushed to the kitchen and grabbed a chair and in an afterthought, picked up the unconscious vulpix as well. I returned to the bathroom and set vulpix with Jessie and after I locked the door, I put the chair beneath the doorknob.

"Uncle!" Jessie sobbed. I got in the tub with her and drew the curtain, "Vulpix wake up!" she cried. I pulled Jessie to me and gently inspected the baby vulpix. It was alive. Thank God.

"She'll be alright," I whispered, "She's just sleeping."

Jessie whimpered and clung tighter to me.

"When daytime turns to night, when the moon shines bright, when you're tucked in tight, and everything's alright," I sang softly. It was the lullaby Miya sang to her, "drift softly to that place where secret thoughts run free, there come face to face with who you want to be. So fly a rocket to the moon and –"

"You're singing it wrong," Jessie sniffled, "We swim in the ocean and then we fly to the moon."

"Sorry, Honey," I whispered, "Swim across the ocean blue, fly a rocket to the moon. You can change your life or you can change the world. Take a chance, don't be afraid, life is yours to live. Take a chance and then the best is yet to come."

"Make a wish, it's up to you," Jessie sang with me, "Find the strength inside and watch your dreams come true. You don't need a shooting star. The magic's right there in your heart. Close your eyes, believe, and make a wish."

We sat in silence until Jessie drifted off. I couldn't sleep even if I wanted to. I had to protect her. Also, the adrenaline was wearing off, and suddenly I could feel the intense, stinging pain in my arm. It was hard to see the wound, as I was wearing a sweater, but the blood had already darkened the fabric. I didn't want to move and wake Jessie, so I put up with the pain.

I thought of Arcanine, who was now gone. I had other pokemon, yes, but he was my favourite. He was the father of the little vulpix that had so bravely defended my daughter. I blinked back tears and willed myself to think of something else.

There was the matter of the people that attacked us. They knew what they were after: Jessie. It was her room that they had broken into. It was the cupboard that the woman was going for, not me. If Jessie hadn't have gotten out of bed to see me, she would probably be dead right now. If it hadn't been for Vulpix, the woman would have killed her.

"Vul?" the little fox pokemon moaned, groggily looking up at me. I smiled and petted her.

"Thank you," I whispered.

I had recognized the man I killed. He was an agent. One who worked for Giovanni. My brother had made good on his threat, only I wasn't the target. Jessie was. He knew she was mine and he knew that if anything happened to her, I would be devastated.

"Wow," Jessie gasped, trying and searching her brain for any recollection of that night. Surely there must be something. Or had she repressed it away? Didn't kids do that when bad shit happened to them?

"He really tried to kill m…Jessie?" Jessie asked, hastily covering up her near blunder. Jack caught it anyways, hearing her stumble over her words, something he knew was uncharacteristic for his loud companion.

"He did," Jack confirmed, "He did send them."

"Shit," Jessie breathed, wondering how it was possible that he not only tried to kill her, but she had no memory of it.

"Yeah," Jack said, frowning slightly.

Then I heard a noise. I was on full alert, the gun cocked and my ears perked to the slightest sound.

"What the hell?" a familiar female questioned. Catherine.

"Where's Jessie? Jack? Jack! Jessie!" Miya's panicked voice rang through the apartment. Her frantic cries woke Jessie.

"Mommy!" she cried, running for the door. I got to my feet and took away the chair and unlocked the door. Miya was there when it opened and Jessie launched herself into Miya's arms.

"Shhh, sweetheart, it's alright," Miya crooned, looking over Jessie's shoulder at me, "What happened?"

"She got up to sit with me and we heard a crash," I explained quickly, barely noticing as Catherine and Daphne came into view, "Arcanine…he…he killed one and then they…they shot him and," my voice broke, especially when Miya's pokeball burst open and her ninetails rushed through the apartment, looking for her mate. She howled when she found him, "I killed two," I managed to get out after choking back tears, "One got away."

"We need to get you back to the base," Daphne said, "You'll be safe there and the medics will patch you up."

"No," Catherine shook her head, causing both of her partners to look at her. She was standing over the body of the man I killed, "He was a member of Team Rocket."

"What?" Daphne snarled, moving over to look at the body.

"He's new. I talked to him in the locker room," Catherine explained

"What?" Miya gasped, "Why? Why would they-"

"We have to get out of here," I echoed Daphne, "Not to headquarters. Not to the daycare. Someplace anonymous. A hotel."

"Let's go," Miya said, but then she looked down the hall, to where Ninetails' howls could still be heard.

"I'll get her," I promised. I stumbled down the hall as tears stung my eyes, both from my arm and the loss of my friend. Ninetails lay beside Arcanine, licking him and howling when he didn't wake. I sank to my knees beside her.

"He saved our lives," I whispered, "I don't want to leave him either, but we have to. He'd want you to keep your baby safe."

The fox pokemon whined.

"We'll come back for him," I promised, leaning over my pokemon's dead body and burying my head in his fur to hide the tears as I sobbed, "I'll come back for you. I promise. I'll come back."

Then, feeling like the world's worst person on the planet, I got to my feet and led Ninetails away, leaving my loyal friend all alone.

I was silent on our way to a hotel on the other side of town. I was silent as I watched Miya tuck Jessie into one of the beds and as Ninetails and little Vulpix curled up beside her. I was silent as Catherine, the only one of the three women who was medically trained, removed the bullet from my arm and stitched up the wound. I felt numb to the world.

It was only after Jessie fell asleep did Miya leave her to come to me. She leaned on my good arm while Catherine bandaged my bad one.

"I don't understand," Daphne said, "Why would Team Rocket agents want to kill you?" she asked me.

"They weren't after me," I whispered. Miya looked up at me in shock.

"Jessie?" she asked, horrified.

"They came in through her room. That woman was going to kill her," I repeated.

"Why?" Miya asked, "Why on earth would they be after a little girl?"

"Surely Madam Boss wouldn't want to hurt Jessie," Catherine shook her head. Miya looked uneasy.

"Unless she doesn't want us to be a part of her family," she whispered. I shook my head.

"No. It wasn't her," I said, "They were rogue."

"How can you tell?" Daphne asked, leaning against the wall.

"They weren't in uniform, and if they were Mother's, they wouldn't have dared shot me," I explained, "They were rogue…or they were working for someone else."

"Who?" Miya questioned, "Who would want to hurt Jessie?"

"I don't know," I lied, "but whoever it is, I'm going to kill 'em."

And that was what I truly felt. My brother had tried to kill my daughter and had killed my pokemon. He was the enemy now.

"Before you go and do that," Catherine said slowly as she finished the bandage, "You need to get Jessie somewhere safe. If they tried to get at her once, they will try again."

The thought made me sick to my stomach.

"You're right," Miya agreed, "but we'll figure that out in the morning. I'm exhausted."

"Do you want us to stay?" Catherine asked kindly.

"No. Go home and get some sleep. Thanks, girls," Miya dismissed. Daphne and Catherine bade us goodbye and left. Miya sighed and wrapped her arms around my neck. I could feel her warm breath against my neck.

"Why the hell is this happening to us?" she wondered. I could keep it in no longer.

"It's Giovanni," I admitted, "He's the one who sent them. He's the one."

Miya froze and pulled away to look at my face, "Giovanni?" she questioned, "Why would he-"

"Jade said he and Joseph were conspiring against me. He doesn't want me to inherit anything…he thinks mother is going to pick us and he wants it all," I said quickly, and I didn't know why, but my voice suddenly shook, "He knows what I did. He knows what I did with Silver, Miya. I don't know what to do and-"

She pulled me to her, so that my head rested on her chest. I could feel her heart beating. I managed a shaky breath as I felt her kiss the top of my head.

"You're alright," she whispered, "Calm down, Honey. You've been through a lot tonight."

"He killed…he…arcanine…and we nearly lost her…" I choked out, unable to hold back the sob that escaped.

"Shhh. It's okay, Jack. We'll talk about it tomorrow. Just lay down. I'll be right back." I did what she said, laying down on the hotel bed across from Jessie. Miya returned with a glass of water and two small pills.

"What are those?" I asked thickly.

"Sleeping pills," she told me, "You need some rest."

"Miya, no, what if they come back and-"

"Take them. We'll be fine," she assured me, "Trust me, Jack."

I did, so I took the pills and had a dreamless sleep.

"She sounds so perfect," Jessie whispered, wishing more than anything that Miya had been around when she had been growing up, "What happened?"

"I woke up," Jack said simply, earning himself a less than impressed look from Jessie.

At around eight in the morning, Jessie decided that I had slept enough and catapulted onto me, unaware that my arm was hurt.

"Jessica Musashi Lillis!" Miya scolded as I winced, "Uncle's hurt right now. You can't be jumping on him."

Jessie kissed my forehead sweetly, "Sorry, Uncle."

She was instantly forgiven.

"How are you feeling?" Miya asked, sitting beside me and our daughter.

"Hazy," I said, "and like my arm is on fire."

"I'll change your bandages in a little bit. Let's just relax for now," Miya replied, kissing me. Jessie looked at us curiously. We didn't usually kiss in front of her. We spent the morning laying in bed and watching cartoons with Jessie. Around eleven, I followed Miya into the washroom so she could change the bandage on my arm.

"So what are our options?" Miya asked, "We go to HQ and rat out your brother? We lie low and wait for the next attack? What?"

"I don't know what Mother would do to her own son," I admitted, "Or if she would even believe me, but we should try."

"I agree," she replied, "What do we do with Jessie?"

"We'll take her to headquarters with us. It's the weekend, so Amy should be in with Butch. She can look after her while we take care of business," I planned.

"Okay," Miya nodded, "That will work for now."

It was Jessie's fifth trip to the secret headquarters at my mother's estate. She thought the halls were great. She could run to her heart's content and not worry about breaking anything. We got to Amy's rooms and knocked on the door. She opened it looking flustered.

"Miya, Jack, what are you guys doing here?" she asked.

"Sorry for the short notice, but would you mind watching Jessie for an hour?" Miya asked.

"Uh, sure," Amy shrugged, "I'm sure Butch would love it."

Butch, hearing his name, came to the door and grinned shyly when he saw us, "Hi, Mr. Jack. Hi, Miss Miya."

"Heya, Kiddo. What are you and your mom up to today?" I asked, ruffling his green hair.

"Just playin'," Butch shrugged, "Mommy's playing with Uncle Teddy."

Amy turned beat red, "Uh, Butch why don't you take Jessie and play?"

"Okay, Mommy," Butch agreed, "C'mon Jessie."

"Be good, Munchkin," Miya called as Jessie followed her friend. There was a mischievous smirk on her face as she looked at Amy.

"It's not like that-"

"Hi, Uncle Motorcycle!" Jessie chirped from inside the apartment, "How come you have lipstick on your face?"

Amy now resembled a tomato, but she just couldn't fight the smile creeping onto her face. It was the happiest I had seen her in a long time.

"Do you remember that?" Miya asked, linking her hand with mine as we walked together, "The sneaking around and not being able to get enough of each other?"

"I'll never forget," I assured her, "I still can't get enough of you. I love you."

"I love you too," she said back, kissing my cheek. When she pulled away, I saw her cast a troubled look at my mother's office door. I took her in my arms.

"Don't worry," I said, "No matter what happens, you and Jessie are my family and after last night, I'm ready to do anything for you both. I'm not going to lose you and we are not going to lose our daughter," I promised.

"But that didn't happen, did it?" Jessie asked softly. Jack sighed.

"I'm going go grab some more firewood," he said, hiding his face as he shrugged on his coat. As he shut the door, Jessie felt a wave of anger course through her. Anger at Giovanni, who had ordered to have her killed as a child. Anger at Madam Boss, who had created and cultivated the entire rivalry. Anger at her father, who had broken that promise.

He had lost both her and her mother. Somehow, they had been separated and while he had been holed up in the Andes, Jessie had been struggling to survive. She lived on snow for two years, until Social Services stepped in and removed her from her frail, but loving foster mother, Miki. Then she had bounced through the system. She was not a baby, so no parents wanted to adopt her. Instead, she got foster parents. Some were good. Some were horrid. She had broken an arm and nearly died of pneumonia twice. When she was finally old enough to run away, she had been broke. She only got into Pokemon Tech on a pity scholarship. Then she flunked that and joined a bike gang with James. Then she realized she wanted better and abandoned her best friend. After that, her every endeavor failed until she was forced to Team Rocket…where her life was touched by Giovanni and was worse for it.

Jessie shuddered and remembered when the Rocket Boss asked her how far she would go for Team Rocket. She remembered what happened afterwards and then sitting under a showerhead, scrubbing her skin raw.

She should have never had to go through that. Her father should have protected her, but he didn't. He wasn't there. He lost her.

And not far into the future, she was going to hear just how he lost her. She had done the math. Twenty-two years ago, on December 18, 1987, Jack had suffered the event that led him to the Andes. On that date, Jessie would have been four-years-old. In the last part of Jack's story, he had said that they had been attacked by Giovanni's men one week before her fourth birthday.

The end was coming, and she almost didn't want to hear it.

Almost.

TBC

AN: So Jessie's going to be a ray of sunshine. I feel sorry for Jack. He's going to bear the brunt of it and he has no idea what's going on. Have something special planned for Chapter 40, but as for chapter 39:

Jessie, James and co. make their way home...and along the way, meet up with a couple red-headed cousins of Jessie's...

Songs that inspired this chapter:
-Everything I have to Give by Stereo Fallout. Beautiful song. Can't get enough.
-Watch Over You - Alter Bridge.
-Permanent - David Cook. I can't get over the emotion in the song.