The Boat That Rocked (Rocketshipping Fanfic)
Part Twenty-Four
James was leaning against the door, his face tilted upwards, his eyes closed, letting the evening breeze sweep in from across the island and rustle his hair. He had decided to await Alphonse's arrival and take position outside the apartment.
The sky was darkening when the sound of footsteps ascending the stairs disturbed him from his daydreams, his eyelids fluttering open. A side glance proved that Alphonse had indeed followed the plan of coming directly to him, the man standing at the top of the stairs, hands in his pockets.
James ignored the strike of fear that ran through his body, the hairs on his back standing on end, his neck terrifying cold as he met the dark gaze of insanity.
"Hello, James," his voice growled, a mad grin spreading across his lips, thinning to reveal shiny white teeth that gleamed in the growing night. "I'm afraid I had a bit of fun with your Jessie."
Fear was replaced with anger, raged panic hitting like a spear through his chest as he pushed away from the door and took a step towards Alphonse.
Alphonse chortled.
I will kill you. I will crush your heart in front of your eyes if you've hurt her. The emotions that stirred and rose in his throat shocked James. His memories were still a shadow in his mind, blurred and forgotten, but his heart was pained and it was difficult to breathe or think clearly.
Maybe I shouldn't be surprised. I chose Jaime because somewhere in here I still had my love for Jessie.
James bit down hard on his bottom lip, tasting blood on the tip of his tongue. Ridiculous. Think straight.
Alphonse appeared to be enjoying watching James' thoughts and emotions flit across his face, revelling in the internal struggle the blue-haired man was having.
Damn you.
James crossed his arms, palms covering his elbows, his feet planted wide, giving him a stable stance.
"Not gonna say anything, Jimmy boy?"
"Don't call me that." He warned in a low voice.
"Why, Jimmy boy?"
A strange feline hiss answered Alphonse, the noise surrounding the men, echoing off the apartment block's walls. James didn't have to turn around to know Meowth was crouched low to the floor, claws drawn, fangs bared, ears flattened against his skull.
"Jaime's pet." Alphonse commented, pulling his hands out from his pockets.
"He's not a pet."
The hiss deepened, the hint of a snarl beneath the cat's voice.
"Looks like a wild Pokémon to me," he moved a finger in circles beside his head. "Crazed."
"You're the one who's crazed, you bastard." James spat, his anger getting the better of him.
Alphonse visibly stiffened, his dark gaze growing stony and icy. His fingers twitched. His hand dropped to his side.
"I could have killed her, you know," his voice had become edged. "Your Jessie could be rotting in a gutter now. Or maybe hanging from the ceiling of an abandoned warehouse. Or maybe splattered across the road in front of the hospital. Or maybe-"
A clash of claws on concrete, a feral roar, a dash of pale colour in the night.
Meowth hit Alphonse in the centre of his chest, sending the man back a few steps, teetering dangerously at the top of the stairs, his arms flailing, mouth open in surprise.
But the surprise soon contorted into the look of a madman. His eyes glinted murderously, his footing recovered, his hands reaching up before Meowth could scratch him across the cheek.
"Meowth!" James shouted as the man's hold tightened around the Pokémon's neck.
Wait, wait, wait, wait-
A yowl of pain rang loud as the cat was thrown against the wall, his head slamming against the brick with a fleshy thud.
No.
James leapt forwards, arm pulled back, fist clenched, teeth gritted, rage and fury burning so bright that it felt like it would swallow him whole.
But his knuckles never made contact.
-#-
The water trickled down the stone, the cave wall shiny with the moist atmosphere, moss surviving in the damp darkness.
Jessie's fingertips trailed along the cave wall as she made her way further into the cave, his foot slipping slightly underneath her.
"Careful." Jaime muttered, his hand gripping onto the red-haired woman's upper arm, stabilising her. She felt rather than saw the woman flinch at her touch, and she realized that she had hold of her injured limb. She let go immediately.
Jaime paused, watching Jessie guide herself deeper into the cave, the shadows enveloping her. It made her uneasy. The darkness is too complete in here.
She glanced over her shoulder at the forest outside. The night had fallen fast, stars above and the moon glowing high.
Jaime had ordered the red-head to go further into the cave so she could find a comfortable spot to rest and hide, while she stayed on guard at the entrance. Jessie had offered no resistance, the pain and exhaustion obviously etched into her face, her hatred and fear of Jaime of less importance.
However there isn't anywhere comfortable in here. The cave was wet, a small pool gathering at the back, the walls soaked and the floor slippery. There was nowhere to sit without water soaking through their clothes and freezing their skin.
We need somewhere else. These conditions will just make her injury worse.
Jaime turned back to the woman and reached out to grab her arm – the uninjured one that grappled the wall –to stop her.
"What?" Jessie jerked her head to the side to glare at her.
"This place is no good." She said simply.
"For fu…" she sighed, her curse fading away. "Then where?"
Jaime didn't reply.
Neither of them moved for a moment. Then Jessie started turning, her feet shifting cautiously along the ground. Jaime released her grip and retreated a few steps. When Jessie had safely turned and was making her way towards the cave entrance, Jaime twisted around.
The forest was creepy at night. No streetlights lit up the tree canopies and there was no distant rumble of cars or drunken shouts from people returning home. The forest was far from any civilisation on the island. In fact the main town was on the other side of the island, the apartment feeling a very long way away from this desolate cage of forest around the forgotten district.
But that wasn't what truly spooked Jaime. It was the fact that there was no movement but the wind. The fact that no night creatures rustled in the undergrowth. The fact that no nocturnal Pokémon roamed the darkness.
There was nothing.
They were completely alone.
Between them, they only had one Pokémon – a near-dead Arbok – and that couldn't do much in a time of danger.
Jaime flicked the blade in her hand, taking comfort in the flash of metal.
She glanced at Jessie. The movement had drawn the woman's attention to the knife but her expression was hidden in the night. She returned to gazing back into the forest.
It's too still.
And then, sending a crack of lightning down her spine, Jaime's phone buzzed insistently in her pocket. Her hand dived into her pocket to retrieve it, her thumb jabbing at the green icon before the name on the screen could register in her mind.
"James?" she breathed, hoping and praying that it was all over.
"No, it's me." A girl answered.
"Huh?" was all Jaime could say.
She pulled the phone from her ear and looked at the screen. It indeed identified 'James' as the caller. She returned the device to her ear.
"It's Lisa." The voice explained.
"Why have you got James' phone?" she demanded. She sensed Jessie come closer to her, probably straining to hear the caller's voice.
Jaime leaned away from the woman.
"He gave it to me. He wants me to come to you. I have first aid." The girl was holding back, presumably wishing to end the conversation as soon as it started. She wanted a quick answer and she didn't want to fight for it.
Jaime sighed. She couldn't be bothered instigating that fight and supplied the girl with their location before she asked for it.
A weighty pause.
"You have no clue where that is, do you?" Jaime pinched the bridge of her nose. "How long have you lived on this island?"
"Forever, but I don't go wandering off into the unknown, do I?"
"Whatever." Jaime gave the girl a step by step explanation of how to get to them, and told her that they would wait for her to arrive before moving on.
Lisa didn't show any gratitude and hung up with a short "yeah, see you."
"That girl swings from overfriendly child to grumpy teenager and anywhere in between."
Jessie jumped, her body now fully facing Jaime. "Lisa? That was Lisa?!
Jaime couldn't help but laugh. "Oh, that was all you needed to realise?"
The woman seemed to be struggling with forming an appropriate response. Jaime studied her in the darkness, her eyes following the outline of her figure. This is who I replaced? This is who never left James' heart?
Jaime looked away. "We'll wait for Lisa to get here. You can lean against me if you wa-"
"I wouldn't."
"Right."
The women stood in the entrance of the cave, eyes staring out into the night, the silence moving closer around them, the forest still save for the gentle rustle of leaves as the wind breathed over the island.
They waited.