Maria watched James and Meowth walk over to a bench in the waiting room, and sit down. She then closed the door to the office and turned towards Jessie, sitting in a chair, looking slightly like a child who had been caught doing something they shouldn't.

"So, let's get some more information before we confirm the..situation." she said with a playful smile. "And by the way, what we say in this room now is completely confidential. I will not tell James, the Boss, or anyone." She sat down at her desk and faced Jessie. "So tell me, have you and James taken your relationship beyond a mere Team Rocket partnership?"

Jessie was looking guiltier by the minute. "..Yes."

"And when you decided to take the relationship to the next step, did you use any kind of protection?"

Jessie was silent.

"Now I know your mother wasn't around to tell you about the facts of life, but surely you have figured some of them out, and of course I did give you some pamphlets after your first gynecologic exam..."

Jessie was looking down, avoiding Maria's concerned eyes. "James did...pull out."

Maria threw her hands up. "That's only a 70% success rate, at best!"

Tears were starting to form in Jessie's eyes.

Maria took Jessie's hand and held it. "Now, now...we still need to talk about this. When was the date of your last period?"

Jessie shook her head slowly. "I'm not sure..."

Maria handed her a calendar. Jessie flipped the pages and thought. Then she slowly made a circle with her finger around a number of dates.

Maria shook her head. "Jessie, I'm really disappointed in you. Every woman should keep track of her cycle." Maria took out a syringe. "I wasn't lying about that blood test. Hold your left arm out please."

Jessie turned her head away and felt a slight twinge of pain as the needle went into her skin. As soon as she felt the pain subside, she felt soft gauze being pressed and taped to the spot. Maria held a small vial of blood.

"I'm just going to run a few tests on this. How about you go and wait outside?"

James was engrossed in a Pokemon science magazine. Meowth was in his lap, curled up asleep. Jessie sat next to them, staring ahead as if in a daze.

She could end this, and they could keep trying to be top Team Rocket agents. Or she could be like her mother, and keep working and still be a top agent, even after having a child. She knew that James would go with any decision she made. But how would he react to the news? Her head was swimming with thoughts.

James looked up from his magazine and managed a weak smile at her. "I'm sure everything will be fine, Jessie." He reached around to give her a hug.

After what seemed like an eternity, Maria called Jessie back to her office. Jessie was growing paler by the minute.

"Jessie...Guessing from your symptoms I would put you at about 7 weeks pregnant."

Jessie was silent.

"Don't be scared. I'm here, and I can help you, Jessie."

Maria took out several pamphlets. "This is an unplanned pregnancy, but you do have options. You can have the baby, you can put it up for adoption, or you can even have an abortion. Normally, I wouldn't recommend that option..." Maria's expression turned grim as Jessie looked on in interest.

"When your mother was in Team Rocket, Madame Boss was very understanding when she fell pregnant. She had never had a daughter and treated your mother like her own. However...her son won't be as understanding, I'm afraid."

Maria always thought that Giovanni was jealous of Jessie's mother in some ways.

"He might try to make things very difficult for you. Just the way he tried to make them difficult for your mother by starting the whole Mew mission."

It was the perfect solution...Please his own mother by delivering her favorite Pokemon, and kill Jessie's mother. Maria shivered slightly, even though the room was warm.

Jessie nodded. What Maria was saying was true. Obviously, in the era she was born, there were no restrictions on Rocket Agents starting a family. But Giovanni definitely had some deep-seated issues that he would take out on unsuspecting Rocket Agents who found themselves in that situation.

"If the Boss finds out..." started Jessie.

"That will not happen if you are careful. Giovanni has never been able to get any patient information from me. I strictly protect the confidentiality of all of my patients, that is simply because I am a medical professional."

Maria looked down at the pamphlets she had laid on the table.

"If you choose to have an abortion, I will have to make an appointment for you at a clinic...And I would need to ask James to sign a consent form as he is the father."

Jessie shook her head, in denial. "I would have to tell James?"

Maria nodded. "Yes...Are you having conflicts with that?"

"He, um, hates the idea of marriage, anything having to do with being tied down. This would probably be the worst news of his life."

Maria shook her head slowly. "Jessie, you must not think the worst of things. I'm sure James has surprised you before. I want you to calm down, and take tonight to think over your options." She stood up, and helped Jessie stand up.

"Remember, Jessie, it is your body, and your decision to make. I will support you, and I'm sure James will too. Take care, and see you tomorrow."

Outside, in the waiting room, James had headphones on and his face buried in the science magazine. Meowth was curled up sleeping. The only sound in the room (besides the occasional nonsensical sleep-talking of Meowth) was the sound of James's breathing, which was escalating into sobbing. The doors opened and Jessie and Maria walked out. James quickly wiped away his tears and tried to keep a calm face. Maria raised an eyebrow, and shook her head mockingly. Jessie nervously laughed a little bit. "Oh James, were you that worried?"

James shook his head. "No, no, there was a sad story in the magazine..."

Jessie rolled her eyes. "Sure, James. Come on, let's go."

Maria looked at James. "I want you two to come back tomorrow, OK?"

James couldn't look into Maria's eyes. "Yes."

They stayed the night at HQ. James had one of the worst bouts of insomnia in years. He was up half the night, pacing, counting Mareep, anything to calm himself down. Then he heard Jessie's voice. She was talking in her sleep.

"Momma...why did you leave...I can't do this...I can't...momma..." tears fell from Jessie's closed eyes to the pillow. James sat in the corner, hugging his knees, watching her silently. This was his fault. And there was nothing he could do, but sit back and let Jessie make the choice. The room very slowly got lighter as the sun started to make its way up into the sky again. James wanted to cry but he felt like he had no tears left.