J E S S I E ' S G O O D B Y E

By Suz/Friezaess

AN: Ah, my first song fic on fanfiction.net! And, keeping in the 'Pokemon spirit', that song is "The Time Has Come" from the episode "Pikachu's Goodbye". But I think it sounds better under Rocketshippy circumstances, so take that ya little yellow rodent! ;)~

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon or the song "Pikachu's Goodbye". Dang!

James sat in his sleeping bag, staring out the window of the cabin he was spending the night in. It was late in the evening, and outside, rain was pouring down. Every now and then the soft rumble of thunder echoed throughout the land, whilst the surrounding trees swayed in the strong winds. The bleak weather reflected the young Rocket's mood. Once again, his mind was on his partner, who was absent from the scene. He turned to look at Meowth, who was fast asleep in his little yellow sleeping bag next to him. James sighed. It just wasn't the same without Jessie.

I close my eyes
And I can see
The day we met
Just one moment and I knew
You're my best friend
'Do anything
For you

It had been almost six hours since Jessie had been summoned to the Team Rocket Headquarters. James had been puzzled as to why only she had been called and not the whole team. The answer had come when he received a phone call from her. Jessie had always been the strong, able member of the team, but when she had told him that the Boss had promoted her, James was shocked. He had tried to sound happy for her on the phone, even though his heart was breaking. Now that she was of higher rank, it would be hard to associate with her, and the chances of them meeting up within Team Rocket again were slim. James could tell from her tone that she was sad to leave the team, though she tried hard not to let on. It was a very brief, shallow conversation, for each of them was lost in a sea of different emotions. Jessie was leaving, after all that they had been through. She and James had been inseparable for years, even before they joined Team Rocket. It was rare to see one without the other, even the twerps and Giovanni knew that.

We've gone so far
And done so much
And I feel
Like we've always been together
Right by my side
Through thick and thin
You're a part of my life
I'll always remember

Now she was gone. James didn't even get to say a proper goodbye. He didn't get to tell her how much she meant to him. He didn't get to tell her how much he loved her. Meowth had brooded over the loss also, and even though he would never admit it, James knew he was hurting. He too knew that the team would never again be the same. James hung his head.
"Stop complaining, you should be happy that at least one of us was a success!" He thought. "If you really care about her, you'll know this is the best thing for her." He tried so hard to convince himself of this, but found himself unable to shake the overpowering sense of loss and sadness. "You're an idiot for not telling her you loved her, James. Now she'll never know."

The time has come
It's for the best, I know it is
Who could've guessed that you and I…
Somehow, someday
We'd have to say goodbye

He thought back to their fateful trip aboard the Saint Anne. He was about to tell her then, but the orange-haired twerp had butted in. He had tried again in the hot air balloon as they were sailing away from his parent's estate, but was interrupted when Meowth yelled out for them to come back for him. There were other times too, but more often than not, James just lost his nerve. Now he only wished that he could have had one more day with her to tell her he loved her.

He knew she would do well as a higher ranking Rocket without him to slow her down. A tough, intelligent woman like Jessie would go far in an organization such as Team Rocket. Her strength was what gave him strength. Everything James lacked, she made up for, and vice-versa. She gave him a sense that they could achieve anything, reach any goal they set. Being without her was going to be like being without part of himself.

You've helped me find
The strength inside
And the courage
To make my dreams come true
How will I find
Another friend
Like you?

Never before had James pictured life without Jessie, and even now he found it hard to accept. It was still sinking in. They seemed like the perfect team- Jessie, James and Meowth, Pokemon thief extrodinares. But even when they seemed to fail at stealing Pokemon, they excelled in friendship. It was going to be a tough road ahead. James wasn't sure if the Boss had chosen a new partner for him yet. He didn't want one, either- Jessie was the only partner for him.

Two of a kind
That's what we are
And it seemed
Like we were always winning
But as our team
Is torn apart
I wish we could go
Back to the beginning

James snuggled down into his sleeping bag. He didn't have a watch on, but knew it was quite late. He closed his eyes, hoping to get some sleep. But that was easier said than done. There was just far too much on his mind for him to fall asleep.

The time has come
It's for the best, I know it is
Who could've guessed that you and I…
Somehow, some day
We'd have to say goodbye

Hours passed. It was after midnight, but James was still wide awake. The sound of rain was usually enough to lull him to sleep, but not this time. He sighed, silently hoping that he would dream of his beloved. That seemed to be the only place he could be with her now. It was almost as if she had died.

Somehow today…
…we have to say goodbye

There was a soft knock on the door. Being the only one awake, James went to answer it, whilst Meowth simply rolled over in his sleep. When he opened the door, he came face to face with a young woman who was soaked from head to toe. Her long, red hair hung loose and wet behind her, clinging to her face, and she was forced to constantly blink raindrops out of her eyes- the eyes that James knew all too well.
"Jessie?" He said, smiling for the first time since she had phoned him. The same smile spread across her face, and the two flung their arms around each other, each finding security in the other's embrace. James was getting soaked, but he didn't care.
"Jess, what are you doing here?" He asked, finally letting go of her.
"James… I turned down the promotion."
James was shocked- why on Earth would she turn down the opportunity that they had both dreamed of for so long?
"But why?" He asked.
"I…" Jessie paused for a moment, not used to expressing her emotions. "I couldn't leave, James." She looked him in the eyes with a sincerity he had never seen before. "I love you too much to leave."
James gasped… then smiled, taking both her hands in his.
"You have no idea how long I've been waiting to hear that." He replied. "And I love you too, Jessie. I always have."
And there, in the driving rain and in the middle of the night, they shared their first kiss.

THE END

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