Disclaimer: Pokémon isn't mine, no matter how much I wish it was.

A/N: First of all I'd like to say, COOL! My story actually got BIC! Thanks to anyone that voted ^_^ Ok, next thing is that I'm sorry that this part took so long to do, but I was kind of stuck for ideas.

'Thoughts are like this'

Ages: Jessie: 21, James: 21, Cara: 22

--------------------------------------------------------------------- Love not War, Friend not Foe
Part #05
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Last time...

It was almost two in the morning before Cara finally convinced Jessie to go to the hospital and talk to James.

"It will all work out, you'll see"

Jessie nodded and smiled at her. "Thank you"

Cara laughed. "You have thanked me enough for one day. Let's just get some sleep and you can go see him tomorrow"

"Sounds good to me" Both girls headed off to bed then. Jessie slept in Cara's guest room and had borrowed a pair of PJs from her. Jessie smiled in the darkness of her room. 'Tomorrow, I will sort this out' She turned over and soon fell into a deep slumber.

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It was late in the morning when Jessie woke up. She groaned as the sun shone through the window and into her face. After a couple of minutes she made her way to the bathroom. She washed her face and looked at herself in the mirror. 'Well, today is the day' She got dressed and went downstairs. She found Cara reading a magazine in the living room. "Morning Cara"

Cara lifted her head from her magazine and smiled. "Almost good afternoon. You sure sleep in"

"Yeah well, the bed was really comfortable" She hadn't told Cara about how she, James and Meowth used to sleep, on park benches usually. That night sleep is what she really needed. "What are you reading?"

"Ohh nothing much. Want some breakfast?"

"That would be great" Jessie hadn't realised until then that she was hungry.

"Alright, toast and eggs ok?" Cara folded her magazine and dropped it on the coffee table in the middle of the room. She headed out to the kitchen.

"Toast and eggs are fine" Jessie followed her in. "I should be paying you for this"

"No you don't. You are the only person to actually have a chat with me since I moved here. That's worth a lot to me" She smiled at Jessie and turned on the stove.

"Well, if you insist" Inside Jessie was relieved. The fact was that she didn't actually have any money with her. She could go and pick up her last pay check, but she was afraid that she'd be found. She helped Cara out in the kitchen and afterwards sat down at the table to eat her breakfast. Cara sat across from her with a mug of tea, which she sipped now and then.

"Are you going to see James today?" She placed her mug on the table.

Jessie had finished and took a drink of her coffee. She wiped her mouth and looked into the mug. "When I woke up I was ready to go, but now I'm not too sure"

"But you should. It would be a shame to throw away what you had over a slight misunderstanding" Cara rested her elbows on the table.

"I know that, but it's just that I'm..." She trailed off and swallowed hard.

"You're afraid of loosing him aren't you?"

Jessie looked up at Cara with slight surprise. 'How could she know?' Cara's face was emotionless, but her eyes betrayed her feeling of sadness. "Cara, did something like this happen to you?"

Cara nodded simply and took another sip of her tea. "It was a couple of years ago. I had a lover and we were great together, but one day I said something spiteful and I didn't even mean it. I only said it because I was jealous after he had been hanging out with his friends more than he was with me. He took what I said to heart and left me. I couldn't stand being in the same town as him so I moved here. It's been hard but I've started to get over it. The pain isn't going to go away though" She wiped her eyes on her sleeve and looked over at Jessie. "Trust me, it hurts a lot to loose the one you love over a lie than over the truth. If you had meant the things you had said then it mightn't hurt forever. Go and patch it up before it's too late"

Jessie leaned across the table and grabbed Cara's hands in hers. "I'm sorry for what happened to you but you're right. I'd never forgive myself for loosing James over a lie. I will go and talk to him"

Cara smiled. "That's more like it. Now let me see" She stood up and walked around the table. She pulled Jessie up and looked her over.

"What are you doing?" Jessie asked confused as Cara walked around her.

"Well, if you're going to stun James you'll need something better than that to wear. Come on, make-over time!" She grabbed Jessie's hand and dragged her up to her room. For the next few hours the two girls sat on the bed giggling like little school girls while putting make-up on each other.

"Ohh hurry up Jessie, I'm dieing to see what you look like!" Cara called from outside the bathroom.

"Alright I'm coming!" The door opened and Jessie came out. Cara squealed in delight.

"I was right! That dress of mine does look good on you"

Jessie looked herself over in a full length mirror. Cara had given her a pale blue dress to try on and Jessie was surprised at how different she looked. The dress was kind of loose fitting and Jessie was used to tight fitted clothes. Her hair was brushed out and Cara had forced her not to use hairspray on it. Jessie's hair was actually flat and ran down her back. She had it tied in a high pony-tail. She twirled around and laughed happily. "I feel like a new woman!"

Cara laughed. "Well, I'd say that you are ready now"

She sighed and nodded. "It's now or never. But Cara, would you please come with me? I couldn't go in there alone"

She nodded. "If that's what you want. I'll be ready in a couple of minutes. Cara entered her room and closed the door. She came out a little later dressed in white jeans and a red t-shirt. She handed Jessie a white cardigan and pulled a blue sweater on herself. "Now we're set"

Jessie took a deep breath and the two headed to the hospital.

~*~*~

Jessie looked up at the tall building in front of her. She was suddenly overcome with regret all over again. She turned to Cara. "I can't!"

"Yes you can Jessie. Just take a deep breath and go for it!" She grabbed Jessie's shoulders and shook her a little.

"What if he hates me? What if he never wants to see me again! What if..."

Cara cut her off. "Those are all 'what ifs.' You'll never know unless you go through with this!"

She took a deep breath and nodded. She turned to the main door and entered the hospital with Cara not far behind. She walked up to the reception. "Excuse me?"

A short woman looked up from a bundle of papers. "Yes? Can I help you Miss?"

"Yes. There is a man here that was in a coma and woke up yesterday. He was in the intensive care unit and I was just wondering if he's still there" Jessie's stomach was in knots.

"Hold on a second please" The woman started to rummage through papers. "What was the man's name?"

"James"

The woman pulled out a small file and opened it. She looked it over and then turned to Jessie. "Did this man have green eyes and blue hair?"

"Yes that's him. Where can I find him?"

"You won't I'm afraid. Not in this hospital"

"What do you mean?" Jessie felt her heart skip. 'Why wouldn't James be here? Ohh I do hope nothing happened to him'

The woman turned back to the file. "He was left out today. The doctors gave him a full look over after he woke up and he spent the night. After another quick check-up this morning he was given permission to leave. He's a very lucky man to have been in such good health after being in a coma for a week" She turned to the girls. "I'm afraid that I don't know where he has gone but he did leave a note for someone. What's your name?"

Jessie couldn't believe it. James was alright! Out and about, fit as a fiddle! Cara tapped her shoulder and Jessie snapped out of it. "Ohh sorry. My name's Jessie"

"Yes you're the lady. Here you go" She pulled out a small envelope from the file and handed it over the desk to Jessie.

Jessie took the note and looked at it. Her hands were shaking slightly. Cara watched as Jessie opened it and pulled out a piece of paper. She unfolded it and read the note inside.

Dear Jessie,

I thought that you were only joking about what you said but when you didn't come back I realised that you meant it. So to make your life better, Meowth and I have left. I know that you're life would be much better off without a stupid dork like myself around. We're off to stop Giovanni from destroying the world and we'll probably never see you again. Good luck with your new life.

From James and Meowth

P.S. Don't look for us, by the time you get this note we'll be long gone.

Jessie stared at the note with teary eyes. Cara noticed this and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"What's wrong?"

"It's James. He... he's after leaving" Jessie faced Cara. "He's gone!" At saying that Jessie broke into tears.

Cara wrapped her arms around her new friend. She frowned as Jessie sobbed into her shoulder. 'I'm sorry Jessie'

~*~*~

Jessie spent the next few days locked in her room. She woke up crying and cried herself to sleep at night. She wouldn't come out of the room or eat anything, despite Cara's constant pleading. On the fourth night, around eight o' clock, Jessie finally unlocked the door. She went down the stairs and found Cara sitting in the living room. She stopped in the doorway.

Cara looked up and saw her. She immediately got up and went over to her. "Jessie, thank goodness you came out of that room! I've been worried sick about you. You haven't eaten anything in days"

Jessie examined Cara's face. There was a look of true worry on her face. Jessie gave a weak smile. 'She really does care about me. I finally have a true friend' "I'm sorry Cara. I just couldn't face anyone"

Cara nodded, understanding everything. "Come, you must eat something before you starve"

Jessie picked away at the food given to her but did eat something to please Cara. She pushed the bowl away and stared into her mug.

Cara frowned. Jessie looked a mess. Her hair was sticking to her face, which was red. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying. She suggested that Jessie should take a shower and Jessie agreed.

She stood in the shower and let the warm water run over her. It felt good and it made her feel slightly better. She stepped out and dried off. She put on a pair of PJs and a dressing gown. She went down to Cara who was watching the television. She sat down and noted the worried expression that Cara's face held.

"There's no need to worry now Cara. I'm feeling better now"

"That's not what I'm worried about most right now. Look" She motioned to the TV screen and Jessie looked. The news was on and they were talking about the top story.

"Today a terrible incident occurred" The screen changed to show the ruins of a city. Jessie watched as it showed burning buildings and people running. There was the sound of marching and next an army of trainers and pokemon came into view. The camera focused on the uniforms and Jessie knew them straight away as Team Rocket uniforms. "Team Rocket has declared war. All over the world cities are falling and hundreds are being killed as we speak. It seems that their leader will not stop until he has total control over the world. Trainers all over are ganging up to attack Team Rocket, but so far all attempts have been in vain. Is there anything to stop this destruction?"

Jessie and Cara watched the television with horror. "I knew I should have gone with the twerps to report this!"

Cara looked shocked. "You knew about this?!"

Jessie looked to the ground. "I was part of Team Rocket. The reason James was in the hospital in the first place was because we were being hunted down for not agreeing to the war"

"Why didn't you tell me the truth?"

"I thought that if I did you wouldn't want to be my friend anymore" Jessie looked up to Cara.

She shook her head. "Jessie, it's too late now but please tell me if anything like this happens again. I could have had Team Rocket attack my house for you!"

"I know! I didn't want to keep it from you but I thought that you'd be safer not knowing!"

Cara stood up. "Well there's only one thing to do now"

"What?"

She looked at Jessie. "You're going to have to forget about James for now and let's kick some Team Rocket butt!"

Jessie was shocked at Cara. In the short time she'd known her she didn't seem to come across as the kind of person that would fight. "Guess I was wrong" "But how can we?"

Cara grinned and walked over to a cupboard. She pulled a certain book and the cupboard swung open. She turned to Jessie. "I didn't tell you everything about me either" She went behind the cupboard and came back out with a pistol in hand. She grinned. "I'm a member of the Gun Club and I'm a fully qualified pokemon trainer too. Let's show them what us 'little' girls can do"

Jessie smiled and stood up. "You're on!" A pokeball wiggled on the mantle piece. It was one of Jessie's. It popped open and a pokemon materialised. "WOBBUFFET!" It cried. Jessie frowned and Cara giggled.

"Nice Wobbuffet Jessie"

"Trust me, it can be a right pain in the butt. Wobbuffet return now" Wobbuffet went back into its pokeball and the two of them began planning their strategy of attack.

--------------------------------------------------------------------- To Be Continued...
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Any reviews are greatly appreciated ^_^ Thank you for reading and more on the way!

~Ashla~

Finished: 7:25PM, Sunday, 10th November 2002