Chapter 10: Crystal Reflections James held Jessie gently as the color slowly returned to her pallid face, rocking her and stroking her hair gently. "God I just want to be home," she muttered. "I know Jess, as soon as my wings dry I'll take you back as soon as possible," James assured her. Jasper smiled and eased himself into Jessie's arms gingerly, embracing her as tightly as he could. "I'm so glad you're okay Jessie!" he said happily. Jessie smiled warmly, feeling better as she ruffled his ebony hair affectionately. "Hey Jasper, and I'm grateful to be alright too," she answered. "I missed you," James added and Jessie squeezed his hand reassuringly. "I helped him! I helped him be strong to find you!" Jasper piped fervently and Jessie smiled. "Did you need the help of a little boy?" she asked deviously. "I didn't think I could do it, but Jasper reminded me of what you told me, but what I didn't believe until now," James answered. Jessie ran a hand through James' hair affectionately, resting her cheek against his. "You'll always be my hero James," she said, tears falling again. "And you're the wind beneath my wings," he remarked with a smirk. "That sounds a little familiar," Jessie said wiping the tears of happiness from her cheeks. "Yeah well I couldn't resist," James chuckled, spreading his wings farther into the last rays of the sun. They'd developed a slightly waterproof covering they hadn't had before, as the feathers had been young and new, but now all that remained of the terrifying experience underwater, was the soaked clothing and hair. He shook the last droplets of water out of the great blue lengths and folded the now dry feathers back in respectively. "Ready to go home?" James asked. Jessie smiled and nodded vigorously, but her brow furrowed as she remembered the boy that still rested in her arms. "But what about Jasper?" she asked. James bit his lip, as he hadn't thought about it before, and knew he wasn't strong enough to carry both of them, but Jasper sensed the apprehension in James' silence, and stood up, backing away from the duo still on the riverbank. "It's okay James, I'll just stay here, Grandma can take care of me until you come back," Jasper promised. James felt a pang of hurt, but gathered Jessie into his arms as he stood, smiling warmly at his young friend. "And I will come back for you," he assured him and spread his wings lightly. "I can make it back from here, you take Jessie home and stay there, I'll join you sooner or later, and I'm sure you have a lot you need to talk about," Jasper said, a furtive wink catching only James' eye. He nodded one last time, and gently lifted himself into the air, feeling Jessie tense in fear. "It's okay Jess, calm down and enjoy the trip!" he cried, overjoyed to take to the skies again. He looked down to see Jasper wave fondly at him before he disappeared from view below the small cliff above the riverbed, and turned his eyes back to the now midnight blue horizon. "We'll be home soon Jess, but we have to make a small stop first," James said, grinning deviously. "Huh? Small stop where?" Jessie asked. "You'll see when we get there," Jessie was forced to be satisfied with the response, and settled into James' arms to watch the scenery rush below her. James flew harder after what seemed like days as he spotted the spires of Vertigo palace, and the very familiar hill below him. "Hold on Jess, here's where we make our stop," he announced, dropping slightly. Jessie tightened her grip about his neck as he gently lighted at the base of a small hill, and gasped at what she saw. There were still bits of armor, weapons, and even a few horses still scattered about the field, and Jessie felt terror seize her as she realized she'd been taken to where Rill had killed her months before. "James why the hell did-" he cut her off with a finger to her lips. "I didn't come here to show you this, follow me," he answered, taking her hand. She blinked in confusion as he led her up the hill, stopping just before the crest and what she saw nearly brought tears to her eyes. James smiled as her hands flew to her mouth, stepping cautiously forward towards what he had intended for her to see. "Oh my god," she breathed, "did you do this?" She turned over her shoulder, casting her friend a baffled look and James joined her, and gasped in surprise to find a quite unexpected sight. Jessie's sword still stood erect in the soil, but the roses he had planted had grown, entwining themselves around the blade carefully. There was a single tiny red flower at the end of the thorn ridden vine, and it had bloomed right next to the eye symbol on the sword, and as James inspected it further, he discovered that the paper with his memorial poem had been unfurled completely. It was caught on a few coiling tendrils, and opened for all to see in front of the blade. He smiled warmly, taking the hilt of the sword of the mind into his hand, and beckoned Jessie to join him. "I did it for you, in memory, but now that I have you back, the roses should be enough," he explained. Jessie choked back her tears, and took James' other hand as he gently eased her blade from the ground, letting the rosebush drop to a natural position with a soft rustling of leaves. He turned to her, and offered the sword, but was forced to rest it on the ground as Jessie threw her arms about him, embracing him tightly. "James you're the sweetest person I've ever known in my life, thank you," she whispered. James felt his cheeks run crimson, but dropped the sword as he hugged his long lost friend back. "And you mean the world to me Jessie, it was nothing," he replied. "Think Ash and everyone else missed me?" Jessie asked pulling away slightly. "Jess, they really think you're gone forever! Of course they miss you!" James answered. Jessie chuckled as James slid her blade into the sheath that still hung at her side, and lifted her gently into his arms. "Home James," she mused fondly. The winged young man shook his head at the old stereotype and spread his wings, lifting into the sky gently. "Not all chauffeurs are named James you know," he said with a smirk. "Just fly James." "Alright." It didn't take them long to reach the palace after that, and James' heart warmed as he saw Jessie brighten. He landed gently in the courtyard in front of Misty's fountain, and allowed Jessie to slip from his arms gingerly, and was delighted to find she now had the strength to stand on her own accord. "How are we going to do this? I mean we can just waltz in saying 'Oh look! Jessie's alive!' you know," she said turning to her friend. "Why not? Sounds fine, they're probably up waiting for any sign of me anyway," he replied taking her hand. Jessie smiled broadly at the prospect of seeing her friends again and followed James into the palace. Misty sighed as she ran a hand through Ash's hair who had long since fallen asleep with his head in her lap, looking up to Brock ruefully. He'd insisted upon staying up to wait for James, but as of yet there was no sign of him, and Brock nodded the affirmative to awaken their flaming friend. "I know he misses James, we all do, but he's going to make himself sick over it!" Misty whispered. "I know, I miss him too, but James is an adult, and he's fully capable of taking care of himself," Brock remarked. "Yeah, but James is the one who's convinced Jessie's still alive, he's insane, who knows what he's gotten himself into!" James stopped, hearing his name from behind the door he had just passed, and pressed his ear against it, motioning for Jessie to remain silent and do the same. They grinned mischievously at each other and turned their attention back to the conversation inside of the room. "God I miss Jessie so much, I loved her like a sister, I love everyone here like my siblings," Brock said, tears apparent in his voice. "Me too Brock, but when I think about her, I try to remember what little time we had as friends, and how close we'd gotten. I think about the better times, like when we used to have sleepovers in each other's rooms. We talked about everything together," Misty replied softly, which drew a fond chuckle from Brock. "Ah, girl stuff?" he asked. "Yeah basically, but neither of us had it before, and you, Ash, and James were often the centers of discussion," she answered. Ash stirred at this, muttering something in his sleep and Misty stroked his cheek in comfort. "He really feels responsible for all of this," she whispered solemnly. "Well, it was Jessie's choice to sacrifice herself for James, she chose her path, and I guess James' life meant more to her than her own," Brock said, wringing his rough hands together with a grating of stone. "James meant the world and more to her, she told me, we all meant so much to her, she said once we were the only family she'd ever had," Misty moaned tearfully. "Oh, Jessie you really said that?" James whispered taking his ear from the cool, lacquered wood of the door. Jessie colored and looked away, nodding furtively but was forced to look back at James' tender touch on her shoulder. "It's really time for you to come back to all of us, we need our family complete again," he said. Jessie smiled, taking his hand into her claws, reveling in its familiar warmth and tenderness, and motioned toward the room with her head. "You first," she whispered. James drew in a shaky breath, tuning his eyes to the door and, leaving his other hand in Jessie's, turned the knob slowly. Misty and Brock jumped as the creak of the ancient hinges on the door resounded loudly as it slowly slid open, revealing a distraught and disheveled looking James. "Oh my god, James you're back!" Misty cried, gently easing Ash out of her lap. He awoke at the sudden movement, his flames and tail flaring with a yawn and sudden intake of oxygen and blinked sleepily. His eyes searched half- blindly, finding Misty, and watched as she stopped instantly in front of the door, hands over her mouth in shock. "James! I-Oh...My...I-It isn't!" she stammered. Ash sat up as Misty collapsed with an unnatural thud to the ground, shaking her head in utter disbelief and her hand still clasped over her mouth with her tears. "It can't be!" she breathed. The sudden transition from near silence awakened the two Pokemon who had been huddled together near the window, Pikachu curled into a tight ball against Meowth's side, and they looked up sleepily to survey the room. "What on earth is..." Meowth trailed off as saw the duo in the doorway, and instantly leapt from his perch, rushing forward with a bound into Jessie's arms, opening the door to reveal the emotional reunion to Ash. "Jessie! It's you, it's really you!" the cat sobbed as Ash sat bolt upright on the chair he'd shared with Misty. He said nothing as Misty laughed joyously through her tears, embracing James lovingly before falling to her knees, taking Jessie and Meowth with her. Brock and Pikachu joined soon after, along with James, all of them falling into one sobbing, overjoyed mass on the floor and Ash smiled as he stood slowly. He put a hand to his chest as he realized that James had been right all along, Jessie was alive, and he'd managed to rescue her. He felt a sense of closure at seeing her again, and the familiar feeling of closeness and family ties he always felt when the seven messengers were together. Life had seemed empty without her, and it had even seemed James was gone he had been so depressed and grief-stricken at her death. He let his tears fall, silently watching and listening to the group welcome Jessie back with open arms and hearts not wanting to break the euphoria. He let his threatening tears fall unabashed, and Jessie looked up, smiled warmly at him, and stood, stepping over to him. "Jessie?" he ventured at length. She wiped the tears tenderly from his cheeks, and folded him into a tight embrace, letting him sob loudly onto her shoulder. "Oh Ash, don't cry like that," she whispered stroking the back of his flaming hair. "I missed you so much, and it was all my fault!" he cried. "No! No it was not your fault!" she snapped pulling him away to look into his eyes, "I risked my life to save James, that was my choice." Ash fought back another outbreak, and swallowed hard, staring hard into Jessie's azure eyes. "I'm so glad you didn't lose it!" he cried throwing his arms around her neck again. James wiped his own tears from his eyes, listening to Ash and Jessie's sobs abate, and smiled, eagerly awaiting when he could confess his deep love for her. "Jessie, you must be exhausted!" Ash said, sniffing, "Actually, I am, I used all of my power escaping, but a day's sleep should be enough," she replied, her eyes dropping as she remembered exactly how tired she was. James seized the opportunity, shoving Misty forward gently. "Misty why don't you help her to her room, I need to talk to Ash alone for a second," he announced. Jessie raised an eyebrow at him as Misty helped her rise with extreme difficulty, and placed an arm about her shoulders for support. "Sure James, come on Jessie, need anything else?" Misty asked as she escorted the young woman out of the room. Meowth took the hint from James and cleared his throat. "Well all dat cryin' made Meowth thirsty, lets go get sumthin' eh?" he suggested and smiled when James nodded an affirmative to him. Brock and Pikachu silently agreed and left as well, closing the door with an echoing slam. James immediately turned to Ash, helping him stand and wiping the last of his tears away. "W-What did you want to see me for?" he asked. "Ash, you're the only one I trusted with this, partially because you were the only one there and in their right mind in Vinetra's palace, but I trust you with it now," he explained, seating him in the chair he had occupied. The boy raised an eyebrow, an utterly bewildered and confused look distorting his young features. "What do you mean?" he asked, confused. "Ash, I'm going to tell her, tomorrow, when she wakes up," James replied, his emerald eyes sparkling with adoration. Ash set his jaw, smiling weakly, but remembered the morning long ago when he'd spoken with Jessie in the courtyard and she had instructed him not to let James fall in love with her. "You're going to tell Jessie you love her?" he asked with difficulty. "Yes I am, I can't deny my heart anymore, and I can't keep my feelings bottled up for much longer. Even if she doesn't love me back, I have to tell her, because I love her more than anything else in the world, and I'll go insane if I don't!" he said reverently, "besides, I don't want to lose her again, not without telling her. If I lost her forever, I don't know what I'd do." Ash swallowed hard at hearing his friend's words, his heart beating in the backs of his ears. Though he knew Jessie didn't love James as he did her, perhaps she had been rash in saying it, and James could coax a love from her with his. He could only hope for the best, and be there for James should he get his heart broken to mend perhaps more than his soul, but his friendship as well. He looked up into the young man's eyes and smiled reassuringly. "Good luck James, I know you can be happy together," he said firmly. James nodded, patting his young friend on the back, and went for a pen and paper to begin his plan. He carefully scripted a short letter, and the next day, picked the reddest, most perfect rose he could find from Cerise's personal garden, and knowing Jessie was in too deep of a sleep to awaken, entered her room quietly early that same day, the evening after he told Ash of his plans to confess his love. Jasper had not yet returned to boost his confidence, and he had alerted his friends that he would be coming back, but this time James felt confident in his own abilities to tell her. Her chamber was decorated with the same kind of symbols and adornments that made up the blade of the mind, which glinted cordially at him from it's spot draped across the back of a chair in the corner of the room. The tall candelabras composed of elegantly twisted metal still held the brand new thick, yellowed wax candles Jessie had put in before she had been captured, and were untouched just as the group had left her room the months Jessie had been gone. James fingered the nearest one, the cold smooth metal pleasing under his fingers and finally reached Jessie's bedside. She slept peacefully on her stomach beneath the silken purple sheets and canopy above it, one hand on the pillow in front of her face, her chest rising and falling slowly with the pleasant bliss of long neglected and deserved sleep. She looked powerful when she slept, all personal flaws, fears, desires, hopes and dreams fell away and melded into one human being, all blending to form a balanced equilibrium. She looked like her Arbok, a deadly but beautiful force to be reckoned with, apt to strike at any given moment and he sighed wistfully as he sat next to her still form, listening to her soft breathing, and smiling warmly at her innocent expression of a pleasant dream. "Someday, I'll wake up next to you Jessie, and everyday I'll remind you exactly how much I respect you, and love you," he whispered, carefully removing the last of the thorns from his rose. He kissed the petals softly, and gingerly eased the stem into her deceivingly deadly claws. She muttered something quietly under her breath in her sleep and stirred, her tail twitching softly, betraying its location beneath the covers. James took the opportunity, slipping his note beneath the rose in Jessie's claw, gently running his hand over the smooth enamel, and to the soft skin of the back of her hand. "Sleep well Jess," he whispered, kissing her forehead gently, and stood. James looked one last time to his beloved's sleeping form, and turned over his shoulder, exiting noiselessly. He shut the door as quietly as possible, and pressed his back against the flush wood, spreading his wings slightly to allow his back to touch it. "Well James, it's now or never," he muttered and mechanically made his way into the courtyard to wait for Jessie to awaken and read the letter. My Dearest Jessie, As soon as you read this, if you feel strong enough, please come meet me at Misty's fountain in the courtyard. There's something I've been meaning to tell you for a long time, and in light of this near tragedy, I feel I must talk to you about it. It's the right time to take us into account and I desperately need to put my mind to rest. James James tensed as he recalled the words of his letter he had memorized, hoping he hadn't given her too much of a frightening clue as to what he meant to discuss, and paced the length of the illuminated fountain nervously. The bottom shone and reflected the double moons' light with a gorgeous stone, casting eerie light blue webs upon James' face and the scenery about him. He turned his back to the castle, bending down to examine the variety of tiny fish Misty kept in her small sanctuary. The young mermaid had somewhat claimed it as hers, often going into Vertigo and buying assortments of brightly colored fish and other water oddities to add to it. The fountain was certainly large enough, and Misty had turned it into a beautiful menagerie and a fitting tribute to her love of the sea. James closed his eyes as he listened to the soft rustling of the trees in the night breeze, and the gentle trickle of the soft currents of clear water, hoping to hear Jessie's voice call his name lovingly. "James? What is this all about?" he smiled broadly at Jessie's, contrary to what he had hoped, confused call and turned around to meet her. "Hey Jess, feeling better?" he asked brightly as she joined him by the fountain. "Hell yeah! I feel like my old self again! But now you write me this, and to be honest I'm a little scared of what you're about to tell me," she said warily. James contained his overwhelming emotion and beckoned her to follow his example. "Sit down Jessie," he replied simply, taking a seat on the wide rim of the fountain. Jessie sat beside him, and James felt his heart soar as he spotted the rose he had given her tightly gripped in her hand. Perhaps it was a sign she felt for him after all! "What did you want to talk about?" she asked nervously, and gasped when James took her hands tenderly into his, terror suddenly gripping her as she looked into his hopeful emerald eyes. "We've known each other a long time, haven't we?" he began, directing his eyes to the stars. "We certainly have, and we've gone through so much," Jessie replied relaxing. "And through our trials, I've felt closer and closer to you every single time, but this one with Shadowrun really pulled the trigger for me, and I've been forced to deal with overwhelming emotions that I can't hide anymore," James continued. "I don't like where this is going James," Jessie whispered apprehensively. James felt a wave of remorse, but forced the words aside, ignoring the comment lest he discover what he knew the answer would be before he could tell her fully the extent of his love. "I've wanted to tell you how I felt about you for so long, but I couldn't. Tonight though, I feel I can, and I feel confident, thanks to you and Jasper, to tell you that Jessie, you are my everything. You mean more to me than anything else in the world, and I'd do anything to make you as happy as you make me," he paused, watching Jessie's expression change from confusion to utter remorse and terror. "And I don't give a damn if you don't feel the same way, I just need you to know how strongly I feel for you, that I always have, and that I lo-" "Shut up James," Jessie snapped, snatching her hands away and glaring daggers at the winged young man. James took the words like a blow to the face, banishing his tears quickly and forcing himself to go on. "I understand completely if you don't feel the same way," he ventured cautiously, "but I had to tell you. I can't deny my heart anymore." "James I don't love you, you're just wasting your affection, please stop, you're just going to hurt yourself," Jessie spat bitterly. James remained silent, directing his eyes toward the ground with the utter humiliation and disappointment ripping his consciousness in angst. He felt betrayed, and cheated, his quest for love and fulfillment of his soul, shattering and crumbling to worthless dust as he watched. "Please, don't say anything more, just tell me why," he choked, looking up to her with tearful eyes. Jessie scowled at him, and was forced to look away from his completely annihilated and emotionally mutilated expression. "I-I can't. Just go James, I don't want to hurt you anymore, I've done enough," she hissed through clenched teeth. "I'm not leaving until we talk this over! Come on Jess, at least as my best friend, we can reason," he pleaded, taking her hands again. "Stop it!" she roared in frustration, tears streaming down her face as she wrenched her hands free, slapping James hard across the face. He let his jaw drop in horror, placing a hand to his wounded heart, pride, soul, and only mildly stinging skin. "Jessie I-" "You just don't get it do you?! I don't love you! Hell I don't even want to love you! And when you finally get it through your thick skull, perhaps you'll stop making people hurt you! So just....Just....God damn it just leave me the hell alone!" she screeched, burying her face into her hands as she ran from the fountain. James was helpless to do anything but watch as she fled from him, careening back into the palace, loud sobbing echoing against the bare stone that composed the walls, as a mournful wind whistled through the unseen cracks in the structure of the palace, fulfilling the sense of abandonment and betrayal. James stood slowly, his eyes directed toward the window of Jessie's room, where he watched it illuminate with the bright purple flames she was able to create that provided light, but no heat, his love undaunted. He felt the hot tears run down his cheeks as he spotted a crushed rose petal a few feet away and turned his gaze spitefully frorm the unwelcome sight. "Vous avez fendu mon coeur mon malicieuse cherie, mais je t'aime," he whispered longingly, "je t'aime." Jessie flung herself onto her bed, sobbing bitterly and pounded her fist into her pillow furiously. "It's not fair! I always have hurt the people I love the most! But if I let them get too close I'll lose them! I always lose them, and I can't lose James, I absolutely can't! He means too much to me! But I care about him so much and I had to break his heart!" she wailed. She knew in her heart that she could never love James openly, even though she had for many years, for she knew that she would lose him as soon as she admitted it. Her mother had been the first, and Jessie had adored her with all her body, soul and heart, only to have her taken away at only a tender seven years of age. She had been reluctant to love after that, but there had been a boy who had swept her off her feet, only to abandon her when she needed him most. Through all her trials with love however, Jessie's sobs abated as she realized that throughout her entire life filled with trials, tribulations, and heartbreaks, there had been one person who had been by her side for everything, and that had been the person she had just destroyed. She had cried on James' shoulder when she finally admitted to him her mother was gone, and he had comforted her, and it was James who held her until she came to terms with it and herself. James had insulted and made fun her old boyfriend with her after they'd had a painful breakup, it was James who had wiped her tears away, and assured her she was much too good for an awful guy like that. He'd seen her in her worst moments, tolerated every bit of spite and violence she and ever shown toward him, even welcoming her back with open arms after she had stolen from him and not once had she ever doubted he would leave her. James had always come back to her, even when he could have stayed with his family and achieved their lifelong dream of being rich, and living in luxury, and Jessie sat up suddenly as she realized why he had never left her, and why he never would, realizing then she still clutched the rose he had given her tightly in her claws. "Oh god, he knows, and he loves me! Oh my god, my James loves me back!" she cried happily, finally embracing the love she had denied for so long. She leapt from her bed, wiping her now tears of joy from her eyes, laughing in exuberance and speeding toward one target to finally admit to the one she loved that she had been wrong. He had proved many times over to her that he would never purposely betray or hurt her in any way, and James was the kindest, gentlest, most caring man she had ever known in her life. She knew she could trust him with her heart, and though she had tried to deny it for years, had wanted to give it to him and hadn't for far too long. James curled into the smallest area possible atop the cool, smooth white sheets of his bed, crying as hard as he would allow himself. "I should have known she'd reject me!" he sobbed, "she'd never want to love someone like me, not when she can have anyone she wants, and she can. I never should have loved her in the first place." James felt the utter remorse sharply and painfully in his mind, as he had always thought of himself and Jessie as meant to be, and soul mates. He was always able to see the good things they brought out in each other, and even through her staged callous act, he always knew she cared about him. Of course she had her moments, and James had often guilefully hidden the pain she caused him on occasion, but they had always managed to reaffirm their relationship. James had realized the feelings he had always harbored for Jessie were love when he was faced with the concept of his own death, and had evaluated his life. He knew then that someday he would have to tell her, and also that she would more than likely hurt him deeply again, but the feelings had become so intense after rescuing her from Shadow, that he risked his heart and gotten it utterly annihilated. "I can't believe I did that, how stupid can I get?" he muttered bitterly, furiously pushing his shoulder-length hair out of his face. He sat up on his bed slightly, propping himself on his elbows and sighed, wishing Jasper was there to offer a kind word as he usually did. "She'll probably never want to talk to me again," he thought to himself, running a finger down the hot side of his cheek where the blood still remained raised from Jessie's spiteful strike. He missed her friendship already, her inexorably harsh and malicious words still ringing in his ears, still see her hard set and furious scowl. "I'm so sorry Jess, I'm so sorry," he whispered burying his face in his hands. He was forced to look up, however, as a gentle knock sounded at his door, to which he snarled and threw himself back down on his bed. "Go away!" he snapped, not caring who or what it was. There was a brief cessation of all sound before James barely heard the door creak open slightly. "James? Can we please talk?" James sat bolt upright as he heard Jessie's tender voice from the doorway. To his utter astonishment, she smiled vaguely at him, closing the door behind her before sitting on the bed opposite him. "What do you want?" James asked, crossing his arms angrily over his chest. "I came to talk to you, and to say one more thing," Jessie whispered, closing her eyes as she leaned forward. James' reeled back in shock as he felt her lips brush against his briefly, pushing her away before she could kiss him. Jessie's expression shifted to one of hurt, and she looked into his eyes with regretful and remorseful sincerity. "What the hell are you trying to pull Jessie?" James demanded, his voice laced with tears. "I just realized that I always had everything I ever wanted to love right by my side all along, and I was an idiot for trying to convince myself I didn't feel how I did, and how I do now," she answered cupping James chin in her hand. He closed his eyes, clenching his teeth and looking away, tears sliding silently from under his eyelids. "Jessie I don't understand, first you tell me you don't love me, and don't want to even, and now you waltz in here just minutes after and try to kiss me? What's going on?" he hissed through clenched teeth. "James, I'm so glad you finally mustered the courage to try and tell me how you feel, or I guess felt now, because it made me think, and I realized that I felt the same way all along," she answered. "But Jessie you said you didn't! You said....You said you didn't want to," James added sorrowfully. Jessie cursed herself under her breath for saying that to him, and hurting him with her cruel words, pulling her friend into a tight embrace. "James can't you see? I did believe that! I really didn't want to! Because I care about you more than anything and I...Damn it, James! The mere thought of losing you makes me feel empty inside! I always lose the things I love, and I don't want to lose you!" she whispered, "I've tried to deny my feelings for you for years! Years! I did it because I felt that if I told you how I felt, you'd leave me somehow. But like someone very dear to me said once, I can't deny my heart anymore." James hugged his friend back, sobbing in joy and finally understanding why she had said the things she did, letting his tears of pure ecstasy and elation run harder as he realized she did in fact love him as much as he loved her. "Tell me again James," Jessie whispered in his ear. "I love you Jessie, and I promise you you'll never lose me," he said. "I love you too, James, and I believe you," Jessie answered as she felt James kiss her cheek tenderly. She turned her head to meet his lips, closing her eyes in joy as he kissed back with as much passion as he could muster. Jessie held James as close to her as she possibly could, the kiss deepening in passion, but breaking away only when she felt she had to speak to him more. "I'm so sorry James, I'm so sorry! I always hurt you so badly," she whispered, embracing him tightly. James ran his hands through her crimson mane, kissing her lips again tenderly. "I don't need an apology Jess. All I need is you," he replied. Jessie closed her eyes, satisfied with James' reassurance, laughing lightly in joy before kissing him again deeply as he pulled her into a loving embrace next to him on the bed. "I love you so much, and I feel like we've been in love for years," she breathed fondly. "So do I, but I guess we have, even though we never knew it," James answered. "I never loved anyone as much as you James, I hope you believe me after what I said to you," Jessie said, lying down alongside James as he did so. "I know why you did, and I believe you, and I love you Jessie, truly and unconditionally," he answered, finally putting all of Jessie's suspicions to rest. She knew that she could trust him with her heart, but it seemed to her like they should sanctify the act, and be able to trust each other with their whole life being: heart, mind, soul, and body. She wanted to be as close to James as possible, mentally and physically, pulling herself closer to him with a content smile. She closed her eyes lovingly as she felt James' affectionate nuzzle into her neck, kissing him passionately on the lips once more as she reached to his chest, undoing the thin lacing of his shirt. "I need you James, I want to be close to you, do you trust me?" she asked softly as she felt him reply by unclasping the buckle of the tanned leather belt she normally wore. "Of course I do, the question is do you have faith in me?" "More than anyone I've ever known in my life." James stopped as soon as he felt the leather slide out of the metal, opening his eyes and coloring slightly, Jessie mirroring the act in bewilderment. "Don't stop now," she whispered soothingly. "I-I'm sorry Jessie, it's just that I've never-" Jessie silenced him with a gentle finger across his lips. "Just go with it James, neither have I," she answered, pulling her belt completely away from her suede pants and James' grasp, "I trust you with everything, and I want to share everything with you." She let James pull her closer into his body, his hands moving up her back and carrying her tunic with them. "Enough to make love to me?" he asked quietly. "I want to make love to you James," she whispered, knowing he would feel the same way. His eyes sparkled as he accepted her invitation, allowing her to remove his soft white shirt tenderly, the fact that Jessie was willing to share the bond of extreme closeness and sanctifying their pledge of each other's souls to one another, was proof enough that she loved him for who he was, and it would always be that way. Everything else faded away into oblivion as James welcomed Jessie's tender touch as she undressed him, and he did the same for her, continually kissing her softly, welcoming her ardent affection back, and reveling in each blissful moment. James watched as he saw the pure and raw emotion that Jessie was capable of, and all the passion and love she had saved for the right person, shone through with a brilliant light, their souls becoming one as their bodies did. It amazed him to see the sarcastic, indurate act crumble away at his touch and in his arms, caressing her beautiful body tenderly, and welcoming her own intimacy and embrace, whispering her name in pleasure and adoration. Jessie murmured her love's name softly in reply with each gentle thrust, and marveled at what she had finally found in James, the man she had loved for so long, and had been by her side for nearly all of her life. He was incredibly gentle with her, true to his nature, as if he was afraid of hurting her, and it beautifully reminded the psychic young woman of why she loved her old friend, and why he completed her soul so well. Jessie held him tightly to her body as their love reached a zenith, living and knowing nothing but James. He was her world, and everything else was obsolete as she gave herself to him fully, knowing that they both would want to spend the rest of their lives together, and they had sealed the promise with their physical act of devotion and love, but at length, it was over, and they settled into each other's arms pleasantly exhausted. James lay awake, however, listening to Jessie's labored breathing slow to the level of sleep and gently smoothed her tousled crimson hair away from her forehead. He lay awake long after she had fallen asleep, holding her close, thinking and savoring the feeling of what they had shared and done. James finally felt complete, and smiled adoringly at seeing the small grin on Jessie's sleeping lips, kissing her forehead gently, and closing his eyes fondly to sleep as well, knowing that he would awaken next to his beloved for the first time, just as he had imagined for so long. James drifted off to sleep with the pleasant and fulfilling knowledge that he had finally found the one woman he knew he was destined to be with, and she felt the same way about him. He finally felt truly happy and not at all shocked that his true love had been the one person who had stayed with him, the little girl he had made instant friends with in school. She was the teenager he had joined Team Rocket with, the same one who had chased after Pikachu and failed so many times with. Then she became the young woman who held his hand during harsh lectures from Giovanni, cried with him when she had discovered the scars on his back from his childhood, expertly bandaged his near fatal wounds in the prison cell, held his hand when he thought he might die, refused to let him go because she loved him, and finally matured into the woman that James had given his heart to. Fate had kept them together for so long, and James, with help and unconditional love from Jessie, would make sure they were together forever after that. @->->- Rill smoothed back Shadow's slick ebony fur, checking the now healed wound in her ribcage, nodding to her that it was indeed completely restored. The feline stood weakly, shaking her head to clear her concentration blurred vision and groaned with the exertion. Once Rill was assured his master was back to health, he remembered what had happened and backed a few steps away, bowing his head in shame and respect. "I'm sorry master, but the girl got away," he muttered timidly. "She and her pathetic lover-boy have been quite a nuisance, haven't they? Ah what a fickle thing love can be. Not to worry, however, I do believe I have a solution that will let me have enough power to temporarily allow me enough time to bring her back and kill her once and for all!" Shadow hissed, "and it will benefit you as well." Rill's icy blue eyes widened in anticipation of the reward from the powerful being, and he smiled crookedly. "Is there anything I can do to help master?" he asked anxiously. Shadow chuckled softly to herself, lowering her eyes seductively as she placed a paw on Rill's chest, finding his heartbeat quickly. "Close your eyes, and do try not to scream," she said, the wiry man disobeying her word as he felt her energy surge through him with a hum of electricity. Shadow's power sizzled and crackled about the air with a vengeance, and Rill's scream of agony and pain echoed and resounded throughout the entire distance of Shadowrun.