Jessie woke up seemingly drenched in sweat, her eyes buring from crying in her sleep. She slowly moved her hand from James' bare chest to his opposite arm to check his wrist watch, still miraculously on his wrist. Just after 3:00 AM. She gently began to remove his arm from her bare body when he turned over and hugged her close with both arms. It sent tingles all throughout her body.
"Jessie," he whispered into her ear."Don't get up. It's still early."
She would have been contented to stay there in his arms all day, but she knew she had more serious things to deal with.
"You were cryng," he continued, still very much asleep.
"I had a bad dream." she answered. Jessie seemed faraway now, no longer with him.
"Something wrong?" He rose a bit so that he could see her face. She rolled over to face him.
"James, I ...I have to leave."
He said nothing for a moment as a downcast look grazed his features. "Where are you going?"
"I can't tell you."
"You'll be back, right?"
She didn't answer.
He began to grow anxious,"Right?"
She looked at him regrettingly as tears welled up in her eyes. She shook her head. James hugged her close to him as he buried his face in her chest.
"Why do you have to leave me, Jessie, why?"
"James, I told you everything I can tell you last night." She stroked his soft hair.
"Why now?"
"I just..."
"Please, stay with me, if only for an hour more..."
She didn't answer for a moment. This was probably the last time she would ever see James. She could surely spare an hour for that, couldn't she? But, then again, time was not on her side. Those children would be through the first part of their rites tomarro afternoon. Then, they would share the destiny of everyone else in that horrid town..But one hour, one hour couldn't hurt.
James began to kiss her chest as his lips slowly moved toward her neck, and then to her lips. She returned it almost hungrily, feeling aroused.
"Jessie, stay with me," he whispered into her ear once more. His mouth moved down to her neck once more as she held his head. He rolled over on top of her, not moving his mouth from her neck. Jessie glanced over at the window and saw a dark face staring back at her. She panicked, jumping out of bed, James falling off of her. He crawled over to the edge of the bed and looked at her, though he could scarcely see her in the dark room.
"Are you alright Jessie?" He asked, geniunely concerned. He helped her back into the bed, where they then covered themselves while still sitting up.
"I'm ok." she said, more to herself than James."I saw...someone...in the window."
James looked at her, concerned. He swung his feet over the edge of the bed and pulled on his boxers. He walked over to the window and looked out. He saw a thin, aesthetic faced, raven-haired man starring back at him from across the street. He couldn't see it, but the man winked at him and went on his way. James just stared, open-mouthed and blushing. How long had that man been there?All night? Had he seen everything? He shook himself out of his reverie and went back to the bed with Jessie, who had now wrapped herself in the bed's thick comforter.
"You saw him too, didn't you?" She asked knowingly, as he crawled back into bed.
"Yeah." He answered sadly, knowing that the mood was killed and that she would probably leave now.
But, instead, she opened up one side of the comforter and gave him an sad, inviting glance. He waisted no time joining her."
"James, could you just...hold me?" she asked quietly. He silently obliged her, pulling her in close, feeling her warm, soft body next to him.
After awhile, she began to speak to him,"I can't stay here much longer. That man...in the window...Well...it's not good. I'm putting you in so much danger staying here with you now. Please, listen to me closely; there's a temple not far from here. You can't miss it. Its a huge clay building with french words carved all around it. Wait there, the priest will protect you until its time to leave. All of the people of this town will eventually make it there...if I act fast." She pulled him into a passionant kiss, which he returned gladly. He never wanted it to end, because when it did...he knew that they would have to part ways; perhaps forever. But of course it did end, and she got up and got dressed, as he did the same. She then began quickly rumaging through the tiny apartment.
James glanced over at the loveseat where a chain was sticking out of the abnormally thick frame that held Jessie's family photograph. He picked it up and pulled the back off, to reveal a necklace and a tiny leather book branded with the name "Kim".
He looked at her sadly, this was the it, this was the end. "Is this..."He paused and took a breath as Jessie turned to face him."Is this what you're looking for?" She stepped closer to him and examined the objects without removing them from his hands then looked at him longingly, wishing she were still asleep in his arms.
"Yeah, thats it." He smiled regrettingly at her as he placed it around her neck and handed her the leather book. She studied it for a moment before handing it back to him. "Why don't you keep this? It's my brother's journal, and I think that it will explain a lot."
They looked into each other's eyes for a moment. Jessie tore her own eyes away, knowing that, any longer, and she wouldn't be able to leave. She began to walk to the door, when James softly put his hands on her shoulders.
"Jessie, wait." He took of his white Team Rocket jacket and handed it to her."It's snowing outside. You probably need this more than I do." She smiled as him as she took of her own jacket and replaced it with his, handing him her own in return.
"Thanks James, for, for everything." She hugged him tightly."You've always been there for me and no matter how I treated you, you never left my side." She paused and added softly"I love you James."
He was crying now."I..I love you too Jessie. And I wish you'd take me with you."
"This isn't the end... of us. We'll see each other again; even if it's not in this world."
He gripped her tightly."Next time we meet, whatever world it may be, I'll make love to you in a real bed, with satin sheets, rose petals, and wine, instead of a dirty rotting shack like this," he said powerfully."
She blushed wildly "It's a date, James." She kissed him one last time before leaving the tenement and venturing out into the snowy streets.