The Thrill of Defeat by Cori Falls @->->- "Oh, well! We're blasting off with a beautiful bang!" Jessie, Meowth, and I cried in unison as we were launched out of Indigo Stadium by the force of the firework bomb that had detonated at our feet. Ever since the annual Pokemon League Games had begun three weeks earlier, we'd been doing our damndest to enter the competition so that we could show the world what great trainers we really are, and in our spare time, we'd been trying to catch some of the powerful pokemon that belonged to the other trainers! And tonight was no exception. Even though our latest Pikachu-catching plans had been foiled by Ash and his twerpy new friend that afternoon, we didn't let it get us down -- we just took it on the chin like we always do and decided to go back to Indigo Stadium so that we could make an appearance at the closing ceremonies. Unfortunately, while Jessie and I were tunneling into the stadium, some of the explosives from the fireworks display overhead caused a cave-in and dropped into the tunnel...and that's about where we came in. @->->- None of us were hurt when we landed in a forest several miles away from the Indigo Plateau. Blasting off is standard operating procedure by now -- we're used to it. But wounded pride hurts more than most physical injuries, and we're most certainly not used to that yet. Especially Jessie. As Meowth built a fire and began to set up camp, I looked over at Jessie, who was sitting some distance away and gazing up at the night sky. Her back was turned to us, but from the way she was trembling, I could tell that she was crying. I felt a dull ache in my heart as I watched her. I wanted to take Jessie in my arms and make all of her pain go away. I wanted to be her hero, her protector, the brave, strong man who makes everything okay, but I hesitated. Get real, James! You know Jess hates it when people see her like this! If you go over there and try to talk to her, you'll probably just make things worse! I told myself. For a moment, I was able to convince myself that Jessie could take care of herself and that she'd be okay in a few minutes. But then, I got to thinking about why she was crying. We'd already accepted the fact that we didn't make it into Pokemon League this year, but the final round and the closing ceremonies today had done a painfully good job of driving the point home. Tonight's humiliating blast-off had been like reopening a wound that was beginning to heal and pouring alcohol into it. Granted, Meowth and I were upset about losing this opportunity too, but Jessie had wanted to compete more than we did. This was her dream -- something she'd been striving for ever since she was a little girl. Something she'd just been denied. The trail of heartache that was her life was now one shattered dream longer. This wasn't a kind of pain that was going to go away in a few minutes. Tears welled up in my eyes as I thought about what had happened to Jessie today and how she must be feeling now. And as I thought about her shattered dreams, I found myself reflecting on my own life. Even though she and I had come from two completely different worlds, we've shared all the same pains and sorrows. Like her, the people who accepted me and loved me for who I am were taken from me when I was young, and I'd been left with nothing. Even though I had money and material wealth, my soul was impoverished without the friendship and love that I desired. I know that feeling of emptiness. I know it all too well. Wait a sec! Why am I feeling sorry for myself? I may have had a difficult past, but I'm okay now! I reminded myself. When Jessie came into my life, all of the pain went away. Nothing makes me feel better than when she holds me in her arms...when her beautiful voice whispers words of love into my ear.... That was when I made a decision. I know that Jessie likes to be left alone when she's in a bad mood, but I also know that just because she'd prefer to be alone doesn't mean that she should be. She needed to know that I was still here for her and that I could be strong for her. And I needed to know if our love for each other was strong enough to help her overcome her pain the way it helped me overcome mine. "Hey, Meowth, why don't you go back to town and pick up some pizzas for dinner?" I said as I dried my tears and handed some money to the cat. "I don't feel like cooking tonight." There must've been something about the tone of my voice because the hint wasn't lost on him. "Ya know, I think I'll do just dat," he replied. "I'm kinda hungry for pizza anyway." I smiled as he winked at me and took his leave. Then, I turned my attention back to Jessie. I knew she could sense that something was going on -- she quickly brushed her tears away as I approached. Tentatively, I knealt by her side. "Hey, Jess," I whispered. "The stars are so pretty tonight," she said, trying to pretend that everything was okay. But I could hear the quaver in her voice. Who did she think she was fooling? "You want to talk about it?" I asked softly. "They're stars. What's to talk about?" she replied. I placed my hands on her shoulders and began to massage them. "You know that's not what I meant." Jessie's muscles tensed when I said this. She knew that I wasn't going to drop the issue. "Come on," I prompted. "You can talk to me." Jessie turned her head and looked up at me. There was a weak smile on her lips, but her normally sparkling eyes were clouded by a dull, glassy sheen. "James, there's nothing to discuss!" she insisted, as if I were acting silly. "Don't hold out on me, Jessie. Please?" I said, running my hands down her back. "I know you're upset, so talk to me. Tell me what's the matter." After a long pause, she closed her eyes, and a tear spilled down her cheek. "We...we didn't...." Her voice trailed off, and she began to cry again. I put my arms around her. "It's okay, Jess. It's okay...." "No it's not!" she snapped, pulling away from me. The force of her reaction caused her to fall forward, and she hung her head. "Don't you get it, James?! It's been another year of work, and we still have nothing to show for it! Another wasted year of my life!" As if to illustrate the point, she tore up a clump of earth and let the dirt pour out from between her fingers, like the sands of an hourglass, slipping away. "I'm no closer to my goal than when I first began...." "Jessie, that's not true! How can you say that?!" I interjected. "You've come so far...especially in the past year! You started at the bottom...you started out with nothing, but look at you now! You've got an Arbok and a Lickitung that love you more than anything, you're a terrific trainer, and...." "Yeah, right," she snorted. "A trainer who flunked out of school and doesn't have any badges. Real terrific. Real goddamned terrific...." "You are!" I insisted. "That twerp may always beat us, and he thinks he's hot stuff, but you know what? Compared to you, he's a bunch of shit!" Jessie raised an eyebrow. "Think about it," I continued. "When have those twerps ever beaten us in a fair fight? Never, that I can recall. They don't win because they have better pokemon or because they're better trainers -- it's always because they're either ganging up on us or having some stroke of dumb luck. There's not a doubt in my mind that if they had to play fair, we'd mop the floor with them!" This made her smile ever so slightly. I cupped her chin in my hand and wiped her tears away with my thumb. "If we made it to Pokemon League, I bet we could go all the way with just Arbok, Weezing, Lickitung, and Victreebel...." "That's the problem!" she interjected as fresh tears welled up in her eyes. "We're never going to make it, James!" "What makes you say that?!" I demanded. "Because...." "Because why?!" "Because we need badges to compete, and there's no way we'll ever be able to get them!" she cried. "We can't earn them -- all of the gym leaders hate us! They'd never accept a challenge from us because we're Team Rocket! And we failed miserably when we tried to take the Pokemon League entrance exam and earn an equivalency badge! Hell! We can't even steal badges from other trainers without making a mess of it!" When she said this, she blushed and turned away from me. "God, I still feel like shit about that. I...I did such a terrible thing to you, James. I've done so many terrible things -- sometimes I wonder how you can still be my friend...or how you can love me...." I placed a hand on her shoulder. "You're too hard on yourself, sweetheart," I said. She looked back at me. "Jessie, you know that I left home because I'm not the kind of person who puts up with abuse," I told her. "I wouldn't have followed you all this way or fallen in love with you if you were really as terrible as you think you are." More tears spilled down her cheeks as she closed her eyes and exhaled in a ragged breath. "When I look at you, I don't see evil -- I see a woman filled with more kindness and love than she gives herself credit for," I continued, giving her shoulder an affectionate squeeze. "You're not a bad person, Jess. You're a good person who's had to make some bad choices. Neither one of us is perfect, but we accept that about each other, and we forgive each other for the mistakes we make. That's why I'm still here. I love you, Jessie. I love you with all my heart and soul. Don't you ever, ever doubt that! Not even for a second!" "I know...I know you do," Jessie whispered as she opened her eyes again. "But that's what scares me so much...." "Jessie...." She cast another forlorn gaze at the night sky. "Ever since I was a little girl, everything I love has always been taken away from me. I love you so much, James, but every time I think about it, a little part of me can't help but wonder if you'll be taken from me, too! And that scares the living hell out of me! When I lost my doll, I dealt with it. When I lost my momma, I managed to survive and get on with my life. But I don't think I could do it again. Not if I lost you, James. That's something I'd never be able to deal with...." "It's also something that you'll never have to worry about," I said, wrapping my arms around her waist and pulling her into me. Jessie rested her hands on top of mine, as if to ensure that I wouldn't release my hold on her. I responded by pulling her closer. "Jess, with all the arguments we've had...all the hardships we've faced, don't you think I'd be long gone by now if we weren't meant to be?" I asked. She sniffled. "Everything bad that happens to us only ends up bringing us closer together and making me love you more," I whispered into her ear. "You may have lost a lot of people and things that you love, but you're never going to lose me, sweetheart -- I'm in it for the long haul!" Jessie turned and put her arms around me. I could feel her warm breath tickling my neck as she laid her head on my shoulder and whispered, "Promise?" I held her as close as I possibly could and began to stroke her hair. "Nothing will ever make me leave you," I told her. "I'm yours forever." "You are, aren't you?" she muttered. I nodded and kissed her forehead. "Jessie's James. I always have been...and I always will be." For several minutes, the two of us just sat together in silence. I cradled Jessie in my arms as she cuddled into me and returned my embrace. I could feel the tension in her muscles start to go away as I caressed her. Before long, she was completely relaxed. She hadn't said a word, but it was the greatest compliment she could possibly have given me -- she trusted me enough to let me into her heart. She had enough faith in me that she could let me be her hero. The realization that I was exactly what she needed filled me with pride -- I could protect her and make her feel better when she needed comfort! It made me feel like a real man...like somebody worthwhile. "You're right, James -- my life can't be a total waste," she said at length. "Because I ended up with you!" I looked down at Jessie. All of her tears were gone, and the sparkle had returned to her beautiful sapphire eyes. Her lips had curved into a smile again, but this time it was genuine. I smiled back. "How do you do it, James?" she asked. "How do you always manage to make me happy, even when I feel rotten?" "Because happiness is contagious...and you make me happy, Jess," I replied. "I'm the happiest man in the world because of you." Jessie's smile grew even wider when I said this. "I love you, James," she whispered. "More than anything else in this world." "I love you too, Jessie," I echoed. Jessie rested her forehead against mine and gazed into my eyes. Then, she slid off her gloves, and I felt her hands slowly creeping up my back. My heart skipped a beat as she caressed the back of my neck and began to run her fingers through my hair. Following suit, I took off my own gloves so that I could have the pleasure of feeling her smooth skin and silky hair with my bare hands. I leaned a little closer to Jessie and felt the tips of our noses brushing together and her warm, sweet breath tickling my lips. After a moment, I placed my hands on her cheeks and drew her closer yet, touching my lips to hers. When she offered no resistance, I opened my mouth and gently began to caress her lips with my tongue. She responded by opening her own mouth, inviting me inside, and I accepted the invitation. As our tongues mingled and played together, caressing the inside of each other's mouths, I suddenly became aware of the desire stirring inside of me. It started as a tingling feeling on my lips and intensified to a fluttery feeling in my stomach...and a raging fire in my loins. For years I've had this desire, but I've always kept it in check, waiting for the right moment and the right person. And now that I had both, I knew that it was finally time to give in. Just holding Jessie in my arms and kissing her wasn't going to be enough for me -- tonight, I wanted more. But as urgent as my need was, I knew that I couldn't go any further until I had her permission. Slowly, I drew my mouth away from hers and took a deep breath. "Jessie...I...." Jessie silenced me by placing a finger to my lips. "Shhh. You don't have to say a word, James," she whispered. "I know what you want." I felt like I was ready to explode when she said this. For a fraction of a second, I was worried that Jessie was going to refuse me, but the look on her face laid my fears to rest. She had a shy smile on her lips, and her cheeks were as red as her hair. The light burning in her sapphire eyes told me that she was gripped by the same desire that had consumed me. "I know because I want it, too," she continued. "I want you, James...all of you." I breathed a sigh of relief as I took Jessie in my arms again and held her to me. My heart started pounding as she returned my embrace and covered my face and neck with soft kisses. When she began to nibble on my ear and blow into it, my urge became even more acute than it already was. I wanted nothing more than to tear all of our clothes off and take her right then and there, but I knew that I couldn't. This was going to be our first time...and our first time had to be something special. "Wh-what's wrong?" she asked as I reluctantly pulled away from our embrace. I smiled and placed a hand on her cheek. "Nothing, sweetheart. I just want to get my sleeping bag, that's all," I told her. "Can't have you lying on the cold, hard ground while we do this." Jessie took my hand in her own and kissed my fingers. "That's my James. Ever the perfect gentleman." Not wanting to release my hold on Jessie, I twined our fingers and led her back to the place where Meowth had set up camp. When we finally did let go of each other, it was only so I could dig my sleeping bag out of my backpack. While I was doing this, Jessie removed her boots and her jacket, and once I'd unrolled my sleeping bag, I did the same. As I started to take off my shirt, however, Jessie placed her hands on my arms and stopped me. A sly smile made its way across her lips, telling me without saying a word that she wanted to undress me herself. Her fingertips felt like fire on my skin as she slid her hands under my shirt and caressed me on either side of my waist. I gasped with delight when her fingers found one of my ticklish spots and remained there. After a moment, Jessie began to lift my shirt up, and I raised my arms so that she could pull it off. Before Jessie took my shirt completely off, she stopped again. My eyes were still covered by the black fabric, and my arms were pinned behind my head, making it difficult for me to see or move. I could feel the soft cotton fabric of her own shirt brushing against my bare chest and her hands caressing the ticklish spots on my waist again as she stepped closer and put her arms around me. Then, I felt her moist breath on my lips. My heart raced faster than ever as she teased my mouth with her lips and tongue, and I returned every kiss she gave. Presently, Jessie drew her mouth away from mine and began covering my neck and chest with her warm, velvety kisses. When her lips found my nipples and started teasing them the way she'd done to my mouth, the fire that was burning in my loins became like a lance stabbing through my entire body. I was vaguely aware of her hands unbuckling my belt, but she wasn't moving quickly enough -- every touch was making my need more urgent, and my pants were becoming more and more confining with every passing second. As Jessie continued to work at my belt buckle, I quickly wriggled out of my shirt and unzipped my pants. She blushed again when she saw why I'd done this, and she drew her hands away. Panic seized me when this happened. Was Jessie having second thoughts?! Had I done something to scare her or turn her off?! "Is...is something wrong, Jess?" I asked. Her eyes met mine for a moment. Then, she blushed more brightly than ever and turned away from me. Shit! She is having second thoughts! I said to myself. Then aloud, "What is it? What did I do?" Jessie looked back at me and smiled shyly. "No, James. It's not you, sweetie. It's me -- I...I'm being stupid." She ran a hand through her hair and sighed. "I...it's just that...I've been fantasizing about this moment for such a long time, and now it's finally here, and...I don't know. I guess I'm just nervous. Everything is always so perfect in my fantasies, but I'm afraid that now that it's real, I'm going to do something to screw it up...." I placed a hand on her shoulder. "Jessie, if it's any consolation, you're not alone -- I'm feeling all the same things you are," I told her. She raised an eyebrow. "You are?" I nodded. "You're...you're probably going to slap me for this, but...I've been fantasizing about this moment for a long time, too. Wanting to make love to you, wondering what it'd feel like...it's been on my mind ever since I was thirteen...." Now I was blushing as brightly as she was. Jessie looked down at the ground and took a deep breath before meeting my gaze again. "You don't have to be ashamed of that, James," she said. "I've felt the same way about you. I just never wanted to admit it. Jeez, those other boys I dated...I never really cared about any of them, and they proved that they didn't really care about me when they left because I wouldn't sleep with them. And all the while, the boy I really did care about, the boy that I wanted to date...the boy I really would've slept with if he'd asked was right there beside me, and I didn't do anything about it because he was my best friend...." My heart started racing again as I listened to her. "I guess that's another reason I freaked out just now," she continued. "I...I want this, James. I really do. But I know that it's going to change everything between us, and that scares me. I don't want to lose you as a friend...." Her voice trailed off as her eyes grew moist with tears. I cupped her chin in my hand and caressed her cheek with my thumb. "You're partially right, Jess -- things are going to change between us. They changed on the morning we admitted our true feelings...and if your answer is still yes, then they're going to change again tonight," I told her. "So far, it's been nothing but good changes -- I love how close we've become over the past three weeks! I can only imagine how wonderful it'd be if we were lovers, too! But I promise you, no matter what happens between us, I will always be your best friend...and you'll always be mine -- that's something that's never going to change." This made her smile again. "When I was a boy, my grandparents told me that the key to finding true love is to find somebody that you like," I went on. "And I really think they're right. I can't imagine falling in love with somebody that I couldn't consider a friend! Nothing will ever change things between us, Jessie...unless it's something that makes our friendship stronger and makes me love you even more than I already do." Jessie's smile grew even wider than it already was as she leaned closer and pressed her lips to mine. "Thanks, James," she whispered. I put my arms around her and returned the kiss. "Just telling it like it is, sweetheart," I whispered back. Jessie reached up and ran her fingers through my hair. "Damn. Now I want you more than ever!" She blushed again. "But I'm still kind of nervous. This is going to be my first time -- I...I don't really know what I'm supposed to do...." I placed a finger to her lips and silenced her. "Jessie, if anybody around here has performance pressure, it's me -- I'm a virgin too, you know. Jeez, all these years of fantasizing about this, and now that it's really happening, I have no idea what I'm supposed to do! I mean, I know what to do, but I don't know how to do it so you'll like it. I don't know. I just...." I paused for a moment and took a deep breath. The inside of my mouth had gone dry, and my heart was still racing. "I...I guess what I'm saying is that I'm probably going to be really, really bad, and I don't want you to be disappointed." "Don't worry about it, James," Jessie said as she took my hands in her own and kissed them. "I'm not sure what I'm going to like at this point, either. But I do know that whether it's good or bad doesn't matter -- being with you is what's important to me. If we're bad at it, then we'll be bad at it together...and we'll just keep on doing it until we get good! It'll come with time." I smirked at her. "Pun fully intended?" She gave me a playful shove. "You behave!" "Now, why would I want to go and do a thing like that?" I asked as I took her in my arms again and planted a kiss on her neck. Jessie giggled. As she melted into my embrace, I lifted her arms above her head and pulled her shirt off. Her body writhed, and she made a low moaning sound as my hands slid down her sides and caressed her ticklish spots, the way she'd done to me. After a moment, her hands closed over mine, and she placed them on her hips. She bit her lip and moaned again as I slowly pulled down her skirt. Once it was past her hips, the skirt fell to the ground, and Jessie kicked it aside. Then, she let me take her hands in my own and guide them as she finished pulling off my pants. Stepping out of my pants, I placed my hands on Jessie's shoulders and slid down the straps of her black lace bra. Then, I wrapped my arms around her so that I could unhook her bra and savor the feeling of her soft skin against my own. Once I'd undone the clasp, Jessie shrugged her shoulders and let the bra slide off. My heart fluttered at the sight of her bare breasts. As I reached for her, however, I stopped myself. In the back of my mind, I was still worried that I was going to do something to upset her or turn her off. As if she could sense my nervousness, Jessie smiled seductively at me and arched her back a little. "Touch me, James," she whispered. I relaxed when I heard the eagerness in her voice and gently placed a hand on each of her breasts. Instinctively, I began to caress them and trace patterns on her soft, creamy skin with the tips of my fingers. Jessie gasped, and her breathing became shallow and rapid as my fingertips brushed across her nipples. Sensing that I was giving her pleasure, I kept my hands where they were and enjoyed the sensation of her nipples hardening in response to my touch. While I continued to massage her breasts, Jessie stepped closer and wrapped her arms around me. As she slid her fingers down my back and closed her hands over my butt, I became aroused again. When she felt me pressing against her belly, Jessie took one of her hands off my butt and placed it on my crotch instead. Another surge of desire coursed through me as she ran her fingers along the shaft and gently massaged the tip, and I knew that this time, I was going to have my satisfaction. Slowly, I removed my hands from Jessie's breasts and hooked her black string-bikini panties with my thumbs. My fingers caressed her butt and the backs of her thighs as I began to pull them down. Meanwhile, Jessie had taken her hand off of my crotch and started pulling down my boxer shorts. After we'd stepped out of our underwear, Jessie and I pressed our naked bodies together, and our lips met in another passionate kiss. As our tongues invaded each other's mouths, I gently lowered Jessie onto my sleeping bag. Once I'd laid her down, she spread her legs apart, and I knealt between them. "Are you sure about this, Jess?" I asked. "Do you still want me?" Jessie nodded and placed a hand on my cheek. "Yes. Make love to me, James," she replied. "Please make love to me." My heart skipped a beat when she said this. For years, I'd fantasized about hearing Jessie say those words to me, and now that it was real...now that I was finally holding her in my arms and hearing her ask me, I felt a sudden surge of confidence. The coupling of man and woman was as natural as the rising and setting of the sun -- something that's been since the beginning of time. As I gazed into Jessie's beautiful blue eyes and heard her asking me to make love to her, I knew that I had nothing to worry about. I could sense what she wanted...what she needed from me -- all I had to do was trust my instincts. Jessie moaned softly as I leaned down and closed my mouth over one of her breasts. Her moans became cries of pleasure when my lips and tongue began to gently tease and lick, the way she'd done to me. After a few minutes, I moved on to her other breast and then her belly, kissing them with the same tenderness and reverence as I do her lips. As my tongue slid into her belly button, Jessie convulsed beneath me, and her ecstatic cries grew louder. Knowing that I'd just found one of her sweet spots, I continued to caress her belly button with my tongue and savor the salty-sweet taste and smooth texture of her skin and the wonderful feeling of her hands running through my hair. When Jessie's cries reached a crescendo, I closed my mouth over hers once again and muffled them. A wild chill of anticipation raced up my spine as Jessie thrust her tongue into my mouth and caressed my shoulders and the small of my back with her fingers. I responded by pushing my own tongue into her mouth and brushing my fingers along her thighs. Once my fingers found her soft, moist nether regions, I began to gently massage them. Jessie screamed and arched her back, pressing herself into me as my fingers touched and rubbed and found their way inside. And as we laid together, touching, tasting, and exploring each other, I could sense that she was finally ready for what I had. "No...don't stop," Jessie protested as I took my fingers out of her and finished rubbing. I smiled tenderly and brushed the tip of my nose against her own. "I'm not," I whispered reassuringly. Her eyes sparkled at the realization of what I meant. Then, she smiled back and closed her hand over mine as I grabbed the base of my shaft and guided it to her welcoming nether lips. The two of us twined our fingers and drew our hands away when I thrust my hips and joined our bodies together. Jessie emitted another scream of pleasure as I pressed deeper and deeper inside of her. She'd wrapped her free arm around me, and I could feel her holding onto me with all of her strength, trying to drive me further in. When I'd gone as far as I could, I pulled away slightly so that I could thrust again. As I pressed into her a second time, however, I felt Jessie's body go tense. Her maidenhood had broken when I'd made my joining, and now she was gritting her teeth and trying to fight back the tears in her eyes. A drop of cold sweat formed on my temple at the realization that she was in pain...that I was hurting her. With my free hand, I caressed Jessie's cheeks and smoothed back her hair. "Are you okay, sweetheart?" I asked. She bit her lip and nodded. "I...I'm fine." "Jessie, you don't have to do this," I told her. "If it's too painful, just let me know, and I'll stop. I don't want to hurt you or do anything that makes you uncomfortable...." Jessie placed her hand to my lips and silenced me. "No, James. I don't want you to stop," she said. "It only hurts because it's my first time -- you can't avoid that, no matter how gentle you are with me." "So...you don't mind?" I ventured. She shook her head. "Don't worry about me -- I can handle pain...and this is the best damned pain I've ever felt!" Her lips pulled into a smirk as she reached up and tweaked my nose. "Now shut up and keep making love to me, James!" I smiled shyly and held her closer. "I'd love to, honey...but you're going to have to relax. I can't move while you're so tense." Jessie blushed. Then, she cupped my face in her hands and pressed her lips to mine. After a moment, I felt the tension in her muscles start to go away. Once she was relaxed, I started making slow pulses with my hips rather than hard, driving thrusts. Despite what she'd told me about being used to pain, I still didn't want to do anything to hurt her. "Are you comfortable now?" I whispered when Jessie finished kissing me. "Mmmmmm...." she sighed as she looked up at me with a dreamy expression on her face and nodded. There are no words beautiful enough to do justice to what happened after that. The softness and warmth of Jessie's body, the sound of her voice repeatedly whispering my name, the light shining in her sapphire eyes as she gazed lovingly at me -- they were all more wonderful than I'd ever dared to dream! I felt as if I were ensconced in rose petals. The friction of every gentle pulsing motion I made felt like velvet against my skin, and the sweet floral fragrance of her body filled my entire being as I breathed her in and covered her face with tender kisses. As Jessie returned my kisses, she started caressing my back and shoulders again. When her hands reached my butt, she began to trace patterns across it with the tips of her fingers. The feeling of her touch sent a surge of excitement through my body, and I responded by moving faster and pushing deeper, but still taking care to be as gentle with her as I possibly could. "Yes, James! YES!!!" Jessie shrieked, tightening her hold on me. As she climaxed over and over again, her cries reached another crescendo, and her body began to pulse in time with mine. The rhythm of our two bodies and the knowledge that every movement I made was bringing Jessie to orgasm made me even more excited than I already was, and all of the pleasures I was experiencing increased tenfold! "Oh, Jessie...Jessie!!!" I moaned. I never wanted the moment to end! For several minutes, the two of us pulsed together and cried each other's names. Then, as suddenly as Jessie's climaxes and my rush of excitement had come on, they faded, and our lovemaking became quiet and peaceful. But the pleasure was far from over. Jessie's eyes sparkled again. "I love you, James," she whispered, running her fingers through my hair and covering my face and neck with warm, velvety kisses. I smoothed back her crimson mane and returned every kiss she gave. "I love you, Jessie," I echoed. As Jessie and I laid together, nestled in that sweet embrace that brought us as close to each other as we could possibly be, a new sensation came over me. It was beyond our pleasure and greater than our love -- it was the feeling of unity. I'd known since the day I met her that Jessie was my soul-mate -- when she came into my life, I felt a completeness that I'd never experienced before, and she'd often said that she felt the same way about me. And now, with our eyes interlocked, our hearts beating in perfect time, our breathing perfectly matched, and every inch of our flesh joined together, our unity had reached a whole new level. We were of the same heart, the same mind, the same soul, and the same body -- we completed each other in every possible way now...and it couldn't have been more perfect. I wanted that feeling of perfection and wholeness to last forever. Now that Jessie and I were one, I never wanted to let go of her. But after a couple of hours, our excitement mounted once more. When Jessie reached orgasm again, the ecstasy became too much for me, and we came together in a final explosive burst of passion. Afterwards, all I had the energy to do was roll off of Jessie and gasp for air. As I placed a hand on my chest to still the pounding of my heart, I looked over at her and saw that she was gasping, too. Once she'd recovered a little, she smiled and cuddled into me. I smiled back and held her closer. "I don't know what you were so worried about, James," she said at length. "You were wonderful!" I felt my cheeks turning pink. "I was?" She nodded. "Sweetie, you know I don't lie to spare anybody's feelings -- I wouldn't have been screaming like that if you weren't any good!" I stroked Jessie's hair and planted a kiss on her forehead. "Yeah, I know. It's just...I guess sometimes I still have trouble believing that I can actually do something right." "Now who's being too hard on himself?" Jessie said as she propped herself up on one elbow and gave my nose a playful tweak. I took her hand in my own and kissed it. "Well, you deserve nothing but the best, honey," I told her. "This was something that had to be absolutely perfect." "And it was," she assured me. "James, I've never felt anything more amazing in my entire life!" "Neither have I," I replied. "It was like...." "....Like we were one person instead of two?" she ventured. "Exactly." Jessie laid back down in my arms. "When we were making love, I looked to the sky for a moment and saw the fireworks from Indigo Stadium. But in that moment, they weren't for the closing ceremonies -- they were all for us! That's how good you were, James," she whispered. "Being that close to you made me feel so happy and peaceful...it made me feel complete!" "It made me feel complete, too," I said. "It's because we're soul-mates, Jess -- that has to be why it was so perfect!" "I think so, too," she agreed. "But...." I raised an eyebrow. "But what?" Jessie's lips curved into a mischievous smile as she rolled herself on top of me. "Well...you know what they say, James. Before a theory can be proven, it needs to be tested many...many...many...many...many times," she replied, punctuating every word with a kiss. "Want to test our theory a few more times and see if we're right?" I tucked a loose strand of Jessie's hair behind her ear and kissed the tip of her nose. "Yes, I do...and we will...." came my reply. Her smile became a grin. "....But not right this second," I continued. "I...I can't...." Jessie's face fell for a moment, but then she gave me a knowing look and tugged at the wisp of hair that was hanging in my face. "Oh, I get it -- Little Jim needs time to recover!" I blushed more brightly than ever when she said this. "Not that there's anything little about it, mind you," she continued as the sly smile returned to her lips. "Believe me, I have no complaints as far as that's concerned!" I smiled back. "So, size does matter?" I queried. "Well, I'd imagine how you use it is more important than how big it is," she told me. "But you're good in both departments!" I kissed her again. "Thanks, Jess." "No. Thank you, James," she said. "For cheering me up when I was feeling bad, for being my best friend, for being such a perfect lover...and for reminding me that even if my childhood dreams don't come true, it doesn't matter." She paused for a moment and placed a hand on my cheek. "It doesn't matter because I have a new dream now -- something even better than the things I wished for when I was a little girl...and you just made that dream come true!" I felt tears welling up in my eyes as I listened to her. Hearing Jessie say those words meant more to me than she could ever imagine! Jessie brushed my tears away with her thumb and laid her head on my shoulder. "Spending the rest of my life with somebody who loves me, marrying him, having children with him....that's a better dream than catching lots of pokemon, earning badges, and winning tournaments will ever be...." My heart fluttered as Jessie talked about spending the rest of her life with me, but at the mention of the word, children, I felt a twinge of panic. When I heard that word, I suddenly realized that we hadn't used any protection! I'd bought a pack of condoms shortly after Jessie and I became a couple so that I could be prepared if we decided to become lovers, but in the heat of the moment, I'd forgotten all about them! I remembered now, though. Shit! How could I be so careless?! I cursed myself. What if Jessie gets pregnant?! What if.... Jessie looked up at me and frowned. "What's wrong, James?" she asked. My chest tightened, and a drop of sweat started rolling down the side of my face. "N-nothing!" I stammered. "James, your heart is going a mile a minute, and I felt you go tense just now! It's not nothing!" she said. "Now, tell me what's the matter!" Seems like the tables have turned, I said to myself. Dammit! How am I going to tell her about this without upsetting her?! Jessie's lip quivered. "You...you don't regret this, do you? I...I didn't scare you with all that talk about marriage and children, did I? James, I...." Her voice cracked and trailed off. I placed my hands on her cheeks and rested my forehead against hers. "No, Jessie! I don't have any regrets about making love with you! And what you said about wanting to spend the rest of your life with me is the most wonderful thing I've ever heard!" I assured her. "It's just that...." "Just what?" she prompted. I paused for a moment so that I could collect my thoughts. "It's just that...I did something really irresponsible, Jessie. I...I hope you're not mad at me for...." "....For not using protection?" she said, finishing the thought for me. "Is that why you're so upset?" I buried my face in my hands, too embarrassed to meet her gaze. "Yes," I muttered. "I...I even bought some condoms a couple weeks ago, but....I'm so sorry, Jessie...." Jessie cupped my chin in her hand and forced me to look back at her. "Don't be sorry, James -- you don't have anything to worry about!" "How can you say that, Jessie?!" I asked. "I feel like I let you down...like I violated your trust by not being more responsible!" Jessie smiled wistfully and shook her head. "It's okay, sweetie! Really! We've never been with anybody else, so I know we don't have any diseases. And you don't have to worry about getting me pregnant, either." With that, she rolled off of me and reached into her backpack. After rooting around for a moment, she produced a small, round box. My eyes widened as I realized what she was holding. "You're on the pill?!" She nodded. "James, when we admitted our feelings for each other, I knew that you were the one I'd been saving myself for," she told me. "I knew that this was going to happen eventually, so I wanted to be ready when it did. I got the prescription a couple weeks ago." I breathed a sigh of relief and collapsed onto my back. "Thank goodness...." Jessie smiled and cuddled into me again. "So...you went and bought some condoms, did you?" she chuckled. I blushed. "Jessie, I'd be lying if I told you that I wasn't expecting sex when we became a couple. I've wanted this for a long time." Tentatively, I placed a hand on her shoulder. "But I hope you know that even if you'd refused me tonight, I'd still be here for you, and I wouldn't have loved you any less. I'd have gladly waited as long as it took until you were ready. And now that it has happened, I hope you know that I'm not going anywhere -- I wouldn't have fallen in love with you or given myself to you if I couldn't picture the two of us together forever." Jessie closed her hand over mine and gave it an affectionate squeeze. "Of course I know that, James. Why do you think I said yes?" she whispered. "I've known for a long time that you'd never use me for sex or pressure me into doing anything I don't want to do. That's why you're the one I chose!" I couldn't help but smile. "I still remember the time I had pneumonia, and you kept me alive by warming me with your body heat," she continued. "You could've done whatever you wanted, but you didn't take advantage of me. And that time we were taking a bath together after escaping from Dark City -- you had another chance to do whatever you wanted to me, but you didn't take it because you knew that I wasn't ready! Those decisions took a lot of integrity to make, James -- that's one of the reasons I fell in love with you...why I wanted you to be the one!" I ran my fingers through her hair and touched my lips to hers. "How could I have done any less? I love you, Jessie, and I just want you to be happy." "I love you too, James," she replied. "And you do make me happy!" Our lips met again, this time in a more passionate kiss. When it ended, we held each other as close as we possibly could, and Jessie rested her head on my chest. I smiled tenderly at her and planted another kiss on her forehead as she listened to the beating of my heart and let it lull her to sleep. @->->- Once Jessie had fallen asleep, I looked back at the starry night sky and reflected on what had happened tonight. And when I really stopped to think about everything, it was kind of ironic -- we'd made love because Jessie was upset about our humiliating experience at Pokemon League, and she'd turned to me for comfort! If we'd actually had a chance to compete in the games, or if we'd done a better job of catching pokemon, the beautiful experience we'd just shared might not have happened! That seems to be the story of our lives -- whenever things go wrong, Jessie and I seek comfort in each other, and our relationship becomes that much stronger! She'd even said that spending the rest of her life with me was a far better aspiration than being a pokemon master! So, maybe being "losers" isn't such a bad thing, after all! When all is said and done, the love Jessie and I find in each other is so much more meaningful than the twerps' victories in pokemon battles. There's not a doubt in my mind about that. As I laid there, holding Jessie in my arms and thinking about the wonderful opportunity our latest "defeat" had given us, I found my thoughts drifting back to another time that defeat had been better than victory for us -- the Princess Festival. That had been about three months ago now, but I still remembered it like it was yesterday. The exhausting shopping sprees, Jessie catching Lickitung, how gorgeous she looked in her kimono at the beauty contest, how sad she became when she told me and Meowth about her childhood and how she'd never had Princess Dolls, how passionately Meowth and I cheered Jessie on in the tournament -- it was all fresh in my mind's eye. But what stood out most was how Jessie reacted when Meowth and I cheered her up after she'd lost the tournament.... @->->- It was bad enough that Psyduck had a stroke of dumb luck and beat Lickitung in the final round, but Misty blasting us out of the arena instead of being a gracious winner only added insult to injury! Jessie was by far the better trainer, and she deserved the dolls more than Misty did -- being defeated and humiliated was the last thing that should've happened to her. After our blast-off, Jessie told me and Meowth that she wanted to be alone for awhile. Losing those dolls had broken her heart, and she was too proud to let us see just how profoundly she'd been hurt. But when I looked into her tear-filled eyes, I knew that I had to do something...anything to make her feel better. And that was when I had a brilliant idea! Once Jessie had taken her leave, Meowth and I went back to town and bought a set of kimonos and a life-size display stand. I had to pay full price for everything since I'm a man (and believe me, it had been rather expensive), but I knew that it'd be worth every penny if I could make Jessie smile again. On the way back from our shopping trip, Meowth and I saw Misty mailing her new Princess Dolls back to the Cerulean Gym and gloating about how jealous her sisters were going to be. The sight of it made my stomach turn -- that rotten little bitch hadn't even deserved to win in the first place, and the only reason she'd wanted the dolls was so she could lord it over her sisters! They may have given Misty all of their broken hand-me-downs when she was little, but at least she'd had dolls -- Jessie hadn't even been lucky enough to have that! I tell you, I wanted nothing more than to slap Misty across the face and tell her what a spiteful brat she was when I saw how petty and selfish her reasons for wanting the dolls were, but I resisted the temptation -- I wasn't in the mood to get into another fight with those twerps, and cheering Jessie up was more important anyway. When Meowth and I finally found Jessie again, she was sitting beneath a tree in the park, crying her beautiful blue eyes out and lamenting yet another disappointing Princess Day. But the day wasn't over yet, and I was determined to give it a happy ending! Quickly, Meowth and I dressed ourselves and Arbok and Weezing in the kimonos we'd bought and set up the display stand. Once everything was ready, we went to Jessie and offered to be her doll set for the rest of the day. When she saw me dressed as the Emperor Doll, the tears of sorrow in her eyes became tears of joy. Then, she dressed up Lickitung, put her Empress Doll kimono back on, and joined us on the display stand. As we all sat together, Jessie called me and the pokemon a bunch of living dolls, and she even got a passerby to take our picture so that she could always remember what we'd done for her! Even though we only sat on that display stand for a little while, the memories of that wonderful experience would last a lifetime...and it had even turned out to be a far better prize than the real doll set! That night, as the festivities were coming to a close, I treated Jessie to dinner at her favorite Japanese restaurant. While we were eating, she told me that she was glad she'd lost the tournament. She explained that if she'd won the dolls, then I wouldn't have dressed up for her, and she'd have been robbed of the greatest prize of all. My heart skipped a beat as I listened to her -- my gesture meant more to Jessie than the very thing she'd wanted since she was a child! "Princess Dolls are nice, but good friends are even nicer," she said. "Would that little twerp's friends have dressed up like dolls for her if she'd lost? I doubt it!" "Yeah!" I laughed. "I just can't picture Ash or Brock donning kimonos for Misty's sake!" Jessie smiled at me and took my hand in her own. "So let the baby have her bottle! I've got something much better than a doll set!" She paused for a moment and stuck her tongue out. "Besides, if I'd won, I would've had to have my picture taken with that Fiorello Cappuccino guy. And why would I want a hack like him when I've got you?" My heart began to race when she said this. Does that mean what I think it means?! I wondered. Jessie's smile grew even wider than it already was as she cupped my chin in her free hand. "Thanks, James. You've made this the happiest Princess Day of all -- I couldn't ask for a better prince than you!" With that, she leaned closer and planted a kiss on my burning cheek. I twined the fingers of our joined hands and rested my forehead against her own. "It was my pleasure, Jess," I whispered as I gazed lovingly into her sapphire eyes. @->->- Looking back, I regret not taking that chance to tell Jessie how I really felt about her -- I know now that she was already in love with me at that point and that she'd been testing the waters to see if I felt the same way about her. I hadn't said or done anything to make her think I wasn't interested, but I'd still been testing the waters at that point, too. It's actually kind of silly when I think about it -- we were both madly in love with each other and practically throwing ourselves at each other, but we were both too apprehensive to pick up on any of it. Suddenly, Jessie sighed contentedly and shifted in her sleep, snapping me from my reverie. As I looked at the peaceful expression on her face, I was reminded that we had overcome our fears and admitted our feelings. It had been a long time coming, but it had finally happened...and tonight, we'd gone a step further and become lovers! Lovers. There's just something so right about that word, I thought as I traced the outlines of Jessie's beautiful face with the tip of my finger. It makes me feel so close to you, Jess! Jessie smiled and cuddled closer to me in response to my touch. "I love you, James...." she muttered softly in her sleep. I stroked her hair and planted a kiss atop her head. "I love you too, Jessie...I love you, too...." I replied as I joined her in peaceful repose. @->->- I awoke the next morning to the feeling of the cool spring breeze caressing my bare flesh and the sound of birds chirping in the trees. When I opened my eyes, I saw Jessie sitting next to me on the sleeping bag. She had a dreamy, far off look in her eyes and a smile on her lips, as if she were meditating. Not wanting to disturb her, I just laid there and admired the way the first light of dawn was making her naked body glow with a warm, rosy hue and the way the morning breeze was playing with her hair now that it had come loose from its normally impeccable coif. But most of all, I admired the expression of complete happiness and serenity on her face. It never ceases to amaze me how beautiful you are, Jessie, I said to myself as I watched her. You're almost too beautiful to be real -- like a fiery angel come to earth.... As if she could hear my thoughts, Jessie shook herself from her reverie and looked down at me. Her smile grew even wider than it already was when she saw that I was awake. "Good morning, honey," I whispered. Jessie reached down and tousled my hair. "Good morning, sweetie," she whispered back. I sat up and put an arm around her waist. "What's on your mind?" "I was just thinking about last night," came her reply. "How wonderful it was...how wonderful you are. When I woke up in your arms this morning, I felt like it was too good to be true -- it took me a few minutes to convince myself that it wasn't just a dream!" "I know the feeling," I told her. "It still kind of overwhelms me to know that we've shared such an incredible bond...that we're lovers! A year ago, the very thought of this seemed so impossible...but we've both come a long way since then, and now it's real!" Jessie's expression became grim when I said this. "What's wrong, Jess?" I asked. "I don't know...I guess I was thinking about other stuff too," she sighed. "What kind of stuff?" I prompted. Jessie closed her eyes and blushed. I held her closer and took one of her hands in my own. "Tell me." "Well...now that I know you've been in love with me all these years, I was looking back and thinking about why it took so long for you to tell me," she said at length. "You know why it took me such a long time...you know why I was afraid to admit my feelings...." I nodded. "....But I can't help but wonder if you were afraid to tell me because I was pushing you away," she continued. "I look back at all the times I lost my temper with you, all the times I was insensitive to you, all the times I hurt your feelings...and it makes me think that you weren't just afraid of telling me how you felt -- you were afraid of me!" I gave Jessie a gentle shake. "Okay, now you're just being ridiculous!" I chided her. "Do you really think I'd have stayed with you or found the courage to tell you that I love you if I were afraid of you?!" "Then why is it that the only time our relationship seems to make any progress is when I'm upset about something?" she asked. "I was riddled with guilt about stealing from you on the morning you told me that you love me, and last night we made love because I was depressed about missing out on Pokemon League. Is that the only time you're not afraid to approach me? When I'm feeling vulnerable?" "That's not it at all!" "Then what is it?!" I smoothed back Jessie's hair and brushed away the tears that were welling up in her eyes. "You're looking at it from the wrong perspective, honey," I told her. "Those milestones in our relationship didn't happen because you were vulnerable -- they happened because I saw them as an opportunity for us to work through the problem together and make our relationship stronger." She gave me a quizzical look. "Jessica, you know I'd never take advantage of you," I said. "The morning we admitted our feelings...when we made love last night -- all I did was remind you that no matter how bad things get, I'll always be here for you, and I'll always care about you. It's because you believed in me...because you trusted me enough to open your heart and let me help you that those wonderful things happened." Jessie smiled weakly and shook her head. "I...I never thought of it that way, but you're right! I'm sorry for doubting you, James -- I guess I'm just a big bundle of insecurities...." I smiled back and planted a kiss on her forehead. "It's okay, Jess. I don't blame you -- you've been through more hard times than any normal person can be expected to deal with. I think it's admirable how you've managed to cope with everything. I just hope you'll always remember that you can trust me...and that I'll always do whatever I can to make you feel better when you're in pain. I hope that in time, the love we share can make some of your pain go away." Jessie gave my hand an affectionate squeeze and rested her head on my shoulder. "I'm sure it will -- having you in my life is what gives me the strength to keep going!" I held Jessie closer and gave her another kiss. "Being with you has given me more strength than I knew I had, too," I replied. Jessie smiled again and sank deeper into my embrace. For several minutes, the two of us sat together in silence, savoring the closeness and warmth of our bodies and taking in our surroundings. "James?" Jessie muttered at length. "Yeah?" "You know what you said just now, about how far we've come in the past year?" I nodded and inhaled the sweet fragrance of roses that permeated her hair. "Mmm-hmmm." "It got me to thinking about the morning we admitted that we're in love with each other." "What about it?" I prompted. She blushed. "While you were carrying me back to camp, I remember wondering if your love would be able to help me cope with the things I've been through and become a better person. I remember looking into your beautiful green eyes and hoping that I could become more like you -- sweet, gentle, caring...." I rested my forehead against hers. "Jessie, you're already sweet, gentle, and caring -- even if nobody else can see it, I've always known that's the real you!" I told her. "All those times at Pokemon Tech, on the road, and in the bike gang when you stood by me, those times you saved my life on the St. Anne and at Maiden's Peak...even the other day when our van went off the cliff, and I was knocked unconscious! I never told you this, but hearing your voice is what woke me up! I could sense that you were there, and it made me feel safe. No matter what, you've always been there for me. Nobody has ever done anything like that for me except you. You're an extraordinary woman, Jess." "And nobody has ever been as reliable or placed as much faith in me as you have, James," she said as she began to trace patterns on my chest and stomach with her fingers. I closed my eyes and smiled, enjoying the pleasant sensation it created. "That means a lot to me." I opened my eyes again and met her adoring gaze. "I love you, Jessie." She took my hands in her own once again, and our fingers entwined. "I love you too, James. Even if you can already see how much I care, I promise that I'll try to do a better job of showing it." As Jessie pressed her body against mine, I felt myself becoming aroused again. "Hey, Jess?" I muttered into her hair. "Hmmm?" she muttered back. A sly smile spread across my lips. "Want to show me how much you love me right now?" Catching on to my not-so-subtle hint, Jessie grinned. "Why, James! I thought you'd never ask!" As she touched her lips to mine, I lowered Jessie onto the sleeping bag and laid myself on top of her. Then, we made love again as the sun rose. @->->- "Well, James, our soul-mates have the best sex theory still needs a lot of testing, but judging from last night and this morning, I'd definitely say it's a theory that has merit!" Jessie remarked after we'd finished. "The second time was even better than the first!" I couldn't help but smile. "Thanks, honey." She gave me a kiss on the cheek and tousled my hair. "Well, it's true! I couldn't ask for a better friend...or lover than you, James." "Neither could I, Jess," I replied as I held her closer and stroked her hair. We probably could've spent the rest of the day lying together on my sleeping bag, just cuddling and talking. But our stomachs soon reminded us that we hadn't eaten since lunch yesterday. Jessie blushed as her stomach started growling. I blushed too and placed a hand on my own growling stomach. "I guess I should get up and make breakfast, huh?" She nodded. "What would you like to eat?" I asked as I put on a clean pair of boxer shorts and my blue silk bathrobe. "I'll make whatever you want." "Well, a special occasion calls for a special meal...and I can't think of a more special occasion than this!" came her reply. "You're absolutely right, Jess! Two bowls of cold cereal coming up!" I laughed. Jessie picked up her panties and fired them at me like a slingshot. I caught the panties before they hit me in the face and winked at her. "Just kidding, honey. How does French toast sound?" Her annoyed expression softened into a smile again. "Sounds great!" "French toast it is, then!" I said, blowing her a kiss. Once Jessie had put on her own bathrobe, she stoked the embers of our dying campfire and helped me get the cooking utensils out of my backpack. Then, she snaked her arms around my waist and watched as I mixed up a little powdered milk and added some eggs and sugar. "You know, it's kind of ironic," she said at length. I dipped a few slices of potato bread into the egg mixture and placed them in the skillet. "What is?" I asked. "What you said earlier about how we use the rough times in our lives as chances to strengthen our relationship," she explained. "As painful as losing is, it always seems to give us opportunities that we wouldn't have had if we'd won." "Exactly!" I told her. "Good things always come from the bad times. So, there must be a good reason for all of the bad things that happen to us. There's not a doubt in my mind about that." "Last night, I had a dream," Jessie continued, resting her head on my shoulder. "It wasn't any kind of fantasy scenario, though -- it was more like flashbacks of some of the things we've been through over the past few months. But I was apart from the action, like a spectator watching the events instead of taking part in them. I saw the two of us flying away in the balloon after you gave up your inheritance to be with me, I saw us dressed as Princess Dolls and sitting together on that display stand, I saw you holding me in your arms and telling me that you loved me...and then I saw the two of us making love!" She paused for a moment and smiled. "Now that I think about it, the dream seemed to be telling me something...." "And what would that be?" I prompted. She smiled. "It seemed to be telling me that every time we lose something that we wanted from life -- your inheritance, my dolls, our badges, Pokemon League -- we seem to find something new about each other in return!" I smiled back. "Sounds like a fair trade-off to me, Jess!" "It's better than that, James!" she replied. "It's so much better!" I put down my skillet and returned her embrace. "Yeah," I agreed. "We may not win very often, but the opportunities that losing gives us make it all worthwhile!" "In that case, here's to a couple of losers!" Jessie laughed. As we leaned in to kiss each other, we heard the sound of footsteps approaching and a familiar voice saying, "You can say dat again!" Meowth had finally returned. Angry that our kiss had been interrupted...and that we'd just been insulted, Jessie frowned at him. "Who asked you?!" she grumbled. "Well, good mornin' ta you too, Jess!" he said sarcastically. I chuckled at the exchange. "Good morning, Meowth." Meowth smiled at me and winked. "Mornin', Jimmy. Have fun last night?" Jessie and I exchanged looks and blushed. Meowth's smile became a smirk. "Aw, don't be shy! I know James spent all night launchin' his love-rocket inta Jessie's air-space! Why d'ya think I stayed out so long?" My face turned even redder than it already was. Oh, jeez! I knew he was going to have a field-day with this.... Jessie scowled again. "SHUT UP, MEOWTH!!!" "What would youse guys prefer I call it, den? The horizontal mambo?" Meowth asked. His smirk had become a wicked grin. Jessie pulled out her mallet and waved it menacingly in the cat's face. "You're going to be calling an ambulance if you keep this up!" she warned him. Meowth sweatdropped and held up his paws. "Okay, okay, I won't name off the many euphemisms I came up with for what youse guys was doin! It's a damn shame cuz I had some good ones, too...." I rolled my eyes and put a few slices of French toast onto a plate. "I think we need a little quiet time," I sighed as I handed the plate to Meowth. "Dat'll do it!" Meowth exclaimed as he drowned his toast with maple syrup and powdered sugar. He then went to the other side of the camp to eat his breakfast and give us a little privacy. Jessie facefaulted. "We're never going to hear the end of this, are we?" she groaned. "Probably not," I replied. "I wouldn't worry about it, though -- Meowth may make fun of us, but he's happy for us, Jess!" "Yeah, I know," she said as the smile returned to her lips. "Meowth is a pain sometimes, but I'm glad he's here with us -- we'd be lost without him!" I put my arms around Jessie and held her to me again. "We sure would," I agreed. "Our life together...it's like a journey! There may be a long, hard road ahead for us, but if we walk it together, I know I'm going to enjoy it every step of the way!" Jessie's sapphire eyes sparkled as she returned my embrace. "Yeah! We'll be just fine as long as we stay together. Things are bound to get better for us someday." "Someday very soon, we'll leave Team Rocket behind, have a family together, and live normal lives, Jess," I promised. "We'll make it happen!" Jessie nodded. "I know we will, James. Thank you for reminding me of that." I smiled at her again as I leaned closer and pressed my lips to hers. And as Jessie kissed me back, I knew that we were right -- our life's journey was just beginning, and the best was yet to come! The End Special thanks to Lisa Short for the cute illustration of James comforting Jessie! @->->- Back to the Library @->->-