"You did what?!" cried James, steadying himself on the park bench where he Jessie and Jaycee had been sitting. Meowth had come to them with the good news.

"I transferred his funds ta your bank account." Meowth explained matter-of-factly.

Jessie grew pale with worry, "Meowth, don’t you know the police can trace those things?"

Meowth waved a paw, "Nah, think about it: the big G’s a criminal. Why in Pokémon would the police help him get his stolen money back?"

Jessie and James were both hyperventilating, Jaycee noticed.

"Don’t you get it Meowth!" James cried, "The boss could trace those funds directly to us! Don’t you know what he’d do?!"

"okay, okay just settle down James." Meowth said calmly, "So, you’ll have to change your names, move interstate or something. But think about it, with the boss’s money with ya, you can afford to do that, can’t you?"

Jaycee spoke, "And for now you can transfer the money to another account, under a false name." She said, "I, uh, saw it in a movie."

Meowth grinned, "I like your thinking." He said in approval. He snapped his claws, "And anyway, I deleted all the records of the transaction off of the boss’s computer. And I deleted most of the other programs. I just left Solitaire on there. I’m not so cruel that I’d take dat away."

James calmed down a little, "Well, okay, that’s good. But the bank is still gonna have the records on their computer, aren’t they?"

Meowth slumped, "oops."

Jaycee bit her lip, "Well, for now you should just get the money into the false account. Better still, you could open up a couple of other accounts." She nodded thoughtfully, "And anyway, if your boss finds out that the money went into your account, how will that help him find you?"

"She has a point." Jessie said, at length, "For now, we’ll transfer the funds." She smiled slightly, "And as long as we’ve got money, we can all book into a hotel. I’m not camping out again tonight."

That cheered James up, a little. he and Jessie went down to the bank that afternoon, and took out the money. they had known Giovanni was rich but it was still a shock to them just how rich. They then went to a bank in another town, and put the money into five different accounts.

While they did all this, Jaycee stayed in Pallet Town, at Professor Oak’s house, with Krystal, Brock, Ash and Misty.

"So anyway, we’re staying at some hotel tonight." Jaycee finished, after telling everyone about the money they had run into.

"Wow." Krystal said, "That’s cool. So you and James gonna…"

"Shut up." Jaycee interjected, "If you know what’s good for you."

Krystal rolled her eyes, "Well I meanwhile have to stay here in Pallet Town this house." she flicked her eyes over at Brock, "But it has it’s advantages."

She and Brock exchanged a sly smile.

Ash sighed, as usual clueless to this, "I have to stay here with Professor Oak, because he’s tutoring me. I guess I was on trainer’s leave a little too long from school."

Jaycee pursed her lips together, then said, "Jeez, I forgot about school. Krys, we’d be back by now, huh?"

Krystal shrugged, "I guess so…But we can’t very well go back now."

Jaycee was shocked, "As if I’d want to."

Brock held his hands together in a T shape, "woah, time out." He composed himself, "Let’s get this thing sorted out, I still don’t understand," he gestured first to Jaycee, then to Krystal, "You traveled here from another world, and you came after her, to find her, right?"

"That’s right." Jaycee said, "so?"

Ash and Misty both looked confused, "How?" Ash asked

"I…it…um…" Krystal simply shrugged.

"It was a dead fluke." Jaycee said bluntly, "I just blacked out or something, then wound up on the beach."

"Yeah, me too." Krystal said, "I was upset, because Jaycee was in a coma, and I found this piece of paper in her room. She had scrawled on it that she had to find James and she’d do anything it took." Krystal shrugged, "I didn’t know what it meant, but that night I was just thinking about it, and I suddenly wanted to see her again, and, um, I was sorta thinking about Brock." She blushed, "Then I blacked out or something, and woke up in Brock’s arms."

"Did you hear the weird noise?" Jaycee asked, "Like a, I don’t know, a yell or a scream or something?"

"I can’t remember." Krystal said. She thought for a moment, "Wait a minute, yeah I did."

Misty frowned, "But what about the other world?" she asked, "Did you two just disappear?"

Krystal shook her head, "Jaycee is still there, at least her body or something. She’s in a coma."

Professor Oak entered the room, carrying a tray laden with drinks, "What are you kids talking about? Pokémon, I hope?" he noticed Ash, "ah, Ash, I expect you’ve finished that essay for me, then?"

Ash sweat dropped, "I’m just taking a little break, Professor Oak." He said nervously, "It’s almost done." Professor Oak sighed, left the tray on the coffee table, and then walked out. Ash leaned over to Misty, "Misty, in which country are the Pyramids in?"

"Huh?" Misty asked

"My essay, I have to do it on some place with pyramids. Or it might have been a big wall. Or a big clock. Or a rock in the desert. One of those."

"Try America." Misty replied.

Ash grinned, "Cool, thanks Mist." He stood up to leave, turned back to her, then thought better of it, and left after all.

"Thank god." Krystal and Jaycee both muttered under their breath.

Jessie James and Meowth returned, took the hot air balloon back to Pallet Town. Jaycee joined up with them again, and they made their way to the hotel they had decided on. Which is where we find them now. in Pallet Town, in a small but dead stylish hotel room. Well, it’s actually three rooms. Two bedrooms, a sitting room and a kitchen/dining room. And of course a bathroom, but that’s expected, isn’t it.

James looked around in approval, "this is nice." He said.

Jessie nodded, "Yeah. I’m going to my room."

They had already called bedrooms, Jessie and Meowth scoring the room with red curtains, Jaycee and James the bedroom with lavender blue curtains. *(it’s just a coincidence)*

"Oh, we’re gonna go down to walk around the grounds, before it gets too dark." James said, "Aren’t you gonna come?"

Jessie shook her head, "No, you go. I’ll stay here."

"Meowth?" asked Jaycee, "You coming?"

Meowth was raiding the refrigerator, "They have complimentary stuff!" he cried.

"Guess not." James said with a shrug.

He and Jaycee left the hotel room. Well, you know, rooms. Let’s just call it a room, k? Jessie went to her bedroom, and sat down on the bed. Not too hard, not too soft. She hugged her knees to her chest, something she did quite frequently now. she crossed her arms over her knees, and lay her head to rest on them. she had taken to wearing James’s clothes, not wanting to wear her own skin tight belongings. She had been hiding her depression all day, it seemed, and now she felt it all coming back to her. She had tried to put it all out of her mind, but her sadness was coming back. She lay down, and closed her eyes. She barely heard Meowth’s footsteps enter the room, but was startled by his voice, and sat up defensively.

"Jessie, it’s me." He said, "Can I come in. it is my room…"

Jessie turned away, "what ever."

"I did it for you Jess." Meowth said, "I just want you to know."

"Did what?" Jessie asked, not facing him, "Took the money?"

"Yeah." Meowth said, "I don’t know what that guy did, but it must have been bad." He shrugged, "so I trashed his room too."

Jessie sat up, slightly amused, "Really, how?"

Meowth jumped up onto her bed, "You know, tipped over an inkwell, smeared ink on the walls. Ripped up a whole bunch of documents. I also shredded several business suits."

Jessie actually smiled, "I’d have liked to see that."

Meowth put his paw on her leg, "Are you gonna be okay, Jess? Cos, ya know, I sorta missed havin’ you round, and now you’re back, but you seem, not like yourself."

"I don’t know." Jessie said sadly.

------------

"No." Jaycee said quietly, "He couldn’t have…"

James nodded sadly, "He did, Jay. Don’t tell Jess I told you, and don’t mention it to her either."

Jaycee looked down at her feet, "The same thing happened to my friend back home." she said quietly, "Not exactly like that, but sort of. It ruined her life. It happened before I even met her, and she never got over it."

"But Jessie’s so strong." James objected, "I don’t believe it…" he sighed, "I just don’t know what to do for her, though."

Jaycee leaned into him, and they continued their walk through the grounds of the hotel. They had passed tennis courts, and a heated pool too, which was in a large dome. The sun was almost set, and dusk was setting in. they could hear the final calls of Spearows and Pidgeys which were settling in to roost for the night in large trees which bordered the grounds.

"It’s getting cold." James said, "We should head back."

Jaycee nodded, "and there’s snow in the air."

James frowned, "Where?"

"No, I mean, you can tell it’s going to snow soon. You know, like when rain is in the air…" Jaycee explained.

"Yeah, I know what you mean." James said, "I love it when it’s just about to rain. It’s all really still."

Jaycee nodded, "But with snow, it’s just; cold."

They headed back to the hotel, and took the elevator to their floor. Jaycee thought better of hitting the emergency stop button and throwing herself at James. sure, she’d have loved to, but after what he had told her about Jessie, she knew he wouldn’t be in the mood to, and she wasn’t either. Almost, but not quite.

"What are we having for dinner?" Jaycee asked, trying to stop thinking about the emergency stop button.

"There’s a dining hall downstairs, but I don’t think Jessie’ll wanna go down. I don’t really feel like it either." James replied, "How about you, room service okay?"

Jaycee nodded, "Yeah, sure."

"Why do you keep looking at that?" James asked.

"What? Huh? Looking? At?" Jaycee asked innocently.

James shook his head, "Never mind."

The elevator doors opened, and Jaycee and James stepped out. Jaycee sighed in relief.

"You were looking at the emergency stop button, weren’t you?" James asked.

Jaycee sweat dropped, "I have a fear of elevators." She said lamely.

"Oh yes." James replied.

Jaycee unlocked the door to their room, and they went inside. Jessie was watching TV in the sitting room with Meowth.

"Hey." James said.

Jessie turned to him, "Hey James."

"Room service alright for dinner?" James asked.

Jessie nodded, "Yeah, I don’t mind."

Jessie picked at her dinner that night. She had always been a big eater, but James didn’t question her. He, Jaycee, Meowth and Jessie sat around the dining table, eating in relative silence.

"How long are we gonna stay here?" James asked, "I mean, with the money we just got, we could buy the whole damn establishment."

"A good point." Meowth said, "I say we stay here until things, you know, cool off. Then we start spending big bucks."

"What do you mean, cool off?" Jessie asked.

Meowth flinched, "Well, you know, if the boss was to find out we were the ones who stole the money…he’s gonna have a hard time finding us, but you know, we should lay low for a while…"

Jessie nodded slowly, "I guess so."

"Jessie, do I annoy you?" Jaycee asked.

Jessie sat in her room, brushing her hair in front of her dresser, "Huh, what do you mean?"

"Do you mind that I’m tagging along with you guys?" Jaycee asked, "You said I could stay with you, but if you’d rather I wasn’t here, I don’t have to be…"

Jessie shook her head, "I don’t exactly mind." She said. She sighed heavily, "You think I don’t know about you and James? if I made you leave, he’d follow."

"Really?" Jaycee asked.

Jessie nodded, "Makes me sick, really. He only ever showed as much interest as he’s showing in you in the ghost of the Maiden, and that turned out to be a Pokémon."

Jaycee shifted from one foot to the other, "So you don’t mind that I’m here? I mean, I’m trying to earn money, I really am."

Jessie gestured to her bed, "sit down, girl."

Jaycee obeyed, "Yes?" she asked.

Jessie pivoted on her chair to face her, "Listen, you can stay with us, okay? I don’t really know much about you, but I do know that James seems to like you. So I’d…" she swallowed, "I’d sort of, like you to stay, if only for James." she mumbled most of the sentence.

Jaycee smiled, "thanks, Jessie."

She left the room, and Jessie was once more alone. Did I just say something nice to someone? She thought, puzzled.