"What does James tink he's doin'?" Meowth questioned frantically.
"I don't know, but whatever it is, it's stupid!" Jessie replied. Suddenly, the building went up in flames! â"James!"
"What did he do? What is he tinkin?"
"He could get killed in there!" Ash observed.
"That's it!" Jessie resolved as she raced in the direction of Team Rocket Headquarters.
"No, Jess! Ya wanna go down wit him?" Meowth held her back.
"But... but..." Then the only entrance also was engulfed by the savage flames. The pieces of the Headquarters came crashing in their direction. "James!" Meowth pushed Jess from the path of the large remains of the once majestic headquarters.
"Misty! Look out!" Ash yelled as he grabbed Misty by the waist and pulled her to safety. The 3-story building began to collapse as the 5 of them took cover wherever they found safety.
As the dust settled, each of the five remaining survivors, peered out from their hiding place.
"James! James, answer me now!" Jessie cried fearfully. Misty pulled out of Ash's strong arms and fled with Brock to the debris of the building.
"James? James?" she called. They all searched frantically through the rubble for any survivors.
"Look, it's Wheezing!" Misty yelled as she pulled the injured pokemon out carefully.
"Wheezing, do you know where James is?" Jess queried.
"Wheez," Wheezing shook his head.
"I think I found something!" Ash announced lifting off armloads of rocks and cement. Without a moment hesitation, Jessie rushed over and helped Ash.
"James, don't you dare let go! I'm coming so just hold on!" Jess ordered.
"Yeah! I need a scratching post!" Meowth gasped as he hoisted each rock off. Then they saw a limp hand lying among the wreckage. "Oh no... " Jessie madly raised the rock and steel as the rest stared in shock.
"I refuse to lose...!" she grumbled. As she tossed the last rock aside, she spotted the motionless body buried there. "J-James."
"Help him out!" Meowth screamed. All of them picked up the bruised body from the remains and laid it on the cool grass.
"James, you have to wake up!" Misty shouted.
"You can't just give up!" Ash and Brock shouted. Jessie grabbed the collar of the shirt and shook the body furiously.
"Get up! Get up! Get up! You still owe me money!" Then after a few minutes went by and it still remained silent, she loosened her grip on me and with a quiet sorrow filled voice she softly said, "Please."
All of them lowered their heads in defeat.
"Hard to believe someone like James would do something so... nice. So... selfless" Misty sobbed.
"I miss him," Ash weeped.
"So do I," another voice cried. Each of them glanced at the other. Who said it...?
Jessie focused her gaze back toward my body and to her surprise saw me crying!
"James!" she cried with glee. Expecting her to embrace me, I started toward her with open arms, but she once again grabbed my collar.
"You had me worried! How dare you leave me go through the humiliation of crying for you when you were alive all this time! And look at what you did to Team Rocket Headquarters! You could've been killed! This is your fault!" I winced from all of the blows Jess was sending in my direction.
She seemed to notice my wince of pain and she smiled. "But I'm glad you're okay," she hugged me tightly. "Thank you."
"Ouch!" was my response as I wince from all of my many injuries.
"Oops," she apologized sheepishly as she quickly released me. "Let me help." She ripped off bits and pieces of her Team Rocket uniform and bandaged all of my bleeding wounds securely.
"And I'm so sorry, Jessie. I just..." She placed a finger to my lips.
"Shut up," she whispered. "And listen. I'm sorry."
"We're sorry," Meowth corrected.
"We shouldn't have blamed you for everything. It's just that…well, we didn't think you'd take it so personally and... I'm just sorry. I haven't been treating you the way I should."
"I misjudged you, James. Thanks," Ash apologized.
"I'll forgive you, but only this once. Twerp," I grinned. He smiled back.
â"Some things never change..."
"All the time, I've known you, James, I never knew you could be so selfless. You saved all of us... thank you," Misty thanked as she wrapped her arms round my neck gratefully. Ash frowned in disapproval. As Misty turned away from me, she caught Ash's glare. â"Do you think I would forget you, Ash?"
"Huh?” Ash asked in shock. She smiled and leaned in closer and gave Ash a quick peck on the check. His cheeks blushed a deep crimson red. We all laughed. Then Jessie glanced back to me and she leaned toward me. I flinched slightly, but gave in to her warm lips.
"Meowth! Hey! Break it up!" Meowth cried playfully. We quickly pulled away after realizing the twerps and Meowth were present. Jess got to her feet.
"Come on, James. It's time the former Team Rocket blasted off again," Jessie replied. Same routine all over again. Was Jessie going back down the same road like she was before? Was our friendship going to be forgotten once again? She smiled and raised me from the rubble.
"We will always be there for you, James. I will always be your friend. You don't need to worry," she grinned. I looked in her blue eyes hoping to be able to find some truth in them. Then I realized that she was indeed telling the truth.
"I won't," I smiled. Things would be different from now on. No longer was I the loose end or the unwanted member. I was the trusted friend and I would always try my best to be there for them, as they would always be for me.
The End!
