Chapter Eight - Reunited?

Morning came with the sound of Jessie's alarm clock ringing and bouncing on her bedside table. Reflexively, Jessie reached over and slapped the stop switch. She then looked back at her bed. She had almost been expecting to wake up alone, as if the events of the previous night were just a dream, but just a glance proved her wrong. James was still laying in her bed, wearing the clothes he had fallen asleep in, and he was murmuring something. Jessie moved in closer, and realized he was talking about her in his sleep.

"Mmmm, Jessie... so beautiful.... must stay with her... must stay...." he said dreamily.

Jessie smiled, and just looked at James, taking in every wonderful detail of him. His parents and Jessebelle had been so wrong. They had aimed to turn him into a proper gentleman.... but how could you turn someone into what they already were? Idly, she looked at her alarm clock and realized that she only had 45 minutes before she was due to report to the boss. Knowing she would regret it, she shook James gently to wake him up.

James came to slowly, and the room came into focus around him. For a minute, he didn't even remember where he was, but as soon as he saw Jessie he knew. "Good morning, Jess." he said with a smile.

Jessie returned the smile. "Good morning, James." she said. "I'm sorry I have to rush, but I have to see the boss in 45 minutes."

James ran his fingers through his blue hair, and looked at the clock. His face registered surprise. "You do?" he asked. "So do I."

Jessie's ears perked up at this. "He wants to see us together?" she asked.

"I guess." James replied.

A glimmer of hope began in Jessie's mind. "Do you think..." she began.

James put his finger on her lips. There was no need to let her finish. "I hope so." he said in reply. "Well, I'd better get ready. I'll see you there." James stood up to leave, scooping up his white shirt and gloves. Jessie looked at him for a minute as he did this, and suddenly realized he had tucked his clothes under his arm and was walking toward her. He stopped in front of her, and looked into her eyes. Closing his eyes, he leaned in to kiss her again. Jessie closed her eyes as well, and melted into the kiss. James broke away after a minute, and smiled at her. "See you in 40 minutes." he said. He took off through the door, and headed back into his room across the hall.

Less than an hour later, Jessie and James were standing at attention in Giovanni's office, as they had done so many times before. In one corner, Meowth sat, gloomily knocking a ball back and forth to Persian, who swiped at the ball, purring loudly.

Giovanni glared at the two from behind his desk. "I don't believe it." he said. "You two mess up everything, even when you're not together. Jessie, you don't even get to where you're going when your partner falls out of the balloon and breaks his legs! You have to be the biggest jinx I've ever known!"

Giovanni turned to face James. "And you." he continued angrily. "We find the best poaching opportunity possible, put a flawless plan into action with excellent Rocket technology, and you still screw it up!" He folded his arms across his chest. "I've come to a conclusion. You two lab rats can do far less damage to Team Rocket by just staying together. At least that way, you only jinx each other, not competent agents like Billy and Annie. Whom, I might add, both swear they will never work with either one of you two again!"

Jessie fought the urge to break out into a smile. "Sir, does that mean that..."

"You two are a team again." Giovanni growled.

Jessie and James smiled widely. "Oh, thank you, sir.. thank you so much!" James gushed.

Giovanni looked confused. "But you're the one who didn't want to be with her in the first place!" he said, dumbfounded.

"Well-, I, er- changed my mind." James said quickly. "Oh thank you... thank-"

Giovanni raised his hand. "All right, fine. Just shut up."

"Um, sir?" Jessie said humbly.

"What now?" Giovanni snapped, getting more and more annoyed by the second.

"Does this mean we get Meowth back as well?" she asked. Meowth's ears perked up. He waited tensely.

Giovanni considered the request, scratching his chin as he did. "Fine." he replied. "He can go with you. After all, someone needs to keep you two in check." He looked down at the floor. "Meowth! You're with these two again!"

Meowth leapt off the floor with joy. "Yes!" he screamed. "I am outta here! So long, Persian!" he said mockingly. The Persian growled at him. It then padded over to Giovanni and hopped into his lap.

"So, we're off after Pikachu, then?" Jessie asked.

"Absolutely not!" Giovanni snapped. Jessie and James were stunned. "Butch and Cassidy are handling that mission!"

At that moment, Giovanni's intercom buzzed. Irritated, he pushed the button. "What?" he barked.

"Sir, Butch and Cassidy are here to see you." the intercom crackled.

Giovanni smiled coldly. "Send them up." he let go of the button and looked at Jessie and James. "Speak of the devils." he said. "No doubt they're bringing me Pikachu. Now you two can see how competent agents work."

Giovanni's door flew open, and Butch and Cassidy marched in, looking very angry. Cassidy's long pony tails were scorched, their uniforms were charred and smoking, and they most definitely did not have Pikachu with them. Jessie, James and Meowth backed up with out a word.

Giovanni's satisfied expression fell. "What in the name of Kabuto happened to you two?" he asked, amazed.

Obviously very angry, Butch slammed his hands down on the desk and leaned towards Giovanni. "That blasted electric rat happened." he snapped in his raspy voice.

Cassidy was fuming as well, though she wasn't quite brave or suicidal enough to get in Giovanni's face like Butch. "We got thunder-shocked about 50 times in the past two days!"

"That thing is crazy, and only the biggest idiot would want to go chasing after it!" Butch stated.

Giovanni glared at him. "Get off my desk!" he roared. Butch instantly leapt back, suddenly remembering his fear of the boss. "Now what is this nonsense? Are you telling me you two are refusing the Pikachu mission?" he snapped.

Butch and Cassidy both folded their arms. "Give us any other job, but not that. If you give us that job, we are quitting Team Rocket!"

Giovanni leaned back in his chair smugly. "The penalty for quitting is death." he said flatly.

This did not faze Butch or Cassidy in the least. "We know. We don't care!" snapped Cassidy.

Knowing he was stuck, Giovanni decided to just give up. "Fine. You two are on something else. Now go change into a uniform that doesn't look like it was pulled out of an incinerator!"

Butch and Cassidy smiled with obvoius relief, and turned to leave without a word.

"Great." Giovanni said to himself. "Now nobody is going to want the Pikachu mission. They'd have to be total and complete idiots to..." he stopped and looked at Jessie and James. Suddenly, he broke into an icy smile. "All right, you two are back on the mission. Try getting it right for a change." he barked at the team.

Jessie, James, and Meowth all broke into large smiles. "Oh, thank you, thank you, thank-"

"GET GOING!" Giovanni roared. The three team mates hurried out of the office, stopping the hallway to hug each other. Meowth danced around happily as Jessie and James stared into each other's eyes and smiled, finally leaning in for a kiss.

Criminal: Epilogue