A/N: Hey again. I'm going to continue with my story, reviews or not, but don't stop sending them! I haven't got any yet *Looks at empty mailbox* On with the story before I start ranting. Ohh by the way, did you hear about.... *Is dragged away from the keyboard*

'Thoughts are like this'

~*~*~*~*~*~ = Change in time/place

Ages: Jessie: 21, James: 21, Ash: 14, Misty: 15, Brock: 17

Last time...

Two nerve racking hours later a doctor came out from the intensive care wing and headed towards them. Jessie stood up and ran over to him. "Is James alright?"

"Well, he received a very bad blow indeed and..."

"JUST IS HE ALRIGHT!?" Jessie burst out, grasping the doctor's collar tightly and pulling at him.

Meowth woke suddenly from the outburst and ran to Jessie. "Whoa, take it easy Jess. The doc here is trying to tell you!"

"Ohh alright..." She let him go and stepped back, looking at the ground.

The doctor gave a little cough and straightened himself up before continuing. "As I was saying, he's after receiving a lot of damage, particularly to his head and I'm afraid that..."

There was a pause that lasted just a second, but it seemed longer for Jessie.

"I'm afraid that..." The doctor repeated "That the young man has slipped into a coma"

The trio gasped in horror and Meowth stumbled back, speechless for once. Jessie stood there unmoving. She was in shock. Her world seemed to stop as her mind tried to make up excuses for the predicament. 'Maybe the doctor got it wrong. Maybe James is just sleeping, yeah that's it'

"Would you like to see him Miss?" The doctor asked Jessie.

"I..." She looked to the ground, feeling all choked up. Meowth stepped in.

"We'd like to see James Doc" The doctor looked at Meowth with an expression Meowth was well used to. "Yeah, yeah, I can talk. So what about Jimmie?"

"I'm afraid that no pokemon are allowed into the wards"

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN I'M NOT ALLOWED IN?!" Meowth growled, extended his claws and advanced towards the doctor.

"Ehh Miss, please control your pokemon or I will have to call security" He stepped away from Meowth. "I'M NOBODY'S POKEMON!"

Jessie snapped out of her trance and picked up Meowth. "I'll see him and Meowth will cause no more trouble"

"But Jess..." Meowth pleaded with Jessie to bring him along. "After all, James is my partner too"

"Rules are rules Meowth and you're not to break them"

"That's sure a switch. When have you ever listened to rules?"

Jessie ignored him and turned to Ash and co. "Watch him, I shouldn't be long" Held him out towards Ash.

"Ehh, sure" Ash took Meowth in his arms and looked at Jessie with total confusion.

"JESSIE! YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS!" Meowth yelled angrily at her. "You know I am well capable of mindin' myself"

Jessie turned and followed the doctor into the ward where James was. She heard Meowth grumbling behind her. "This is so unfair" She grinned, knowing how much the cat pokemon hated being left out of things.

She was lead to a room with a window looking in. She swallowed hard at what she saw.

"You can go in if you'd like"

She nodded and slowly opens the door and entered. Walked over to the only bed in the room where a still body lay. Machines beeped and wires lead from them to James. Tears welled up in her eyes. "Ohh James..." She choked and held his hand, squeezing it tightly but getting no response. Took one more look at him and couldn't take it anymore. 'He might never wake up, never!' Next thing Jessie knew, she was running from the hospital as fast as she could, tears stinging her eyes. Meowth's voice could be heard behind her calling her name, but she took no heed. After running non-stop for over five minutes, she entered a tranquil park and collapsed at the base of a fountain. Burying her face in her hands she sobbed miserably.

Meowth found her soon afterwards. Her face was tearstained and her eyes red. He felt for her and knew her sorrow. "Jess?"

She wiped her eyes and blew her nose on a tissue. "It's all my fault Meowth"

"What?! Don't be acting the fool Jess. Jimmie was attacked by those grunts not you! We're all victims here"

"But what did I do to help?" She shot an angry glare at him. Meowth backed away a step. "All I did was stand there while they attacked him! I could have helped but I didn't!" Tears were starting to roll down her rosy cheeks again. She continued to knock herself down until Meowth had had enough.

"ENOUGH!" He yelled and leapt at Jessie. He scratched her across the face. "YOU ARE NOT TO BLAME GOT THA?" Lowered his voice. "Stop hitting yourself over this. The boss's plan needs to be stopped and James needs us right now so quit wallowing in self pity and help!"

Jessie stared at the ground and nodded. "You're right Meowth. James needs someone he knows right now" She stood up and slowly made her way back to the hospital with Meowth. "Ohh, and I wouldn't call him 'boss' anymore. Doubt we're still considered part of Team Rocket" Meowth agreed.

~*~*~*~*~*~

A week had passed since James was first admitted to the hospital and his condition was not much better. His nasty wounds had been stitched and bandaged carefully and were healing well, but he remained in a coma. Ash, Misty and Brock had been filled in on Team Rocket's goings on and were heading to the police station to report it all. "And remember, you overheard it on the streets, not from us" Meowth told them for the hundredth time.

"We know Meowth, we know" Misty sighed. "Can we please go now? I don't like hospitals much" "Togepiiii" Her little egg pokemon chirped in.

"Alright, keep your hair on" Ash sounded fed up. The trio left the hospital and headed off to Goldenrod Police Station. They had called, but they needed to go down and make an official statement in Johto's main station.

Inside the ward Jessie sat next to James. She had gotten rid of their Team Rocket uniforms and was now wearing a black mini skirt and a yellow top with a low front. Meowth had suggested she should cut her hair but Jessie wouldn't think of it. "My hair is my crowing glory! I'd never part with it!" Meowth had that line pounded into his head with the aid of Jessie's trusty fan. She rested her head on the bedside and sighed. Raised her head to a rustling sound outside the window. Meowth climbed up and in the window, something he'd done a lot of during the last week.

"Any change Jess?" Jumped and landed at the base of the bed near James' feet. Sat down and curled his tail around him.

Jessie solemnly shook her head. "Ohh I wish he'd hurry and wake up so that we can get away from here. Team Rocket will be looking for us and we're hanging around here too long"

"Why don't you kiss him? That would get him up in record timing" He grinned smugly.

"WHAT!? Why you cheeky little..."

"Ah, ah, ah Jess, no language" He waved a finger at her.

"I'll show you language!" Stood up and grabbed Meowth by the scruff on his neck. She stood at the base of the bed with her back to James. "Now you listen! I would never kiss James in a million years!"

"Ohh come on! It's so obvious that you like him!"

"I DO NOT LIKE JAMES! HE'S AN IMMATURE, BRAINLESS, WEAK, FICKLE-MINDED LITTLE DORK THAT WAS STUPID ENOUGH TO GET HIMSELF INTO INTENSIVE CARE BY CONFRONTING AN ONIX!" She gasped for breath. A low voice spoke up behind her.

"So that's what you think"

Jessie turned around to see James sitting upright in the bed. His eyes were full of pain and heartbreak. She let Meowth go and stood speechless. "James I..."

"Don't say anything, you have said enough. Please leave"

"But..."

"I asked you to leave Jessie" James stared at the sheets and gripped them tightly. He voice was shaking as he spoke. Meowth glared at her with a disgusted expression.

A lump formed in her throat. She turned and left the room, tears streaming down her cheeks. She left the hospital and kept walking through the rest of the day.

So how was it? Please let me know what you think ^_^ All reviews gracefully accepted, flames included. Till next time!

~Ashla~