Extend Our Reach (Rocket-shipping Fan fiction)

17 ~ Regrets and Raw Smiles

It had been a few days since James had heard the horrifically tragic news of Jessie's passing, and James was no better with handling the news then than he had been the days before. Nothing felt real - it was if he was in a dream-like state.

Oh, how he wish it was a dream. He wished that he could wake up, with Jessie beside him. The wished that he could roll over in bed, opening his eyes to another gorgeous Alolan morning, and hug Jessie close. He wished he had Jessie.

Releasing a forlorn sigh, James stood up from the armchair. He turned to Meowth and said,

"I'm just going for a walk, Meowth. Don't worry, I'll be back later."

"Okay, Jimmy," Meowth replied, seeming equally as deflated.

James left the hotel room, despite feeling drained of energy. He had to get out of that room; it was driving him crazy, being holed up in that small space for so long. He hadn't left that room at all since James had heard the news, and it was just too much. 

James walked out of the hotel building and down the street, dry-eyed and expressionless. Surprisingly to James and Meowth alike, both remaining Rocketeers had remained dry-eyed all day. They hadn't spoken much, and didn't really feel like speaking much, as you would expect under the circumstances. But even in the stiffling silence between them, James wasn't suffocated, because his mind was as loud as a motor-engine. All his ears heard was his mind replaying Jessie and his last conversation, over and over.

The conversation that they 'd had over the phone. It was the phone call Giovanni had allowed Jessie to make before she left on an incredibly dangerous mission. Her final phone call, she had called it. Never did James even dare imagine that she would be right!  

'You'll be fine.'

'We don't know that, James.'

'I doubt fate would be as cruel as to repeat itself twice.'

'I have to go now, James.'

'Okay, Jessie. Goodbye. I love you!'

'I love you too, James. Goodbye!'

And then there was just the dialing tone, as James stood there on the other end with a stupid smile on his face. How stupid a smile it had been, indeed. How stupid he had been! His last conversation with her had been him reassuring her she'd be fine! But she was right; they hadn't known that.

They hadn't known that...That didn't mean they'd expected it either! And fate wasn't expected to repeat itself! It wasn't meant to be that cruel! It wasn't supposed to be!

James gripped the railings surrounding the boardwalk, towering slightly above the beach. He was at the docks.

Where he had last seen Jessie alive.

The sun had begun setting as James looked up at the orange and purple Alolan sky. He smiled briefly at the memory of their final motto together...

His smile fell with the sun as he tightened his gloved grip on the railing, his fists trembling with an indescribable mixture of feelings. He hung his head as a silent tear slid down his cheek.

It wasn't supposed to be their final motto - just an 'until we meet again' motto. It wasn't meant to be goodbye - just a 'see you later'. It wasn't expected to be his last I love you. Just his 'to keep you going' I love you. But I had been their last motto. It had been goodbye. I had been his last I love you.