(This story is from "Holy Matrimony!", so if it appears long, I'm writing according to the events in the episode.)

Jessie and I were usually very close and never let anything come between us, not even the traumatizing events in our past lives. Two weeks ago, however, the hand of fate literally tried to separate us forever. I remember it well, almost too well.

It had been quite a while since the boss bothered us, and Jessie, Meowth, and I were walking down the road, just enjoying the beautiful scenery and the sunshine. Since there was really nothing new going on at the HQ, we decided to take the day off.

"What a beautiful day to just relax," said Jessie, stretching her arms above her head. "Good thing we decided to take the day off today! This sure beats hanging around the headquarters doing nothing!"

"I agree," said Meowth. "There's nothing like taking the day off!"

I, on the other hand, didn't join in their excitement. A strange and peculiar feeling had come over me. I didn't know whether it was area we happened to be in, or whether it was the fact that I was still recovering from a fever I had last night, a dangerously high fever to be exact, about 103.2, I should say. Regardless of that, my mood wasn't really joyful. Jessie noticed and decided to get to the bottom of it.

"James, are you all right? You're awfully quiet!"

"It's this area," I said. "I feel as if I've been here before! The hand of fate is pulling me in all sorts of directions, and I feel all mixed up!"

Jessie was about to answer me when we heard the faint sound of a car stopping. Jessie and Meowth quickly took cover in the bushes. I followed them more slowly. I didn't like the looks of the situation. There was trouble ahead, especially for us. From where we were hidden, I saw an old man, probably in his mid to late fifties, yelling at the twerps through a megaphone. That was Hopkins, my family's butler, and I didn't like him at all. He was every bit as deceitful and manipulative as my parents. Looking up, I saw a sign posted to the side of the road. It read: "Missing", and the photo of a young boy about nine or ten years old was posted underneath it. This is bad, I thought. This is really bad.

"How terribly interesting," said Jessie once the coast was clear and we had crawled out from our hiding place. "A missing boy whose whereabouts have been unknown for years! Do you think he was kidnapped?"

I said nothing. Little did she know that the boy in the picture was me. If I had been kidnapped, I'd rather my kidnapper be a lovely Team Rocket agent with an equally lovely daughter with long, red hair. Those of you who don't know what I'm talking about, I'm referring to Jessie and her mother, Miyamoto, who died ten years ago in an avalanche.

Jessie then looked directly at me. "What's even more puzzling, this kid looks a lot like you, James!"

"You think so?" I said. "He looks pathetic!"

Meowth chuckled slightly. "That's what she means, James!"

"What are we wasting time around here for?" said Jessie. "We'd better go investigate! The parents of this kid might want to reward us handsomely for returning their son to them!"

I hung my head in shame. I wanted to run for it, but my feet were stuck to the ground, refusing to move even an inch off the ground. I was trapped and the situation was even more hopeless than ever.

"James," said Jessie. "What's wrong with you?"

"Yeah," said Meowth. "Whatcha waitin' for, a written invitation?"

"You two go ahead," I said. "I'll stay here! I'm sure you two don't need a third wheel!"

"No, James," said Jessie. "You're not staying here! Wherever we go, you have to go too!"

After walking for what seemed like hours, we finally arrived at a magnificent estate. I felt my heart literally sink as we proceeded up the long, winding driveway. It was almost as if I were being led to my execution, with nowhere to run or hide.

"We're in the lap of luxury," said Jessie. "I've always dreamed of living in a place like this! Kind of makes you feel like you're in a novel about the Old South, doesn't it, James?"

She then noticed that I wasn't answering her and gave me a stern look. "James, didn't you hear what I just said to you?"

"It's not safe here," I said. "We'd better leave this place before it's too late! Unless you want to be seen, I suggest we make a run for it while we've still got the chance!"

"You're delusional, James," said Jessie. "I don't know what you're talking about! We came to this estate for a reason, and we're not leaving until we do what we came here to do!"

I wanted to reason with her some more, but I saw no point in arguing with Jessie, for fear that she would whip out her trusty mallet and hit me over the head with it. We then climbed into the vents and we saw Hopkins and the brats again. That's when the shocking discovery was made, a shocking discovery that literally knocked Jessie and Meowth for a loop.

"This is unbelievable," said Meowth. "James is the boy in the picture we saw earlier!"

"And this entire estate is his!" I looked over at Jessie and saw tears were welling up in her beautiful sapphire eyes. Carefully, I took her into my arms and hugged her close to me.

"Jessie," I said. "If it's any consolation, I won't marry my fiancee! I don't even love her! I never have loved her! The only one I ever loved was you!"

"You have no choice, James," said Jessie. "It's clearly stated in your parents' will that you have to marry her in order to receive your inheritance!"

"Not a chance," I said. "Those fools can't make me marry that tramp! Never in a million years will I, James Eric Rosewood, be forced into marrying somebody that I obviously don't love!"

Then, I made my way to the exit of the vents. Jessie and Meowth followed me and we ended up falling flat on our faces right outside the mansion.

"Look, James," said Jessie, looking sternly at me. "We're becoming very annoyed with you! Why are you acting like a foolish little kid? This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for you!"

"She's right," said Meowth. "Don't you wanna become the richest guy in the world? You always said that you wanted money and power! In fact, you brag about it every chance you get! So, what's making you go back on your word?"

"I don't know," I said. "I don't know what I want anymore! My parents can just take their stupid will and stuff it! They never tried to understand me and they didn't care whether I lived or died! I won't marry that madwoman! Do you hear me? I won't do it!"

I broke into a run, but I didn't get very far, though. Jessie and Meowth managed to catch me by lassoing me like a young calf in a rodeo. As much as I struggled, I couldn't break free from my bonds. Jessie and Meowth wanted me to go through with it so that we could get rich.

They then took me to a nearby bush and stuffed me into a blue suit that I so happened to be carrying around. I needed it for special occasions, like my upcoming eighteenth birthday and the day when I proposed to Jessie, the one I really wanted as my bride. After they had me dressed, they gagged me and got into their "invisible" suits.

"This is great," said Meowth. "No one will ever notice us!"

"They'll never think to ask who we are," said Jessie. "These invisible costumes are perfect! Those fools won't know what hit them!"

I felt like a puppet in the hands of a cruel puppetmaster. At the same time, I felt more trapped than before. The next thing I knew, I was being led up the front steps against my will. Jessie then took my hand and knocked on the double doors with it. Hopkins, the loyal servant that he was, answered the door without so much as a groan of protest.

"Yes?" he said. "May I help you, sir?"

Now, don't get me wrong here, but Jessie does a fairly good job doing imitations (I had the privilege of hearing her injured Kangaskhan imitation in the Safari Zone, and her impersonation of the boss when we captured a Ditto), but sadly, she couldn't imitate my voice for the life of her, but she would try anything for money.

"It's me, James," she said in her masculine voice. "I've come back!"

"Welcome home, sir," said Hopkins, oblivious to the fact that wasn't really me who just spoke to him. "Your parents will be most pleased to see that you've returned! Please come in!"

As he led us in, I caught sight of the coffins. In the back of my mind, I knew that this could only be the handiwork of my parents, the notorious Edward and Annabel Rosewood, as a dirty scheme to get me to come back home. I had the feeling that I didn't want to be here at all. I felt sick and wanted to collapse, but I just wasn't nauseous enough.

"Oh, Mom and Dad," said Jessie in her disguised voice. "I wish I've come back sooner!"

Just then, evil laughter emitted from the coffins and out popped my parents out of their so-called "resting place". I must admit, they were pretty scary, for we were all scared out of our wits.

"Prepare for trouble!"

"Yes, dear, and make it double!"

I couldn't believe I was hearing. They were ripping off our motto. Maybe they were Team Rocket agents in the past.

"Oh, James dear," said Mother. "We're so happy you've come back home!"

"Indeed," said Father. "And you're wearing a suit!"

Of course, I knew for a fact that these were lies. Did they really expect me to believe that they were happy to see the son that they abused? Those of you who said no, you get a star.

"They certainly don't look like ghosts to me," said Jessie. "They're not invisible!"

"Yeah," said Meowth. "They must really be solid!"

I tore the gag off my mouth. "They aren't ghosts, you furry imbecile! It's just like them to pull a stunt like this to get me to come back home!"

"Now that you've come to your senses," said Father. "You, my boy, are about to be married!"

"Hopkins," said Mother. "Begin the preparations!"

"Yes, madam," said Hopkins. "Miss Hockley shall be delighted to know that her beloved James has come home to her!"

"I don't know who this 'Miss Hockley' is," said Jessie. "But, I'd certainly like to meet her!"

"No, you don't, Jessie," I said. "She's terrible, simply repulsive!"

"Repulsive or not," said Meowth. "She's your fiancee!"

Hopkins then took us to a large room that I recognized immediately. It was the same room that my former nursemaid, Victoria, dressed me in the night that I met my fiancee eight years ago.

"We're proud of you," said Father. "You realize that you must uphold the Rosewood family tradition!"

Mother agreed with him, as usual. "As our son and heir, you have certain obligations! The most important of these is to marry and continue the family line!"

"You're absolutely right!" Jessie was using her male voice again. I decided to speak now. No sense in holding my peace.

"Why are you doing this to me?" I said. "Do I have a duty to be manipulated?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," said Father. "This engagement was arranged so that it would benefit the future of this estate!"

"We only want what's best for us," said Mother. "I mean, best for you!"

"A man who can't settle down is like a bumblebee without a nose," said Father. "He'll never sniff the daffodils of life!"

"You'll learn to be a real gentleman once you marry the right girl!"

I already knew who the right girl for me was. She was the one dressed in black and standing beside me. The chair that I was sitting in was suddenly turned to face a young woman whose face was covered by a fan.

"As James's wife," said Mother. "It'll be your duty to change him from a worthless do-nothing into a respectable gentleman!"

"As you wish, Mother," said the girl in a sultry Southern accent. "I shall do my best to keep my end of the bargain!"

From where I was sitting, I could tell that Jessie was beginning to get jealous. She felt that she was the only girl who deserved me and not this woman. However, Meowth liked the sound of her voice.

"Meowth! Her voice is catnip to my ears! Now that's what I call a real lady and not a tough, mean, nasty girl like Jessie!"

Utterly outraged by this remark, Jessie hit the fuzzball over the head with her fist.

"Oh, yeah?" she said angrily. "I'll show you tough, mean, and nasty!"

I smiled slightly when I saw this happen. Only my Jessie would be that bold to act that way in front of me. I wanted to say something, but the words burned in my throat and my eyes were glued to the other girl.

"My name's Jessibell Roberta Hockley," she said. "My only wish is to be your devoted and loving wife and companion! And also, to educate you in your duties as a gentleman of property!"

The three of us all went into shock. I thought that I was going to have a heart attack and fall over. Jessie was the most overwhelmed because apparently, Jessibell, the "Miss Hockley" that Hopkins that mentioned earlier, looked like her.

"Amazin'," said Meowth. "That girl looks exactly like you, Jessie!"

"Shut up, Meowth," said Jessie. "Stop comparing me to that wimp! I'm ten times more attractive than that fashion disaster over there puts together!"

"Are you kiddin'?" said Meowth. "You both have exactly the same face! It's almost as if you're twins or somethin'!"

"You know that's not true," said Jessie. "Besides, if we were twins, then my mother would've had a very difficult labor, not to mention delivery!"

"Will you two stop arguing?" I said. "We've got to get out of here right now! No telling what sort of schemes this demon has up her sleeve!"

"Don't be ridiculous," said Jessie. "How can we get your inheritance if you don't get married? You've got to go through with it!"

"If you won't get married for yourself," said Meowth. "Then, do it for the team! We're counting on you to make us all filthy, stinking rich!"

"Forget the team," I said. "Don't you realize that I obviously don't love this woman? I don't care about the money! I'm not doing it! Do you hear me? I'm not going through with it!"

"Is something wrong?" said Jessibell. "Why ever do you keep talking to yourself like that, James?"

She then got up out of the chair she was sitting in. "Say! Here's an idea! Let's go down to the vault and count all the money you'll inherit!"

The vault? Now, I knew that this wasn't going to be good. She was really talking about the little torture chamber that she whipped me in every day until I finally snapped. I shook my furiously while Jessie and Meowth snickered.

As Jessibell led us down to the basement of the mansion, I felt the knot in my stomach got tighter and tighter with every step. The irony of this whole situation was that I was the only one among us who knew that it was a trick. I felt sick again and if Jessie's hand weren't cupped over my mouth at that very moment, I would've puked all over Jessibell's dress and hair. It wouldn't be pretty, I know, but at least it would've been hilarious.

"After you disappeared," she said. "Your mother and father were so worried about you, as I was, of course, but I knew one day you'd come back to me!"

"I do apologize for running away," said Jessie in her disguised voice once again. "But, everything is going to be just fine now that I'm back here with my money!"

"What?"

"Did I say money?" said Jessie, covering up her mistake. "I meant to say back here with you!"

I really didn't know how much more of this I could take. I mean, Jessie was being tricked, and she didn't know it yet. I guess when you've got money on the brain, it's hard to realize the danger you're about to get yourself into. Jessibell pushed the button to open the 'vault', and when we went in, we saw that it was nothing but a little exercise room.

"This isn't money," said Jessie. "What kind of inheritance is this?"

"Yeah," said Meowth. "It looks like a lotta weird gym equipment!"

This was it. I decided to put my foot down. Jessie and Meowth had had their fun, and now it was time for me to take a stand.

"Don't you fools get it?" I said. "Jessibell tricked you two into coming down here!"

"Tricked us?" said Jessie. "Ridiculous! I made cocksure that the disguises were fool-proof!"

"Yeah," said Meowth. "How'd she spot us?"

I was really losing my patience now. Here I was giving them fair warning, and they thought I was talking trash. "IMBECILES!"

I would've yelled at them some more, but I was cut off by the sound of a small drum.

"James," said Father. "Your mother and I are tired of waiting for you to grow up!"

"You can't escape your destiny," said Mother. "James, it's time to face the music!"

"You can't just do whatever you feel like anymore," said Jessibell, cracking her hideous whip. She had changed out of her dress and into a sort of lion tamer's outfit. "Now, you'll obey Jessibell! Let the taming begin!"

"I'm startin' to like you more than her, Jess," said Meowth. "It was only her voice that I was attracted to!"

"Gee, Meowth," said Jessie, a hint of sarcasm to her tone. "Thanks for the compliment!"

Suddenly, they were spotted by my parents. Apparently, their little charade was over before it even got started.

"Do you take us for fools?" (author's opinion: yes! ^_^)

"We knew it was you all along," said Mother. "We just ignored you until you brought James down here to the dungeon!"

This was really bad. My alter ego, James Bond, wouldn't have let something like this happen to him. No, sir. He'd fight his way out instead of being forced to bend to his enemy's will. Suddenly, I saw a cloud of white smoke forming around me. Jessie and Meowth had used the smoke bombs in order to make their getaway.

"Jessie, Meowth," I cried. "Where did you go? Don't leave me!"

I found that it was difficult to see where I was going and I tripped over my feet and ran into something, or someone.

"At last, we're together," said Jessibell. "I'm so happy!"

"Get away from me, you finishing school reject," I said. "If you think that you can force me into marrying you, you're sorely mistaken! I'm already in love with someone else!"

"You won't escape from me again, James," said Jessibell. "My parents made a deal with your parents eight years ago that we would bring prosperity to both the Hockleys and the Rosewoods upon our marriage, and so help me, I will make you mine!"

She then chased me around the entire basment with her whip. My parents, of course, ignored my cries for help because they were in the middle of a tea party.

"If you two weren't such lousy parents," I said. "You'd stop this madwoman!"

In the midst of her pursuit, Jessibell called out her Vileplume, who used her Stun Spore to knock me unconscious. I fell to the ground and was down for the count.

"Sleeping like a baby," said Jessibell. "James, my sweet, I'll make a gentleman out of you yet, even if it destroys us!"

As I laid there, I thought about Jessie and how helpless I was without her. Since I was paralyzed by the Stun Spore, I couldn't get up and make my getaway. This is it, I thought. I'm doomed.

As for Jessie, she and Meowth were thrown out of the mansion, along with Meowth, the Brat Pack, and Pikachu.

"We've got to get him out of there," she said. "I can't just leave him behind like this!"

"What's with the sudden change of heart?" said Meowth. "He'll get his inheritance if he marries her!"

"Not if she kills him first," said Jessie. "Meowth, when we used those smoke bombs back there, I could've sworn that James was right behind me! It's my fault that he's trapped!"

Meowth saw how upset she was. It was almost as if he could read her face. "You really love him, don't you, Jess?"

"More than anything," said Jessie. "That's why I have to save him! I got him into this mess, and it's up to me to get him out of it! But, how?"

Her answer came to her when she heard the faint barking of a Growlithe. That's when an idea came to her.

"That's it! That's the answer to our problem!"

"What is?"

"James's Growlithe, Growlie, can rescue him for me," said Jessie. "This plan is sure to work! If he loves him as much as I do, he'll be able to sneak into the mansion and save James from Jessibell!"

Then, without wasting a second, Jessie released Growlie from his doghouse. Knowing exactly what to do, he bolted into the mansion, galloped down to the basement, saved me from Jessibell, and got me out of the mansion as fast as lightning. Once he got me to the safety of his doghouse, I sat down on the couch, grateful to still be in one piece.

"You saved me, Growlie," I said. "Thank you! But, who sent you into the house to rescue me?"

"I did," said Jessie. "James, I couldn't let that woman hurt you!"

"You sent Growlie to save me?" I said. "But, you left me when I needed you!"

"I didn't mean to," said Jessie. "You know I'd never abandon you! If I did, I'd be breaking my promise to you on the St. Anne! I promised that I'd never let anything happen to you, and well, I wasn't about to go back on my word!"

Then, curiously, she added, "There's one thing I just don't understand!"

"What's that, Jessie?"

"Jessibell said something about keeping her end of the bargain," said Jessie. "What did she mean by that?"

"I really don't know how to answer that, Jess," I said. "It's a rather touchy subject!"

"Try, James," said Jessie. "For me!"

Seeing that there was no way around it, I sighed and proceed to tell my bittersweet story.

"It was eight years ago today," I said. "My parents invited these people to the estate that they called their 'friends'! They were none other than Lord Archibald Hockley, the renowned steel tycoon, his wife, Roberta, and their daughter, Jessibell! My father was desperate for a share in whatever the Hockleys brought in with their prized steel mills, so my engagement to Jessibell was announced, in hopes that it would bring prosperity to both families! Soon afterward, she began following me everywhere, trying to change me! Nothing I did was refined enough for her! Ever since I was a kid, I hated how upper class society had rules for absolutely everything! Jessibell is so rich that marrying her would be the worst mistake of my life!"

"That must've been a terrible experience for you," said Jessie. "No wonder why you were so dead set against coming here!"

"Hearing a story like that makes me think twice about being rich equals happiness," said Meowth. "Who'd have thought that being rich could be such a bummer?"

Just then, the side of the doghouse burst open and Jessie and Meowth were sent flying.

"Oh, God," I said. "Now what?"

Jessibell and Vileplume appeared. "My sweet James, you can't escape me!"

"Leave me alone," I said. "The one I love is Jessie, not you!"

"Your precious Jessie isn't here to save you," said Jessibell. "Vileplume, stun them to sleep, just like before!"

Growlie intervened and used his powerful Flame Thrower, which stopped Vileplume dead in her tracks. Then, with Pikachu's help, he was able to defeat her. Jessibell got so scared that she fled from the doghouse.

Even though I was now safe, I knew that where my heart truly belonged, with Jessie. I gave Growlie one last pat on his head.

"I've got to go away now, boy," I said. "I'd take you with me, but my parents need you here! I realize now that this upper crust high life doesn't suit me! I'm better living the low life with Team Rocket! Plus, I like my freedom!"

As hard as it was saying good-bye to Growlie, I knew that I didn't leave, my parents would find. So, I ran away, leaving my best friend in the whole world behind in order to find my true love, my Jessie.

Meanwhile, Jessie and Meowth were walking down the path, leading away from the mansion, obviously feeling depressed.

"Oh, well," said Jessie. "Guess James chose to hang up his Team Rocket costume!"

"Yeah," said Meowth. "Maybe all that money and luxury was just too temptin' for James to give up!"

Jessie hung her head and sighed. "I guess you're right!"

"Prepared for trouble?"

Jessie and Meowth stopped and looked up. There I was, in the basket of the Meowth balloon. Jessie smiled when she saw me. It was as if her prayers had been answered. The setting sun around her made her look like an angel, my fire-haired angel.

"Make it double!" She broke into a run and I pulled her up into the basket with me. We were reunited, just when it looked like the hand of fate had tried to separate us.

"James," said Jessie finally. "What made you come back?"

"I realized that I'm better suited for this life," I said. "If I stayed there, I'd only be miserable! Besides, I couldn't just abandon you! You're more precious to me than anything else in this world!"

Jessie felt tears welling up in her eyes and she tried to fight them back, but they came anyway, falling down her beautiful face. I brushed them away gently with my finger. It was quiet until she spoke again.

"What was the real reason you came back?"

"I came back because I love you," I said. "No pile of money would ever change the way I feel about you!"

I reached into my pouch and took out one of my red roses. "This rose reminds me of you, Jess! You may have your thorns, but your face is as soft and beautiful as the petals of a rose!"

I put the rose in her hair, mindful of the thorns. Then, we embraced and kissed. I felt that I had cheated the hand of fate by escaping a destiny that seemed inescapable. My true destiny lay in the arms of my Jessie, my rose.

THE END