A Warm Place
A Warm Place
By Cori Falls
Alternate Title: The Mean Fanfic Traumatized Me!
...The good news is that WordPad does indeed avoid the HTML problems.
The bad news? IT HAS NO HTML ENCODING PERIOD, so I had to paste it into Word anyway. *headlaptop*
I've finally figured out ways to muck with the HTML garbage Word generates (by copying the raw HTML into Word and using "Replace All" to take out a ridiculous amount of the extraneous tags, add proper line breaks, and the like), so I might be able to pull this off in significantly less space anyway. If so? Major victory for me, since I'll be able to fit more than 7 pages at a time into each LJ post. Let's see how it goes...
(Aside from having to manually code blockquotes in - IT WORKS!)
(...Aaaaand I completely failed at having proper spaces between paragraphs. *facepalm* Uh, just pretend that this is a site that normally eats non-double-spaced line breaks. I should have KNOWN there was a difference between /span /span /span and /span /span...)
Resting her elbows on the sporking table, a magenta-haired adolescent leans forward and frowns. "Is this the same author as before?"
Yes.
A tough-looking adolescent, leaning back in his chair with his arms crossed behind his head and his feet up on the sporking table, rolls his eyes. "Th' angst will continue, I take it?"
You have no idea...
A White Today, and a White Tomorrow: A Warm Place
A Warm Place
by Cori Falls
@->->-
Author's Note
This piece is my response to all of those "Rocketshippy" death fics out there.
It was originally a continuation of Memories of Tears by Mystic Vaporeon
(because that's the one that upset me the most), but it didn't really make me
feel better. So instead, I've changed it into a generic anti-death piece.
Now, why was it necessary for me to write this story? Well, I originally wrote
it because Mystic's fic was depressing me to no end. James dying and Jessie
getting over his death, living her life without him, and never seeing him again
until she died of old age 60 years later had to be, without a doubt, one of the
saddest things I've ever read! 8_8
Jerry: Um... Yes, there are stories in which characters die. So?
(Incidentally, I figured out that the 8_8 emoticon is supposed to be eyes leaking tears - from before T_T was standardized, I guess.)
And after I read Memories of Tears, I found out (the painful way) that it's not
the only fic like that -- there's an entire genre of this "James dies young, and
Jessie doesn't get to be with him again until she dies of old age many years
later" stuff! O_o
Guardian's Song: Hmph, they had it easy in your day! Nowadays, it's that one character goes evil young, the other stuffs him in his own prison, and they don't get to be together again until they both die of plot contrivance 98 years later. (For those who lack context, I'm a massive Albus Dumbledore/Gellert Grindelwald shipper.)
Another author named Kitten wrote a story called A Life
Forever, which has the exact same premise as Memories of Tears -- it's about
James dying young and Jessie living without him! 8_8
I don't know what's up with these kind of fics, but I have the sneaking
suspicion that they were inspired by that God-awful Titanic movie.
Guardian's Song: *snerk* Even a broken clock is right twice a day!
(Thankfully,
I saved myself the $8 and 3 hours and never watched Titanic, but a few of my
friends had the misfortune of seeing it, and they all said that it had a similar
plot -- Jack died in the shipwreck, and Rose wasn't reunited with him until she
died of old age. Like I said...thank goodness I didn't see it!) My question is,
what the hell is supposed to be romantic about that?! The person you love dies,
and you have to live your life without them?! That's not romantic -- it's just
depressing! And why do so many Rocketshippers feel the need to put Jessie and
James in a similar situation? Why do they think killing one of them and making
the other go on alone is so Rocketshippy?! If you ask me, separating them like
that is one of the most anti-shippy things imaginable!
Guardian's Song: ...O_o Uh, hey, Miss Falls? I decided that I was going to try to avoid my usual rants pointing out abject stupidity when I started this sporking, but that doesn't mean you have to do them for me.
I'm sorry, but J, J & M
don't deserve that -- fics where they die are just wrong!
Tom: I take it y' haven't read any stories where favorite characters do die?
Guardian's Song: *recites* Harry Potter, Digimon, Chrono Trigger, Star Wars, Fire Emblem, Legend of Dragoon, and so on and so forth...
(To be fair to Cori Falls, her beloved grandfather had apparently died in a similar way to James in 'Memories of Tears', and so that emotionally set her off. I'm not really mocking the Author's Note, just the fic.)
Thus, the need for a response to all of this tragedy and death. Since I can't
stand the thought of my fave characters being without each other, I wrote this
fic to show that the idea of one of them dying is nothing more than the stuff of
nightmares and that it'll NEVER really happen!
Jerry: What? Are they going to discover the secrets to immortality?
Tom: (Jessie, James, and Meowth) Mwahaha! You never guessed, but Cori Falls' fics are our Horcruxes! We can never die so long as even one remains unsporked!
Guardian's Song: More seriously... um, yes, they're part of the main human cast in a long-running children's show. The producers would never dare to kill them off. Your point?
A Warm Place, though still what I
consider to be somewhat of a sad story, is, in the end, a life-affirming piece
which shows that Jessie and James are going to be together forever, no matter
what!
Guardian's Song: *singing* Together forever, no matter how long! From now until the end of time! We'll be together, of that you can be sure ~ Forever and a day, that's how long we'll stay, together and forever more~
(Remember those days?)
(No offense to Mystic, Kitten, or any other authors who've written TR
death fics, but I truly hate tragic stories, and I really can't handle them!)
Guardian's Song: Er... most people AVOID stories they can't stand, rather than writing highly emotional responses...
(Again, she did have an excuse here.)
I'm warnin' ya right now, though, my fic is incredibly mushy -- just a bunch of
catharsis on my...and Jessie's part. (I really think she took over while I was
writing! +P).
Jerry: *horrified* She's become your self-insert?
Guardian's Song: What? ...What? Oh! Oh, these fics make so much more SENSE now!
So if ya still wanna read this thing, don't say I didn't warn ya!
@->->-
Jessie gasped as she was jolted from her slumber. Glancing around, she saw that
she was surrounded by darkness.
Tom: Like th' darkness of her SOUL.
And that she was alone.
Hot, bitter tears began to stream down her cheeks as the memories came flooding
back to her mind. Memories of
Guardian's Song: - the Draco Trilogy -
James's illness. The slow, painful deterioration
Guardian's Song: - of the writing -
of his health...and eventually,
Guardian's Song: - Draco Veritas -
his death. She remembered his funeral and living
her life without
Tom: - caviar.
him. And she remembered that it had taken over sixty years for
her to finally tell him that she loved him. Over sixty years before they were
finally reunited in Heaven.
Jerry: ...And she didn't even try to move on after all that time?
Guardian's Song: Fictional characters don't really age in years, they age in time periods in which the author writes them. Hence why we speak of OOTP!Harry, POA!Harry, etc. instead of 1995!Harry, 1993!Harry, etc.
An unfortunate side effect is that, if the author does a several-decade timeskip, the characters often land on the other side acting like only a few years have passed...
As Jessie wiped the tears away she looked at her smooth, delicate hands for a
moment. They weren't the hands of an old woman. And she wasn't in Heaven,
Guardian's Song: - she was in Angel Grove.
or
even a hospital --
Tom: - she was in a PokéCenter.
she was in her bed in the secluded mountain cabin that she
and James shared.
Tom: - with a horde'a irritable Rhyhorns.
But she was still alone. Where was James?!
Jerry: Fortunately unaware of the existence of fanfiction.
Tom: But ain't we fanfic characters?
Jerry: Er... fanfiction other than our own AU, that is.
Panic seized her, and she jumped from bed. She had to find him. If it had been
real...if he really were dead, she didn't know what she was going to do!
Tom: (Meowth, to Jessie) What we do every night, Pinky... try to take over the world!
[may be a misquote, I can't remember]
Jessie ran into the hall and opened the door across from hers. Much to her
relief, James was there, sound asleep in his own bed.
Tom: - an' in her clothing.
Jerry: I keep telling you, it's not that bad!
Tom: *shrugs* 'S 'comedic license.
But she still wasn't quite
sure if the part about his illness was real or not.
The mentholated smell of vapo-rub intermingled with the scent of the roses he
kept in a glass vase on his nightstand and formed a bizzarre
Jerry: So bizarre, I guess, that one "z" wasn't sufficient?
aroma that
permeated his room. And there was no missing the rasping noise that came from
his throat as he breathed.
Jerry: He's become Darth Vader?!
Yes, he was definitely sick.
But it wasn't some rare, incurable lung infection...it was only a cold.
Jerry: ...How do you know? It could be just early enough that the worst stage hasn't set in yet...
Everybody got colds in the winter. He was going to be fine.
Wasn't he?
Jessie watched James for several minutes as he slept.
Guardian's Song: *bursts out laughing* Jessie is Edward Cullen!
He sounded congested, but
his breathing was steady and rythmic.
Tom: Th' first "h" interfered with th' rhythm.
And he wasn't pale or emaciated like in
Guardian's Song: - her vampire fantasies.
her nightmare. It was, indeed, nothing more than a cold.
So why did she still feel so uneasy?
Smoothing back her long, crimson hair, Jessie went to the kitchen and put a
kettle of water on the stove. Maybe a hot mug of herbal tea would help to clear
her mind.
While she was waiting for the water to boil, Jessie went to the window and
looked out at the forest. It had snowed during the night, and all the world was
now covered in a blanket of white.
@->->-
Their boss had given them two weeks off for the holiday season.
Jerry: *sputters* Team Rocket gives two weeks off for the holidays?
Tom: What th' Muk?! What sort'a clowns are these?
Jerry: It's not a day job! It's an organization on the wrong side of the law! What, do Pokémon thefts take two weeks off for the holiday season?! Will she tell us it provides health insurance next?
Guardian's Song: Given Giovanni's characterization by the time of "A White Today and A White Tomorrow", I wouldn't be at all surprised.
Jerry: *buries face in hands*
Meowth had gone
to Celadon City so that he could give Jessie and James a little time to
themselves.
Guardian's Song: I know I promised I wouldn't rant, but - this is what really irks me about the portrayal of the relationships between the three Rockets in these fics: the breaking up of the trio. Meowth becomes an utter third wheel due to James and Jessie's relationship engulfing everything... Anyway. (/ends rant before it can start)
He wanted to visit the Rocket Game Corner,
Guardian's Song: Credit where credit is due - I am SO glad to see the Rocket Game Corner mentioned. Did that ever come up in the anime? It's been so long, I can't remember if that was in any episodes.
which was run by their
friends, Annie and Oakley,
Guardian's Song: *sighs through teeth* Every 'good' character is the friend of Jessie and James in these fics, and every 'evil' character is their enemy. There is no middle ground. It's fritizing ridiculous.
and he wanted to visit Vulpix and Growly, too.
Guardian's Song: And credit where credit is due for mentioning Growly, too!
He
promised to catch up later so that they could all spend Christmas together.
Meanwhile, Jessie and James had agreed that a romantic getaway was exactly what
they needed. So, they'd gone to a remote Team Rocket cabin
Jerry: We now provide free CABINS?
in the mountains of
Johto. The cabin was surrounded by beautiful evergreen forests, a crystal-clear
lake, and slopes perfect for skiing and sledding -- it was the perfect spot for
a romantic vacation!
Tom: *nods sagely* Ah, that's th' reason. 'S fer lying in wait fer rich tourists on vacation, so we can rip 'em off easier.
However, when they'd arrived at the cabin on the first night, James had seemed
unusually tired, and he'd complained of a sore throat and a headache.
"I hope I'm not coming down with something," he'd remarked. His voice, which was
normally smooth and melodic,
Guardian's Song: What dub were YOU watching, Miss Falls?!
Jerry: Er... the Edward Cullen one?
had sounded a little scratchy.
"I hope not, either!" Jessie had told him. "I don't want anything to ruin our
perfect vacation!"
They'd both wanted to stay up late -- build a fire in the fireplace and cuddle
with each other until the wee hours of the morning. Maybe even roast some
marshmallows. But James just wasn't up for it.
Tom: An' that ain't all he wasn't 'up for' -
Jerry: *BRAIN BLEACH*
So, the two of them had gone to
bed early.
{mini-snip, James did indeed come down with something}
@->->-
A tear rolled down Jessie's cheek
Guardian's Song: - like a liquid diamond -
as she looked out the window. She'd spent the
past three days caring for James. He'd been too sick to even get out of bed, and
she'd had to feed him, give him medicine, and just try to keep him as
comfortable as possible.
Guardian's Song: *sourly* See, here's an issue for me. Cori Falls really, really likes the hurt/comfort stuff, coming together through suffering, wailing about the cruel and uncaring world mistreating her poor woobies, et cetera et cetera.
As I whined during the sporking of The Thrill of Defeat, I'd like a part of their supposed truest of true loves that I COULDN'T apply to Ariana and Aberforth Dumbledore. I mean, aside from the lengthy sex scenes.
She didn't mind doing all of these things for James --
she loved him, and she'd give her very life for him if she had to.
Guardian's Song: Again, that I COULDN'T say about Ariana and Aberforth!
But that was
precisely why she was so upset -- she was worried about him. Fortunately, his
fever had broken a few days ago, and his health had been improving since then,
but fighting off the illness had worn out his immune system, and he'd still been
bedridden during his convalescence.
And then there was that nightmare she'd just had about his death.
What did it mean?
Jerry: It means your author read a fic she really didn't like.
Was it just because she'd been worrying about him for the past
few days, or was it some kind of evil omen? It had all seemed so real, and she
remembered everything in vivid detail.
Tom: Down t' th' exact hex addresses that were corrupted when a wild h POKé appeared.
More tears welled up in Jessie's eyes as she recalled the dream once more. Every
image of James growing sicker with each passing day and finally expiring,
Jerry: (James) This is what happens when you forget to renew your Bishonen membership for the fic!
of
never getting to marry the man she loved or give birth to his children,
Guardian's Song: *raises eyebrows* OR? Ooooh, Miss Falls, you're a bit less conservative that way than I thought...
of
living her life without her soul-mate,
Tom: (Jessie) - my hairbrush. *weeps for her hairbrush*
was burned indelibly into her mind...and
it was breaking her heart.
Unable to bear the thoughts of the nightmare any longer, Jessie laid down on the
couch and buried her face in the cushions as she continued to cry. In the dream,
she'd eventually overcome the pain,
Guardian's Song: Ah, good, her GODDAMN HOLETM did heal over in time?
but she honestly didn't know how she'd cope
if she lost James in real life.
In the kitchen, the kettle on the stove began to whistle,
Tom: (Kettle) Zippidy-doo-dah, zippidy-day...
but Jessie didn't hear
it. After a few minutes, the whistle became a scream,
Jerry: (Kettle) Is anything ever going to HAPPEN in this fic?!
but she still paid it no
mind. She was too wrapped up in her grief
Jerry: But he isn't even DEAD! You should be relieved!
to even care anymore.
A few more minutes passed, and the screaming kettle suddenly became silent.
Guardian's Song: (Narration) *ominously* As did all that opposed the great Jessie and James.
"You
know, you really shouldn't let that thing boil over," James chided her. "It
might...."
But as he stepped closer to the couch and saw that Jessie was crying, he forgot
all about the kettle.
"Jess! What's the matter, sweetheart?!" he asked as he knealt next to her
Tom: So chivalrously, he needed an extra "a" t' add th' proper old-fashioned tinge.
and
gently placed a hand on her shoulder.
Jessie stopped crying when she heard the sound of James's voice and felt his
warm, soft
Jerry: NO.
Tom: What? I didn't even say anythin'!
Jerry: I don't need to know what you were about to say! I don't WANT to know what you were about to say!
hand caressing her. She looked up at him and saw a concerned
expression on his face.
He was a completely different man from the one she'd seen in her nightmare.
Jerry: (Jessie) EDWARD?!
Tom: (Jessie) BOSS?!
Ariana: (Jessie) ABBY?!
*pause*
*brief delay while Ariana is gently guided out of the sporking room*
Guardian's Song: All right, where were we?
When
James had been dying in her dream, all of the light had gone out of his eyes,
C!Syaoran: *peers closely at eyeballs* The wires inside are completely burnt out. They're only good for eating now. *gobbles*
and they'd faded to a dull mossy color,
C!Syaoran: *gags on moldy eyeballs*
but when she saw him now, his eyes were
the same sparkling emerald-green that they'd always been.
Guardian's Song: Fanon!Harry, is that you?
And in the dream, his
blue-violet hair had become limp and tangled from lack of grooming,
Guardian's Song: *shock* She actually admits that a fatal illness would damage his looks?! Isn't that against the Suethor Code?
but now, it
was as soft, smooth, and shiny as ever.
Tom: (James) Because I'm worth it. *tosses head*
The pallid, gaunt, shell of a man
Guardian's Song: Voldemort, is that you?
that
she'd seen in the nightmare was gone, and a rosy, healthy-looking one had taken
his place.
Jerry: (Jessie) Unfortunately, he was the wrong man.
(James Potter) *confused* What am i doing here, who are you, and why is my hair bright blue?
The only imperfection she could see now was that his nose was a
little red,
Guardian's Song: *warbling* James, the Red-Nosed Rocket~
but that was only because he'd gone through an entire box of kleenex
over the past few days, and he still had a case of the sniffles. James wasn't
dying -- he was just recovering from a cold!
Jerry: *blankly* Er... you already told us this...
Still, the very sight of him reminded her of everything she'd seen in her
nightmare, and she burst into tears again.
Guardian's Song: (Jessie) They made me read through the Draco Trilogy end-to-end! In a single sitting!
James honestly didn't know why Jessie was so upset,
Jerry: Neither do we!
and now he was more worried
about her
Tom: - complexion -
than ever. As she buried her face in the couch cushions again, he
began to stroke her hair. "Please don't cry, Jess! Please! Just tell me what's
wrong!"
Tom: (James) Just please, don't ruin the sofa cushions!
Jessie looked up at him again, and her lip quivered. "Oh, James, you were so
sick...a-and you...you...I...."
James couldn't help but laugh. "That's all?! You're getting worked up over a
little head-cold?! Oh, Jessie! You're so silly!"
An angry light sparked in her sapphire-blue eyes
Tom: She's lookin' at them herself, is she?
C!Syaoran: *inspects* More cerulean than sapphire, in my opinion. Probably blueberry-flavored.
Tom: ...*edges away*
when she heard this. "What the
hell are you laughing at?!" she demanded. "I just had one of the scariest dreams
imaginable!
Guardian's Song: (Jessie) There was Voldemort, and Slughorn, and Umbridge and the Carrow twins, all naked and converging on a single hot tub filled with aphrodisiac...
(James) You're right, that IS one of the scariest dreams imaginable!
I don't see what's so goddamned funny!"
Tom: (James) Could have been worse - the Dursleys could've been in there, too!
(Jessie) ...*attempts to strangle him*
James backed away and put his hands up, as if to shield himself. When she saw
him cowering from her, Jessie realized what she was doing -- she was screaming
at the man she loved...the one she'd been crying over because she couldn't bear
the thought of him dying. She couldn't live without him, but she'd just hurt
him!
"I'm sorry, James...I'm so sorry...." she whispered as the crying began anew.
"No. I'm sorry, Jess," he replied as he seated himself next to her. "You were
really scared, and I had no right to laugh at you."
"I still am...I'm still scared...."
"Tell me," he said, taking her hands in his own. "What happened in this
nightmare? What made you so upset?"
Guardian's Song: D8 He sounds like her MOTHER.
Jessie slowly shook her head. "You don't want to know...and I don't want to talk
about it. It's too horrible!"
Jerry: (Jessie) I never wanted to know the Carrow twins' preferences in pink lacy underwear and frilly garters - especially not when it came to Amycus!
(James) And NEITHER DID I!
James tightened his hold on her hands. "Jessica, nothing is so horrible that you
can't talk to me about it! Nothing!" he said firmly.
Tom: (Jessie) Really? Including the part where Slughorn found a whole new use for candied pineap-
(James) Except for that, except for that!
She trembled.
"Even if there's nothing I can do to help," he continued, "I'd at least like to
know what it is.
Tom: (James) Wait, no, on second thought, I don't need to know what he did with the pineapple. Never mind!
But I can't help you at all...and you can't help yourself,
either COMMA! if you keep it bottled up inside. Guardian's Song: Miss Falls, I said "that I COULDN'T apply to Ariana and Aberforth Dumbledore"! Not that you should make it MORE like their relationship!
So, please, tell me what happened."
Jessie exhaled in a ragged breath.
Guardian's Song: As opposed to exhaling in a ragged sock?
"
Jessie exhaled raggedly."
"Okay. I'll try," she whispered. But before
she could continue, her voice became stuck in her throat,
Jerry: (Jessie's Voice) I refuse to participate in a fic this wangsty. It's against union regulations.
and the only sound
that escaped was
Guardian's Song: (Jessie) - HRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONK -
another sob.
James gently caressed her tear-stained face for a moment and got up from the
couch. Jessie watched as he went back into the kitchen and poured some hot water
from the kettle into two mugs. After adding the tea-bags and letting them steep
for a few minutes, James stirred in some honey. Then, bringing the tea with him,
he returned to her side
he alternately placed his left foot in front of his right foot and his right foot in front of his left for one-sixth of a minute, then turned forty-five degrees to face Jessie and tilted his head down thirty degrees to observe her
.
Guardian's Song: Well, as long as we're detailing every little action he takes, rather than "He made some tea, added honey, and brought it back to her"...
"Here. Drink this," he said, pressing one of the warm mugs into her cold hands.
"Just relax, and remember, no matter how bad it was, it was only a dream. Only a
dream...."
Jerry: (Jessie) The entire story and alternate weepy!me/manly!you universe? That's a relief. Can we get back to chasing the twerps now?
(James) *pressing index flingers together and flexing them nervously* Um, actually, Jessie, it's not that simple...
Jessie inhaled the earthy fragrance of the echinacea tea
Jerry: Who wants to bet that's the author's favorite kind of tea?
Tom: Even th' suckers at th' Game Corner would refuse t' bet against you on that.
and took a sip as James
continued to speak softly to her. The warm drink and the soothing sound of her
lover's beautiful voice soon calmed her.
Guardian's Song:
JAMES used SOOTHING SOUND!
JESSIE is no longer confused!
"Well...in this dream, you got sick," she began.
James nodded and took a sip of his own tea. Reality manifesting itself in dreams
was a common phenomenon.
Jerry: So why do you think we need to be told this, when we likely already knew that? Even young children know this!
"Mmm, hmmm. Go on."
"But it wasn't a cold," she continued. "I don't know what it was...some kind of
incurable viral infection...and the day you came down with it, well, there was
no hope.
Jerry: The DAY? Wait, how overdramatic was the original story?
You...you just weren't going to make it to the prom...." She paused and shook her
head as more tears fell from her eyes. "Every day you got worse and worse! All
of the testing, all of the medications, all of the lengthy stays in the
hospital...
Guardian's Song: Wait, this is Team Rocket we're talking about, right? While I hate to add melodrama and rail against the medical system - how did they afford tons of medications and lengthy stays in the hospital? I -
*slaps self in face* OH! Of course. I'm talking about the Pokémon world. Healthcare seems to be entirely subsidized by the League, and even if human hospitals weren't, I'm sure Team Rocket isn't above using Pokémon Centers. Carry on then, never mind.
they didn't do shit! And there was nothing I could do but watch
helplessly as the light went out of your eyes,
C!Syaoran: EYEBALLS? ...Burnt-out eyeballs? *rattles them around for a bit in an attempt to re-ignite them, then shrugs* EYEBALLS! *eats*
and you wasted away to a shadow
of your former self.
Jerry: The Badfic Virus?! That IS a horrible illness!
There was nothing anybody could do...and I lost you forever
because of it.
"And it didn't end when you died, James!
Jerry: Um... yes, the universe doesn't literally revolve around him, you know.
Meowth and I were left all alone, and
we had to go on without you.
Guardian's Song: In genuine anime, this would turn into a heartwarming and uplifting thing where Jessie and Meowth eventually prove, despite their own initial disbelief, that they can survive without their constant friend, teammate, and, in Jessie's case, lover. Well, unless Hideaki Anno is having difficulties with his medication again.
Instead, it's an opportunity to angst about how she NEVER GETS OVER his death. *irritably* I don't see why Cori Falls was stricken by Deathly Hallows - as long as Snape's a favorite character of hers, I would have thought she would find the whole thing irresistibly romantic. I mean, he's in mourning for HIS dead love interest (even if Lily wasn't interested) for sixteen years or so! Surely this is a sign of TRUE LOVE!
I lived my entire life...lived to be an old
woman...and you weren't there for me to share it with! But the worst part is, I
never told you that I loved you while you were alive...and I never got to see
you again until I was dead, too...."
Guardian's Song: *stone-faced* Miss Falls, I requested something that I COULDN'T apply to Aberforth and Ariana's relationship. Well, minus the "I never told you that I loved you while you were alive", because they were siblings instead of love interests, but the rest of the angst fits Mr. I Have My Sister's Portrait Hanging Over My Mantlepiece In Early 1998 When She Died In Mid-1899 just perfectly. Come on, Miss Fals, I'm WAITING.
While Jessie was relating her story, James's expression became increasingly
grim. It wasn't the part about his death that bothered him so much as the
thought that he'd broken his promise...that he'd left her.
Jerry: *facepalm* You didn't have a choice to DIE!
She was a strong
woman,
Tom: *nearly falls off seat laughing*
Jerry: *sigh* In real life, she is. In this story...
but even strong people have something they fear...
Jerry: (Jessie) Being turned into a weepy damsel-in-distress by some idiot fanfiction author.
Tom: (Jessie) Dandruff, broken toenails, and Lickitung.
and Jessie's biggest
fear was abandonment -- being deserted by someone she loved. James had always
promised her that he'd make sure she was never afraid again...
Tom: An' in THIS story, 's a hopeless cause.
that he would
never leave
Guardian's Song: No! No! James, if there's anything left of you in there, FLEE THE SUE! It may be your only chance!
and that she'd never be alone.
Jerry: (Jessie) Do you mind, James? I'm trying to go to the bathroom, and it's a cramped stall.
(James) *heavy breathing* I will NEVER leave you alone.
=Later=
(Jessie) James, do you mind? This is the women's lingerie section. I'm buying fresh bras -
Tom: (James) Oh, don't mind me, Jessie - so am I!
*parody screeches to a halt*
Jerry: Er... Never mind. Next line!
It hadn't occurred to him that
something beyond his control might happen that would prevent him from keeping
his promise,
Jerry: In which case, you didn't break the promise! It was rendered null by forces outside your control!
and as he thought about it, he began to cry, too.
Jerry: ...Er, I'm sorry, but I wish to file a complaint with the usual description of Cori Falls's stories. Yes, I know I used it, too.
Everyone says these are weepy!Jessie/MANLY!James stories. My question - where is the manly James? The only reason he's comforting Jessie is that he takes a few minutes longer to burst into tears at the slightest provocation...
When Jessie was done telling him about the nightmare, her voice trailed off and
gave way to sobbing once more. She looked more like a small, frightened child
than a grown woman,
Jerry: Um - thank you for summarizing everything wrong with these stories, fic!James!
Guardian's Song: *tantrum* Stop this! I TOLD you, Miss Falls, I wanted something that COULDN'T be applied to Ariana and Aberforth!
That's it! That's IT! I'm starting a count!
ARIANA/ABERFORTH TALLY: ||||
and as James watched her cry, he suddenly realized that he
had to be strong for her right now.
ARIANA/ABERFORTH TALLY: |||| |
She needed to know that it had only been a
dream. A dream and nothing more.