Chapter 1- Beginnings

Everyone living in ghost town
Everyone buried in waste land
We don't want to
We don't have to be like that
Living in ghost town
All the boys shout it out loud now
All the girls scream it out louder
We don't want to
We don't have to live like that

Shiny Toy Guns- Ghost Town

Suze's POV

"Jesse?" I called from upstairs as I looked around for my purse. It held all of my money that I saved up for this occasion. Yes, Suze Simon saved up money for something other than shopping. "Jesse, is that you?" I asked again as I pulled my purse out from behind my pillow. I absently checked if my money was still there. Everything was in order.

"I'm here," Jesse said as his face suddenly appeared as he opened my door. "Knock, knock," he added as he walked towards me. He grabbed my waist and pulled me to him until our lips met. We stood there for a long moment as I felt my breathing patterns getting all messed up like his. When he pulled away from me, I noticed what he was wearing.

"Um, Jesse?" I said as I took a double-take over his body. "You do realize we're getting on a plane… to New York… in the winter…right?" I asked hesitantly. He was dressed in knee length jeans with a t-shirt that I picked out for him and a light jacket thrown over his arm.

I, on the other hand, wore a long sleeved top with jeans, and a heavy snow jacket perched on top of my luggage, prepared to shelter me from the cold winds when we got there. "Soy preparado que usted sabe," he murmered into my hair as he held me close to him.

I never knew what he was saying. Thankfully, I transferred from French to Spanish class successfully, so I was on my way there. But for the mean time, only a simple "Que" would suffice. "I'm more prepared than you know," he translated for me. "Now are you ready? Traffic is going to be heavy and we can't miss our flight," he said as he looked at his watch impatiently.

When I last talked to Gina—which was actually a week ago—we decided that I needed to see some city lights again. So while her mom talked to my mom about letting me skip off to New York with Jesse, I slyly snuck into my funds and dug out enough money to let me spend my winter vacation in New York with Jesse in peace. Yeah. I had enough to get me two flights and food costs for two weeks. Gina was letting us crash at her place, so no hotel was needed…much to my dismay.

But Jesse wasn't too thrilled on the idea for me paying for him, due to his chivalry. So, we made a deal. He said that he gets to surprise me while we're there. Yay. But, I used to live in New York, so not much can surprise me while I'm there.

"Almost," I said as I grabbed a few things off of my bed and stuffed them into my suitcase. When I finally zipped it up, Jesse added my luggage pile to his-- and he carried them all down without complaint-- as we walked down the stairs together.

My mom stood by the door with tears in her eyes as Andy held her, smiling up at us. Sleepy was working, but Dopey was there with a glass that was filled with an unknown substance and Doc was there, eagerly looking at me.

"Now you kids have fun now," my mom said through tears. "And be careful, please," she added as she hugged me.

"Bye, Suze," Doc and Andy said as they each gave me a light hug. I smiled at them all as Jesse and I walked through the front door. We stepped into his new car—Toyota Camry—and stored everything in the truck. Working at the historical center did have its quirks. The staff was sufficiently surprised when female attendance started to sky rocket when Jesse was on duty, so they gave him a raise. I'm still not too thrilled about that. But he got a new car out of it, so I stifled my complaints.

"Finally," I said eagerly as I settled myself into the passenger seat. I felt oddly relieved to be away from my family and on my own with Jesse. It was like some suppressing shackle had been unlocked. Jesse just laughed as he held my hand in his.

Gina was already briefed—to an extent—on Jesse and his…history, and she was all totally psyched to meet an "ex-dead guy" as she put it as I spoke to her on the phone. And in a near frenzy, she asked me what she should wear to meet him. Did I really blame her? She didn't leave Jesse with the best impression when she left. Example A: the nail-polished stained clothes. Some advice? Don't dis Spike in front of Jesse.

Checking in, waiting, and boarding the plane was a slight blur. I really only focused when we were a few hundred feet in the air. I started to register my surroundings. The usual crowd was on the plane—old couples going for vacation, young kids who were playing gaming systems, your average business man fooling around with his laptop or briefcase, and the stunningly beautiful girl sitting somewhere discreet, seemingly glowing with happiness.

My gaze stopped on the girl. She wasn't happy, she was in near hysterics. Muffled sobs were coming from her lips and her eyes were filled to the brink with tears. But she was still glowing.

"Oh come on!" I said a little too loudly. A flight attendant shot me a dirty look as she went back to refilling a man's drink.

"What is it, Queirda?" Jesse asked me with evident concern for my mental well-being. I shook my head and grabbed the pen he was using to put finishing touches on a term paper with.

Check out the crying blondie in the next row

I scrawled on my napkin. I was only too lucky that Jesse had been gifted like me. He cast a small glance at the hysterical girl who was only growing louder by the minute. "¿Ahora de todas las veces?" he muttered to himself as he looked at the ceiling. "Go talk to her," he said. Of course he would say that. I had to be polite to the crazy spirits that hung out on airplanes who were in hysterics.

"How?" I muttered back. "There's a guy next to her. I'm not going over there. He's going to think I'm insane."

"Tell her to go to the bathroom and follow her there," he offered as he scratched out a word on the paper lying in front of him.

"Have you ever been in one of these bathrooms?" I asked disbelieving. I already knew the answer, but I continued. "You're lucky if you can get in there at all!"

"You're, going to have to try," he said softly. I knew he was trying to be kind, but I really didn't want to deal with this during my vacation.

"Fine," I grumbled as I unbuckled my seatbelt. I pretended to knock over a magazine I brought with me so I could pick it up. While I was bent over, I pulled lightly on the now screaming blonde girl. She stopped at once.

"You…you can see me?" she asked, wide-eyed. I nodded once as I walked to the bathroom. She got my message because she walked along with me.

Once we were in the safe, but small, confines of the bathroom, I settled myself there. I felt that it would take a while because her face seemed filled with questions. I jumped up onto the counter as she leaned against the wall.

"Okay, so, I'm sure you've already heard about people like me from where ever you came from. I'm a mediator. I can see and talk to ghosts, like you. Now let me say this. You're dead. I can't change that. But, I can get you to a better place than this. You're still here 'cause you got a problem. So…spill it. What's bugging you so much?" I said quickly. I didn't want to stay in here too long.

"My boyfriend," she choked out. "He…he…"

"Killed you?" I offered. She looked at me like I slapped her.

"Of course not! Alex would never do that! He's…planning on going out with someone else. Today. And he can't do that! He promised he would love me forever. Forever. I know he's going to regret it one day. Please help him," she pleaded. I looked her over once. Maybe she was crazy.

"Does he live in New York?" I asked slowly. She nodded her head vigorously.

"I can take you there when we land," she told me eagerly. I looked down. I was going to kill Jesse for this.

"Now look…" I paused.

"Lindsay."

"Now look, Lindsay. I'm kind of here with my boyfriend," I said. So, I'll do what I can, but this is kind of vacation time for me, okay? So, I can't go and follow him to Jersey or whatever, okay?" I verified.

"That's totally fine," she said. "I just need a little help, is all," she said. "I can take the rest from there. Trust me," she said confidently. "But does your boyfriend…you know…know?" she asked.

"What, Jesse?" I asked. "He used to be one. But, I'm not telling the story now. I need to get out of here. You can come…sit with us if you want," I offered unwillingly. Jesse was so getting it.

"Really?" Lindsay asked me excitedly.

"Come on," I muttered as I slid through the doors and back to my seat.

"Wait, a second," Lindsay said. "What's your name?"

"Susannah Simon," I muttered back. And then all hell broke loose.

A/N: So? What do you think? Please rate and review because this one has potential! I stayed up until midnight for this to make it long, so I must love you! Oh, BTW to all of my "Love Me Dead" readers: currently working on Chapter 10! Sorry, I've been preoccupied. Love you!

-Daisy