A/N My new tale! Its kind of new to what I've written before, and I like this first chappie!Its long-ish, and I think I kinda accomplished a Jesse-like POV! The whole story will be in Jesse's POV, much to the delight of some of my readers! Please review, I want this to be liked as much as Meant to Be!

Gee, I use a lot of exclamation marks.

Summary:

After long-term romances with both Jesse and Paul, Suze shocks them both by embarking on a whirlwind romance with a complete stranger, and is gone one morning from Carmel without trace. Can Jesse fight for the girl he wants, or will Paul get there first?

Chapter One: The Note

The moment my key slid into the lock, I relaxed. 48 hours of Susannah and me, uninterrupted by lingering term papers and demanding professors. It was going to be Heaven.

I always loved weekends. Leftover pizza for breakfast, a soppy chick-flick fest (Susannah's choice, not my own, of course) late at night, romantic cuddles on the couch... I had things made.

I threw my folders onto the breakfast counter and collapsed onto the couch, turning on the Sports Channel. Thats a great thing about the 21st century. Football.

I was calm, I was collected, and completely unaware of anyone behind me, until I felt warm hands on my shoulders.

"Tough day at NoCal?" I heard a gentle whisper in my ear, and those hands massaged my shoulders deeply. "You're so... tense."

I turned around to face a smiling Susannah. No matter where I was, or how used I had become to staring into her face, her brilliant green eyes always caught me by surprise, and locked my gaze. They sparkled with mischief as she leant in for a kiss.

"Hello," she said, after she broke away.

I smiled back. "Hello, Susannah."

I grabbed her by the elbows and pulled her onto my lap. She giggled as I stroked her cheek with one callused finger, but then silenced as I placed a fingertip to her lips.

"Jesse," she whispered. "I love you."

"I love you too," I replied, and met her mouth with a soft, passionate kiss. She wrapped her warm, soft hands around my head and pulled me closer. We were perfect, no matter what came between us.

xxxx

"You mean to tell me," Paul said, with an expression of utmost disgust on his face. "That you love him?"

A slow, salty tear crept its way down Susannah's cheek. "Yes," she whispered, taking my hand. "I'm so sorry, Paul."

Paul met my gaze. "And you love her too?"

I smiled sadly. "How could I not?" I asked. "She's so beautiful, and smart, and passionate."

"I know all that," replied Paul. He dug in his pocket for a velvet box. He tossed it to Susannah. "Which was why I was going to give you this."

Susannah snapped it open. Inside lay a delicate, sparkling diamond ring. She looked at me, and then at Paul.

"Yeah, an engagement ring," he muttered. "Keep it, if you want. It was going to be yours anyway."

"Thank you so much Paul," gushed Susannah. "For this.. and for everything."

"Whatever," Paul replied, turning away. But with a nod to me, he said, "Treat her well."

I awoke with a jolt to find Susannah in my arms, wrapped in our duvet. She was so beautiful, even when asleep and snoring softly. I pulled her closer, and rested my head on hers.

xxxx

"So," Susannah said sadly as she hauled her suitcase into my lounge. "This is it."

"It really is," I replied. "Are you OK?"

Susannah dropped her suitcase. "Of course," she said. "I'm with you."

I smiled, and took her in my arms. "But?" I whispered in her ear.

"I.. I just feel bad. About Paul, I mean."

"He had to find out sometime," I said. "And it was better this way. Before you made love."

Susannah sniffed, and pulled away. "Paul... Paul and I were never going to have sex," she said, awkwardly.

"Why not?" I asked. I mean, I knew I was a little anti - pre-martial activities, but I always thought I was in a minority.

"Aw geez, Jesse, you can't expect me -"

"Why?"

Susannah sighed heavily. "Because," she said. "Because I always wanted my first time to be with you!"

She covered her mouth the second the words came from it. But it was too late. I had heard.

I took her hand. "Really?" I asked, pulling her closer.

"Yes," she whispered.

"Then it will be," I stated firmly.

Susannah looked up to me with big, green, glassy eyes. "W-what?" she asked. "I thought... you always said-"

"I have always said," I replied. "Which is why - " I crouched down. "- I'm asking you... Susannah Simon. Will you marry me?"

"Yes!" she cried, leaping onto me, and nearly knocking me over. "Yes!"

She kissed me hard on the mouth, then leaped off.

"Oh my god," she said. "I have to go ring Cee Cee!"

I awoke again, for the second time, to find myself alone in the bed we shared. I got out, and put on a shirt.

"Right," I called, striding into the kitchen. "Am I cooking breakfast or are you-"

Susannah was nowhere to be found. None of her lilac scent hung in the air. No clothes of hers were hanging around, none of her bras hung of the doorknobs (an annoying habit). There was no evidence that she'd even set foot in the apartment.

"Susannah?" I cried. "Susie?"

Something caught my eye. It was a note, messily scrawled onto scrap paper, lying by the bread bin.

It read:

Dear Jesse,

A year ago, I agreed to marry you. I loved you then, and I love you now. I tell you everyday. But somehow, what was between us then, isn't there now. I've met somebody else.

His name is Marco. He's a marine biologist, and we're going to Austrailia, to study marine life. I love him, Jesse. I'm so sorry.

Suze

x

And underneath the paper, lay the ring I'd slipped onto her finger a year ago.