Disclaimer: I do not own any characters in this fanfiction; they all belong to Meg Cabot. Copyright infringement is not intended.

A/N This one just sort of came to me ( hopefully it is better than my other fics ). Set during Darkest Hour. Jesse POV.

Susannah has been acting somewhat strange lately. Well, Susannah is always strange, but ever since her stepfather has been digging in the backyard she has become somewhat skittish. She finally confessed to me what it was the other night, while in her stepbrother's bedroom.

Does she really think that my body being found would change the fact that I am here with her? And why should she care whether or not I leave? I always thought it was her fondest wish to have me out of her life. Apparently not, I have realized since talking to her a few nights ago. She was afraid I would leave her, once my corpse was found. But here I am still, haunting what is now her home. And I do not think she will ask me to leave. I hope she will not ask me to leave.

Truth be told, I love Susannah. Although she does not know it. And I hope that she never realizes it. If she knew of my feelings for her, she would either be completely disgusted, and leave me anyway, or she would not be able to focus on her work as a mediator. And being unfocused in her line of work could possibly have deadly consequences. The last thing I want is for Susannah to be hurt, whether or not it feels like I am dying again because I can never be romantically involved with her.

Suddenly, I feel a pull, and I am being pulled away from my spot on the rooftop of Susannah's house. I feel like I am flying for a few seconds, then stop. I look around and realize that I am in a little boy's bedroom, and I am being swallowed into a vortex. I have never witnessed this sight before, but I know exactly what it is. An exorcism?

I look at the little boy who is performing the exorcism. I have not come across a boy this young in over 150 years, with the exception of Susannah's stepbrother David. He cannot be more than eleven years old, with brown hair and eyes and a small build. I know I have never seen him before. What have I done to make him wish to exorcise me?

The boy stares back at me with utmost hate. " This is for messing with Suze. Now you'll leave her alone," he says.

Susannah? What does she have to do with this? Then I realize. She must know this child. She must have told the boy to exorcise me. Dios, I am a fool. I thought she might have cared for me, enough so that she would not make me leave. After all we had said to each other that night in David's room, I thought I had begun to understand her. Now, however . . .

I look down in shame at my stupidity. I should have known that a girl as remarkable as she would not wish to be burdened by a man such as myself. She simply saw me as a ghost to be mediated, and when she found that she could not, she must have decided to take different measures to be rid of me.

I begin to be swallowed by smoke as I feel the exorcism coming to a close. I fight back the urge to scream. Because I know it will not do any good. Because I know that my Susannah wanted this done, and I shall therefore comply. Even in death, I could never deny her of anything. I shall leave this world forever.

Te quiero, mi querida, I think. As I am ripped out of this plane of existence for the rest of eternity.

A/N Hopefully this is better than my other stories. For those of you who do not speak Spanish, te quiero means I love you.

Thank you to those of you who reviewed ( very helpful), and to those of who haven't, get to it! (please?) I may add another chapter . . . we'll see how many people review ( hint hint).