Summary- one-shot Suze goes missing on Christmas Eve. She wakes up to find herself in a life or death situation. Will Jesse be able to rescue her before it's too late? Multiple POV.

Disclaimer- I own nothing but the plot.

This is just a new idea I had for a story... please R & R and let me know if its good enough to make a sequel. starryxnights

SPOV

I woke up unable to move. Something was binding my hands and feet together. I tried to move to see my surrounding but every bone in my body ached. I collapsed back down to the floor and tried to scream for help, but my screams were muffled by something stuffed and fastened around my mouth and head.

I began to sob quietly, all alone in the dark. I would give anything to be home with Jesse, sitting by the fire, rocking gently in his arms… instead I was stuck here, all alone, on the cold, damp floor. On Christmas Eve. Perfect.

I tried to shift. My bedroom, Jesse's apartment; anywhere but this hell. I could almost feel the warmth of the places I loved. After a while I realised it was useless. I couldn't shift.

For a long time I just lay in a collapsed heap on the stone floor. All I could hear was the repetitive dripping from pipes somewhere. I began to reminisce every little detail about Jesse. His liquidy, hypnotic gaze, his broad, ridged torso, the way it felt to lie in his arms, listening to him whisper Spanish into my ears… everything about him seemed to be a distant memory.

My sobs became louder after that. How I longed to listen to Jesse call me his querida and whisper Spanish nonsense to me. I tried to scream Jesse's name but nothing came out. I focused on screaming Jesse's name as loud as I could… nothing except muffles could be heard.

Suddenly there was laughter. Completely evil laughter, as if someone was enjoying watching me suffer.

'Scream all you want, no one will hear you,' a voice rang out from the darkness. A voice I never wished to hear. A voice Jesse said he would protect me from always.

Paul.

JPOV

'Suze!' Andy called upstairs. It was the third time he'd called Susannah, and I was getting a bit anxious. I stood up from where everyone was gathered in the Ackerman living room and walked over to the stairs, where Andy was waiting impatiently for Susannah to come downstairs.

'I'll go and find her,' I said. He nodded and headed back to where everyone was seated by the fire.

I knocked on Susannah's door and called her name, but there wasn't a reply. I quietly opened her door and checked around her room and bathroom, but she wasn't anywhere.

Then I saw a slip of paper lying on her bed, along with the heart necklace I'd given to her as a present for her eighteenth birthday. She hadn't taken it off since the moment I'd given it to her, a little over two months ago.

I slowly picked up the printed note in my shaking hands and read it,

I have taken Suze.

Forget her; she won't be coming back… alive.

Involve the cops and you'll be receiving a dead corpse of your beloved in the mail.

I punched a hole into Susannah's wall. My querida was missing. I had failed her. I had told her that I would always be here for her, no exceptions.

I ran out into the hallway, where Susannah's parents had rushed upstairs upon hearing the crack. 'Jesse, what's wrong?' Andy asked. 'What was the noise?'

I showed them the note. Susannah's mother immediately broke down in tears.

'We have to find her, now,' I said harshly.

'Come downstairs, Jesse, we'll sort out a plan to find her,' Andy said, 'and we will not involve the cops until it is absolutely necessary.'

'We cannot waste any time!' I shouted. 'My querida is missing. Some bastard has taken her. I cannot even think of what they might be doing to her!' My whole body was shaking with anger and fear for Susannah.

'Jesse, calm down, this will only take a minute,' Andy said. 'Please, Jesse, everyone will be worried about Suze, but there is no need for us to all check the same streets.'

I slowly nodded. There was no point in me becoming angry. It wasn't going to help find my querida. I followed Andy and Helen downstairs to the room of waiting people. As Andy began to form a search plan, I stared out into the dark, cold night.

Somewhere out there, alone in the dark on Christmas Eve, was my querida.

SPOV

I blinked in the sudden brightness. The room was illuminated so that I could see Paul sitting on a single chair by the door. 'Suze, you don't seem too happy to see me,' Paul said, smirking. He slowly untied the cloth wrapped around my mouth. I coughed as I quickly breathed in air.

'Where's Jesse? Have you hurt him?' I demanded. Paul stood over me, laughing.

'Oh, your precious Jesse is safe,' Paul said, 'But I doubt he'd want you in the state you are in. Your arms are bruised, your clothes are bloody, and your skin has cuts all over it...'

Hey there green eyes you are just in time,
You're under my knife.
I will clean you up and show you then to all of my friends
And we will walk around town hand in hand,
To show them you're mine
And I will write you some rock and roll song that goes something like this...

'What have you done, Paul? Is this some sick, twisted idea of a joke?' I tried to scream, but my throat was still sore from being gagged.

'It's simple, Suze, if I can't have you, neither can Jesse,' Paul said. 'I've drugged you, so you can't shift or use any other shifter powers. Jesse will never know what happened to his precious, little querida.'

'Don't you dare call me that.' I said sternly.

'Or what, Suze? You'll bash me up?' he kneeled down and sat me up roughly against the wall. Pain shot through my body at the sudden movement. 'In case you haven't noticed, you are in no position to make threats.' His breaths were hot and sweaty. He stood up slowly and hit me hard across the face. I clenched my teeth and tried not to cry out.

'How did you get me here?' I asked. 'I can't remember anything.'

Paul laughed. 'I waited in your room until you entered, and I whacked you over the head with a metal rod. You were out cold instantly.' I stared at him, afraid of what he would do next. 'It was more of a task then I realised to get you here,' he continued. 'I didn't beat you anymore… the various cuts and bruises were acquired on the way here.'

Hey green eyes,
Just in time,
I am all that you need

'Where is here?' I asked. He hit me across the other cheek.

'You will listen to me whilst I am talking!' he shouted. Tears strolled down my cheek as I tried to crumple into a heap of the floor. Paul yanked me back against the wall and hit me again.

'When I managed to move you here, I drugged you- a simple injection into your blood that terminates your shifting powers for 24 hours. No shifting power has ever been used whilst somebody is under the drug.'

I bit my lip and tried to stop myself from shaking with fear. The stone floor felt so cold, like the echoes of Paul's voice ringing throughout the room. But the room of where…

'Why, Paul?' I asked slowly, fighting my tears. 'Why hold me as a hostage?'

Flickers of loneliness swept across his eyes, but were removed as suddenly as they had appeared. 'Why? Why!' he shouted. 'Because Jesse got you instead of me. He didn't deserve you. He died, Suze. Died! He wasn't meant to get another chance at life- nobody is.

'So I figured: if I can't have you, Suze, neither can Jesse.'

Hey there brown hair you will compliment my image this week,
And we will get along just fine as long as you never speak.
And I'll try not to break your heart darling if you keep smiling.
I'll just keep you on the shelf

My eyes widened with shock, realising what he was going to do. 'Y-your… going t-to k-kill me?' I stammered. An evil grin spread across Paul's face.

'Yes, Suze. Your life is over. You will never see your precious Jesse again. Ever.'

I shook my head. 'Paul, there has to be something you want. I'll do anything… just please, let me live…'

'No, Suze. I thought about you being stuck, here, with me forever. I'd look after you. But sooner or later, you'd find a way to escape. You always do.' He turned his head away. 'Don't you see, Suze? This is my only option.' He turned back to me, evil flickering throughout his eyes. 'Of course, your precious Jesse may receive your body in the mail.'

Hey green eyes,
Just in time,
I am all that you need

'Paul, you need help,' I said, crying. Crying for Jesse… the Jesse I love… I may never see him again.

'Please, Paul, let me help you. We'll get you the best doctor money can buy.'

'You're still doing it, Suze! Talking in "we". There is no more "we". No more you and Jesse, okay? It's all over Suze.' He hit me across my face and walked out of the room. I slumped down to the floor and sobbed as I heard the locks turn on the other side.

'Jesse…' I cried. 'Please, Jesse, hurry…'

JPOV

I blinked away a tear for my querida in the flashing lights of the Christmas tree.

I registered someone talking about a plan, to rescue Susannah, but I couldn't understand the meaning of it.

I stared out into the darkness, illuminated by the Christmas lights on every house. I could hear carols being sung somewhere nearby.

I couldn't understand why the whole world hadn't stopped for Susannah. Why everyone I've ever seen wasn't out there, checking every street, house, warehouse…

After everything she has done, I let her down. I let somebody take her hostage from right under my nose.

I slipped my hand into my pocket and pulled out a small, velvet box. I slowly opened the lid to reveal a diamond engagement ring. I had been planning to ask my querida to marry me tomorrow, on Christmas. Now I may never get the chance…

The ring sparkled from the light from the fire. How I wished Susannah was here, rocking gently in my arms by the warmth of the fire…

I shut the box suddenly and jumped up as the realisation hit me. I knew where my querida was…

I ran outside to my car, through the snow, and fumbled with my keys as I tried to unlock my car. After what seemed like hours, I was screeching out of the Ackerman's driveway and down the streets. I could hear people shouting at me to "slow down" and "watch where I was going", but I didn't take any notice of them.

After a couple of minutes of driving around Carmel, I screeched to a halt in front of a blacked-out house.

SPOV

I registered a car screeching to a stop somewhere nearby.

'Please let it be Jesse…' I whispered to myself. Suddenly the door to the room flung open, and Paul came marching in. He lifted his hand to reveal a shiny, silver handgun.

'This is the end, Suze. No more you and Jesse, no more pain for me… just pain for everyone who ever pretended to love you.'

'Paul, if you really love me, let me go. You know the saying- If you love something, set it free. If it was meant to be, it will come back to you.'

Paul lifted the gun and pointed it at my head. 'You're too messed up to know the true meaning of that saying. Goodbye, Suze.'

Hey green eyes,
Just in time,
I am all that you need

'Jesse!' I screamed. Suddenly, Jesse appeared from nowhere and dived on top of Paul. The gun fired; the bullet ricocheted off the wall just above my head. I tried to scream, but all the noise seemed to catch into one huge lump in my throat.

I watch as Jesse ripped the gun from Paul's hand and throw it across the room. I heard the first sickly crack of Paul's nose breaking before pounding noises as Jesse beat Paul unconscious. Paul finally slumped to the ground and Jesse came rushing over to me. He untied me immediately, and pulled me close into his warm, strong arms.

'Jesse…' I cried.

'Shhhh… querida, it's going to be ok,' he whispered into my ear. 'I love you, querida.'

'I love you too, Jesse,' I whispered, rocking gently in his arms until the tiredness washed over me and I drifted into a deep sleep…

So what do you think? Please review and let me know what you thought. Is it good enough to make a sequel? Let me know!

starryxnights