A/N: I DO NOT OWN THE MEDIATOR SERIES IT IS COPYRIGHT MEG CABOT THIS IS ONLY A FANFICTION.

Title: Chapter Twenty and a Half
Author: The Inamorata

"He lifted the hand I wasn't clutching, plucked aside the oxygen mask that had been covering his nose and mouth, and said just one word.

But it was a word that sent my heart singing.

"Querida."

- The Mediator, Book Six, Twilight by Meg Cabot (page 288)

Jesse's eyes closed again gently, the grip on my hand relaxing. His chest was still rising, slow and steady, with each breath. He was alive. He really was. I couldn't believe. Not only was Jesse not taken from me, but here he was, in the flesh.

Tears filled my eyes again, but I made no sound. Just two heavy flows streaming quietly from my eyes. Tears of joy, I realized, that felt so different compared to my previous crying episodes.

I looked up at Father Dom, who had a sad smile on his face as he peered at me. "I guess it's not the end after all," he said softly, and looked back at Jesse, whose muscular chest was moving up and down, up and down.

I was at a lost for words. I just couldn't believe what was happening. I almost didn't believe it.

Almost.

Father Dom and I sat there, watching Jesse sleep peacefully for only a few minutes, but what seemed like an eternity. After a while, Father Dom excused himself, mentioning something about having to sort out school business or something. But I wasn't really listening; I had too much on my mind. After realizing this, he just nodded and left.

The doctor came in soon after that, and I told him Jesse had not only woken up, but had moved and spoken. The doctor was happy, jotted down a few things on a clipboard, and then left, right after reassuring me that Jesse would be one hundred percent okay because of this improvement.

I guess this is when I realized how tired I really was. Shifting between dimensions is no picnic.

Speaking of picnics, I realized I was hungry, too.

But I didn't want to miss when Jesse woke up again. Despite my aching stomach- well, actually, I ached all over at this point- I didn't leave Jesse's side. I tried hard not to doze off. I even declined when the nurse offered to bring me some food.

However, this was easier said than done. I felt like I was somewhere in between, not quite awake, but not quite asleep either. My mind was racing, and I thought about most stupid and random things, and I couldn't even get them out of my head. And while something like this would usually piss me off pretty badly, I can't say I was in any shape to care.

There was a clock in the room, but I hardly noticed it. I guess it was around six o'clock- or somewhere around dinnertime, since I saw nurses pushing carts of food down the halls through the small window in the door- when Jesse finally woke up again.

Of course I had been staring at him, watching his every movement. Any small sign of consciousness and I would start- mentally- flipping out. So when I first saw his eyelashes flutter slightly, my heart jumped a mile out of my chest.

His eyes began to open and- after blinking a few times- he turned his head to look at me. I was crying silently again, which wasn't a surprise. My lip was trembling. I wanted to say something, but I didn't know what.

"Querida," he said softly, so softly that I could barely hear it. But I didn't miss it. I waited to see if he would say something else. "Susannah," he said, lifting his hand away from mine, slowly lifting it to brush his fingers softly against my face. He was warm. Very warm.

Real warmth.

I was really crying now, since I couldn't see anything at all. I buried my face in the part of the pillow his head wasn't occupying, and cried. I just cried. And I don't even know why.

I didn't even know what emotion to feel. Or, what Jesse was feeling, even. Was he mad at me for going back? Happy at being able to live again? His deep, brown eyes just swallowed me, and between the pounding in my head and the growling in my stomach, I wasn't exactly thinking clearly. So I didn't say anything. I just cried.

Jesse reached over to a glass of water that was left for him on my bedside table. He drank it all it one gulp, and it seemed to help him regain use of his voice. He patted my head.

"Susannah?" he said, but his voice sounded odd. I looked up to see him smiling slightly. "I would think you would be happy."

This confused me. I almost lost him, more times than I wish to count, and I should be happy? Yeah, he's not dead, but…

"H-happy?" I croaked. "You're not mad at me?"

"Of course I'm not mad at you. A little disappointed that you risked your life for me, but I'm not mad." He made an odd noise, as if he was trying to laugh. I mean, seriously. He's bedridden, almost dying again, and he's laughing? "I am more surprised than anything at the moment. Who would have known that this would be the outcome? That I am very much alive, and in your time, no less."

I couldn't bring myself to smile, though I was trying really, really hard. I just sort of looked at him. I guess I looked like a complete wreck, because of what he said next.

"I think you could use some sleep, querida," he said. "Why don't you go home for now?"

I just sort of sat there, looking at him. I must have looked like an idiot, because I sure felt like one. I rested my head on his pillow again. My voice was still broken when I spoke again. "No way."

I felt him pat my head again affectionately, and then whisper in my ear, "Querida." But after that I just sort of blanked out.

When I became conscious again, I was laying on something soft. And warm. And I didn't hear the slow rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor. And it sure didn't smell like the hospital anymore.

I opened my eyes and saw a white ceiling above me. I turned my head and saw a familiar white wall next to me. I was in my own bed again, in my own room. How I got there I can only guess.

I just lay there for a while, not really caring to move. Until I felt like I was about to throw up. That got me moving, all right. Except it turns out this sudden feeling of nausea was due to my extreme hunger.

I stood up, feeling a little tipsy, like I was having a hangover or something. For a moment I honestly thought, God, what the hell did I do last night? until it all came crashing down on me.

Oh. Yeah. I remember now.

I hobbled downstairs into the kitchen. I didn't feel like making anything. Even pouring myself a bowl of cereal felt like too much work. I opened the bread box and pulled out a loaf of French bread and tore it in half. It took me oh, five seconds to devour? Yeah, I was pretty much starving.

I ate the other half, too, and washed it down with a glass of orange juice. I might have felt like I was having a hangover, but I still had enough dignity to pour it into a glass. I wasn't going to sink as low as my stepbrothers, fake hangover or not.

I wandered around the kitchen, eating a few random things here and there until I felt full. I realized it was the middle of the day and no one was home, so I had the house to myself. I went back upstairs, took a shower, brushed my teeth, and stuff like that.

All the cars were gone, so it wasn't like I could go anywhere. But I did have a phone. And a phone book. And, as it turned out, Carmel Hospital is listed in that phonebook. You can do the math.

Jesse, however, was no longer in the hospital. Apparently he had been released the day before, Tuesday.

Wait. Tuesday? Today was Wednesday? God, had I really slept for over 48 hours? Apparently so.

Next I decided to call Father Dom at the Mission. Unfortunately, it was Sister Ernestine who picked up the line.

"Miss Simon, I expect you to be here right on time tomorrow morning! Hearing you on the phone, you do not sound sick one bit! Your education in both academic and religious areas is vital for…" blah blah blah. After a few minutes of her lecture, she finally turned over the phone to Father Dom.

"Oh, Susannah, I'm glad you're feeling better!" he said when he heard me on the phone. I may be awake, but I never said I felt any better. "Oh, yes, Jesse had stayed here at the Mission for a night, but I was able to get him a small apartment just a few miles from here."

Wow, an apartment? Cool. Father Dom gave me the number and address, which I gratefully wrote on a napkin. Being Father Dom, of course, he went on talking about something or other about how what I did was wrong. Hey, but everything worked out okay so far, right? I wasn't really listening to him, and found myself drawing hearts around Jesse's number before I even realized it.

After I finally shook off the good old Father, I dialed in Jesse's number as fast as I could.

Ring.

Oh please pick up.

Ring.

God, did Jesse even know how to use a phone? (I would be so not surprised.)

Ring.

He's probably holding a cordless handset right now trying to figure our how to turn it on. Figures.

Ri-

"Hello?"

Oh my God, he actually answered. I honestly didn't think he would after the second ring. My heart was beating so fast that I didn't even say anything, and the voice said, "Hello?" again.

I snapped back to reality. "Jesse?"

"Susannah?" Jesse's voice replied. I was so happy to hear him speak. "Susannah, is that you?"

"Oh my God Jesse, are you all right?" I asked urgently. But then he laughed.

Just like that. Laughter. Sometimes he was the hardest to predict.

"Am I all right? Nombre de Dios, Susannah, you were the one sleeping for two days," Jesse's voice replied. "But if you must know, I am doing just fine. Father Dominic has made plenty of arrangements for me."

He must have realized I was silent, so he kept talking. But I wasn't really listening.

"There's a shower, and a kitchen with an oven and a stove, and…" he broke off. "Susannah? Can you hear me?"

"Yes," I replied. But my mind was wandering… on to other things. I think Jesse could tell by the tone of my voice. He didn't say anything for a while.

"Jesse…" I started. I searched desperately for the right words to say. Downstairs I heard the door slam, which meant someone was home. Upon looking out the window, I could see that it was Brad. I quickly changed what I was about to say. "Can I come over?"

"What?" Jesse asked, taken aback.

"I'll be over in ten minutes, Father Dom gave me the address. See you soon." I hung up before either of us could say goodbye.

I quickly got dressed, throwing on the first pair of jeans and black T-shirt I could find, covering it with my black leather jacket. I pulled out a random pair of flip flops from my closet and threw open my bedroom door, bolting down the stairs, practically toppling over a shocked-looking Doc.

"Hey, Suze, you're awake!" he said excitedly. I just ran past him and into the kitchen, where I grabbed the keys off the counter.

"Hey, I need those for a date tonight!" Dopey shouted angrily through a mouthful of sandwich.

As I ran out the door I said, "I'm sure Debbie will make out with you wherever, not just the back seat," and then slammed the door on his face.

I jumped into the car and started the ignition, not wasting any time. As I drove down Pine Crest Drive I pulled out the piece of paper with Jesse's address on it.

According to Father Dom, his quaint little apartment was just a few miles from the Mission, in the Carmel Apartment complexes. Being the middle of the day, the streets were almost empty except for tourists and the occasional Mission Academy or RLS student.

I arrived at the complex within five minutes, and started looking around for building 4244, Apartment C. It was the very last building at the far end of Village Drive. I jumped out of the car and practically ran up the steps.

I looked up and down to find which apartment was Jesse's. It only took me a about a minute before I found it, one of the upper-level apartments. I bounded up the stone steps and started knocking on the red wooden door like a crazy woman.

I heard footsteps, and then the click of the deadbolt unlocking, accompanied by the creak of the door as it opened.

And standing there in the doorframe in front of me was Jesse.

"Jesse!" I shouted, jumping up and hugging him.

"Susanna," Jesse, said, sounding completely shocked that I was there, even thought I told him I was coming. "What are you doing here? Could we not have just talked on the phone?"

I ignored what he said. "So you're really not mad?" I asked, my voice muffled into his shoulder.

"Oh, querida," he said, patting me on the head and guiding me slowly inside, closing the door behind him. "I already told you that I am not mad. Actually, I'm… I'm happy. That you are all right, and… and that I get a second chance at life. And not one back in my time, but here with you, in your time." He paused for a moment, and then chuckled. "But you still should have listened to me."

"So… so you're not mad?" I asked again, just to be sure. He put his hands on my shoulders, lifting me away from his chest. He took his right hand and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, his large palm resting against my cheek.

"I do not want to keep telling you, querida," he said, looking sincere. Then he pulled me close to him, passionately kissing me. The hand he had on my cheek now ran through my hair, his other exploring my lower back. I lifted my arms up around his shoulders, letting him kiss me.

After a minute or so he pulled away, turning around and walking into the kitchen. "Allow me to get you a drink. Please, have a seat anywhere you'd like."

I was little upset about him stopping the kiss, but this was the first time I actually looked around his apartment. Jesse was in the kitchen to the right, and to the left was a small couch and an even smaller TV. There was a small hallway with three doors, one I imagined led to his bedroom (bless the day we went in there), the other two the bathroom and closet.

I went to sit down on the old, second-hand couch. I noticed the TV was already turned on, and playing on the screen- to no surprise for me- was The Godfather. I guess I didn't expect any less. I just rolled my eyes.

Jesse came and sat down next to me, handing me a glass of lemonade. He put his arm around me as he took a sip through the straw. I drank some too, and it turns out it was just some MinuteMade from the carton.

I leaned my head on his shoulder, and wondered where we were in our relationship, now that he was alive, and all. I could tell he was thinking along the same lines.

"Susannah," he said, turning to look at me. "I am curious to know… since things are going to be different now…"

"Things definitely are going to be different, Jesse," I said, looking up at him. "And not just for you, since you're alive now. Everything is going to change. For example, you are now obliged to take me out somewhere all the time."

"Obliged?" he said, looking amused. He moved his arm from around my shoulders to my midsection, turning me to face him, his other hand reaching out to cup my cheek. His face was only inches away from mine now, so he spoke softly. "We can't just stay here?"

He leaned in to kiss me, and I didn't object. I moved closer to him, feeling the warmth of his chest against me. His hands had found their way under my shirt, so I didn't waste any time putting my hands under his shirt and feeling his abs.

I don't know what came over me now. I guess the heat of the moment made me ask a question I hadn't planned on asking. But, well, you know how I can get with a completely hot guy pressed up against me.

So I broke only for a second, Jesse looking surprised since he was the one to break usually, and said, "So does this mean you're coming to the Winter Formal with me?"