A/N: Newest story. I know, I shouldn't start any new ones till I finish the
others. But I just couldn't resist the temptation.
Summary: Jesse disappears and now Suze finds comfort in Paul's arms. Until she accidentally opens one of the doors in the Shadowland and is transported to different worlds, and finally back to Jesse's time. Will she stay there with him? Meanwhile, Paul's looking for her like mad and all that shifting is beginning to take it's toll on Suze.
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters. They all belong to the wonderful, brilliant, mighty, Meg Cabot.
Enjoy :-) and please review when you're done!
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I sat on my bed, legs folded beneath me, tugging demurely at the soft pink sheets beneath me. "Paul," I said, grabbing one of the white pillows and hugging it tightly against my chest. "Where do you think he could be?" I shifted my attention from the sheets to the thin pink lace that bordered the pillow.
I looked up at him through my bangs. "It's really not like Jesse to be gone this long." It was really awkward, sitting here revealing everything to Paul. I was normally the kind of person to keep everything bottled up inside. And here I was, revealing my soul, my deepest darkest secrets to the one person I claimed to hate with every fiber of my being. Even more, he actually tried to kill me a while back.
So how had he managed to coax me into letting him within ten feet of me?
Well, it all began two months ago. I was sitting innocently at my computer, reading the History notes Cee Cee had sent me, since I was stuck in Father Dom's office all hour, listening to but another lecture about the dangers of mediation, when suddenly, I felt a twinge of fear in the pit of my stomach. I can't describe exactly what it was. It felt like I had finally reached the top of a roller coaster and the train was just about to drop. That same cool windy feeling and lurching stomach. I hated it.
My fingertips had gone cold. I quickly signed off the computer and slithered my feet into my slippers then climbed into bed, pulling out my Algebra textbook just to kill time. I had become semi-engrossed in the problem before me.
*Because of strong headwinds.....*
I looked up, seeing something dark rush past through the corner of my eye.
Ignore it, Suze, I told myself, it's nothing. You're just tired. Finish this and get to rest....
*.....an airplane's ground speed for the first half of a 2000 km trip averaged only 600 km/h.......*
Again, I felt something there. This whole scary-movie-seeing-something-out- of-the-corner-of-your-eye thing was a bit foolish for me since I don't just see shadows; I actually see what's making the shadow. I am the mediator. I don't get strange feelings. I get the actual ghosts.
Concentrate, Suze....
*......What must its ground speed be for the rest of the trip if it is to average 720 km/h for the entire trip?*
"Querida," My head shot up at the sound of Jesse's voice. Standing there, he looked strained, and barely visible. I could barely see the outline of his once brilliantly shining aura.
I threw the book on the ground. "Jesse," I said, reaching out to touch his cheek with the back of my hand, only he stepped backwards, even tripping over his feet in the process. "What's going on?"
"Sorry, Susannah, but it's not my place to tell you. But please, heed my warning: stay away from Paul. Please, querida, it's for your own good." His eyes just searched me for the longest time, as if seeing deep into my soul. "Promise me you'll stay away from Paul."
I nodded widly. "Yeah, I promise but, Jesse---" He dematerialized, leaving me in my empty room once again with a head buzzing with a million unanswered questions. I'm just as confused now as I was then.
As hard as it may be to believe, that was the last time I ever saw Jesse. No kiss, or hug, or even a goodbye. Nothing. Jesse was out of my life just like that.
So I guess you can imagine why I turned to Paul. I mean, with so much pent up grief, I couldn't keep it inside any longer. I had to tell someone. Cee Cee and my mother were definitely out of the question, not knowing about my special gift of gab, and I wasn't running to Father Dominic to blab about my guy problems. So the only other person there, willing to listen, was Paul.
He was always very sympathetic, which made me suspicious at first. I thought he hated Jesse, so why was he saying that Jesse would be missed? After a while, though, I learned to accept this new Paul. He'd only been so mean before because Jesse made him so mad. Really, Paul loved me and couldn't bear seeing me and Jesse together.
This situation in my room was Deja Vu all over again. I'd asked Paul the same question a million times: Why did Jesse have to leave? And he'd always give me the same answer.
"Suze," he sighed, getting up and taking a seat next to me on the bed. "If Jesse really cared about you, would he have just leave you alone like that? The answer's no, Suze. Jesse doesn't love you like I do. I'd never leave you." I smiled up at him, fluttering my lashes coyly.
He leaned in, sliding his hands into my hair, drawing me closer to him and uniting us in a deep kiss. I let out a trembling sigh, letting my body slowly melt against his. His hands moved down my back and settled on my hips, pulling me closer and closer to him until my back was against the wall.
He kissed my neck, slowly and delicately. "I love you, Suze."
I sighed, wrapping my arms around his neck. "I... I.... l-love you, too, Paul."
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Paul's POV—
Finally, I had Suze were I wanted her. No, not locked in her room, pinned against a wall (though that was a plus) but more mentally than physically. She was so vulnerable now.
I'd somehow convinced her that the real reason Jesse left was because he didn't like her. It's actually funny, now that I think about it. Even a blind man could see that de Silva loved her more than anything, but I managed to make her believe otherwise. Really just goes to show how powerful I actually am. De Silva is no match for me.
He actually had the nerve to challenge my love for Suze. Saying it was just lust, she belonged to him. But I taught him, didn't I? Is de Silva around interrupting mine and Suze's private time anymore? No, he's not. And you can thank me for that.
As always, I'd gotten exactly what I'd set out for; Suze Simon. And I coveted her so, treated her like the angel she was. Anything she wanted, she got. Because I'd never let her fall into the hands of that jerk Rico again. She was mine.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Suze's POV—
I rested my head against Paul's chest, letting it rise and fall, coinciding with the steady beat of his heart. He gently ran his fingers through my hair, his eyes closed, long lashes draping his cheeks, curling perfectly at the ends.
It's kind of ironic. I'd always imagined Jesse and me lying like this, silent, and just happy to be in each other's company. Never in a million years would I have guessed that I would be lying on my bed with Paul Slater, my arms wrapped around his neck, smiling pleasantly. But here I was, and, surprisingly, Jesse was the farthest thing from my mind.
I closed my eyes, letting myself drift into a peaceful sleep.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
A/N: So.... Whaddya think? Good? Bad? So/so? PLEASE REVIEW!!! :-) Thanks! Love, Luna.
Next Chapter:
.... I walked slowly, cautiously, the fog curling around my knee-high black boots. I shivered, hugging my arms. "Hello?" I called in a trembling voice. "Who's there?" And all at once, I heard dozens of voices whispering my name all at once. Some frantically, other calmly, and some moaning in distress. I covered my ears and stumbled backwards against one of the many doors that lined the walls. My hand fell upon the door knob and I turned it beneath my fingers. I didn't care where it took me, anywhere to escape these voices....
Summary: Jesse disappears and now Suze finds comfort in Paul's arms. Until she accidentally opens one of the doors in the Shadowland and is transported to different worlds, and finally back to Jesse's time. Will she stay there with him? Meanwhile, Paul's looking for her like mad and all that shifting is beginning to take it's toll on Suze.
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters. They all belong to the wonderful, brilliant, mighty, Meg Cabot.
Enjoy :-) and please review when you're done!
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
I sat on my bed, legs folded beneath me, tugging demurely at the soft pink sheets beneath me. "Paul," I said, grabbing one of the white pillows and hugging it tightly against my chest. "Where do you think he could be?" I shifted my attention from the sheets to the thin pink lace that bordered the pillow.
I looked up at him through my bangs. "It's really not like Jesse to be gone this long." It was really awkward, sitting here revealing everything to Paul. I was normally the kind of person to keep everything bottled up inside. And here I was, revealing my soul, my deepest darkest secrets to the one person I claimed to hate with every fiber of my being. Even more, he actually tried to kill me a while back.
So how had he managed to coax me into letting him within ten feet of me?
Well, it all began two months ago. I was sitting innocently at my computer, reading the History notes Cee Cee had sent me, since I was stuck in Father Dom's office all hour, listening to but another lecture about the dangers of mediation, when suddenly, I felt a twinge of fear in the pit of my stomach. I can't describe exactly what it was. It felt like I had finally reached the top of a roller coaster and the train was just about to drop. That same cool windy feeling and lurching stomach. I hated it.
My fingertips had gone cold. I quickly signed off the computer and slithered my feet into my slippers then climbed into bed, pulling out my Algebra textbook just to kill time. I had become semi-engrossed in the problem before me.
*Because of strong headwinds.....*
I looked up, seeing something dark rush past through the corner of my eye.
Ignore it, Suze, I told myself, it's nothing. You're just tired. Finish this and get to rest....
*.....an airplane's ground speed for the first half of a 2000 km trip averaged only 600 km/h.......*
Again, I felt something there. This whole scary-movie-seeing-something-out- of-the-corner-of-your-eye thing was a bit foolish for me since I don't just see shadows; I actually see what's making the shadow. I am the mediator. I don't get strange feelings. I get the actual ghosts.
Concentrate, Suze....
*......What must its ground speed be for the rest of the trip if it is to average 720 km/h for the entire trip?*
"Querida," My head shot up at the sound of Jesse's voice. Standing there, he looked strained, and barely visible. I could barely see the outline of his once brilliantly shining aura.
I threw the book on the ground. "Jesse," I said, reaching out to touch his cheek with the back of my hand, only he stepped backwards, even tripping over his feet in the process. "What's going on?"
"Sorry, Susannah, but it's not my place to tell you. But please, heed my warning: stay away from Paul. Please, querida, it's for your own good." His eyes just searched me for the longest time, as if seeing deep into my soul. "Promise me you'll stay away from Paul."
I nodded widly. "Yeah, I promise but, Jesse---" He dematerialized, leaving me in my empty room once again with a head buzzing with a million unanswered questions. I'm just as confused now as I was then.
As hard as it may be to believe, that was the last time I ever saw Jesse. No kiss, or hug, or even a goodbye. Nothing. Jesse was out of my life just like that.
So I guess you can imagine why I turned to Paul. I mean, with so much pent up grief, I couldn't keep it inside any longer. I had to tell someone. Cee Cee and my mother were definitely out of the question, not knowing about my special gift of gab, and I wasn't running to Father Dominic to blab about my guy problems. So the only other person there, willing to listen, was Paul.
He was always very sympathetic, which made me suspicious at first. I thought he hated Jesse, so why was he saying that Jesse would be missed? After a while, though, I learned to accept this new Paul. He'd only been so mean before because Jesse made him so mad. Really, Paul loved me and couldn't bear seeing me and Jesse together.
This situation in my room was Deja Vu all over again. I'd asked Paul the same question a million times: Why did Jesse have to leave? And he'd always give me the same answer.
"Suze," he sighed, getting up and taking a seat next to me on the bed. "If Jesse really cared about you, would he have just leave you alone like that? The answer's no, Suze. Jesse doesn't love you like I do. I'd never leave you." I smiled up at him, fluttering my lashes coyly.
He leaned in, sliding his hands into my hair, drawing me closer to him and uniting us in a deep kiss. I let out a trembling sigh, letting my body slowly melt against his. His hands moved down my back and settled on my hips, pulling me closer and closer to him until my back was against the wall.
He kissed my neck, slowly and delicately. "I love you, Suze."
I sighed, wrapping my arms around his neck. "I... I.... l-love you, too, Paul."
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Paul's POV—
Finally, I had Suze were I wanted her. No, not locked in her room, pinned against a wall (though that was a plus) but more mentally than physically. She was so vulnerable now.
I'd somehow convinced her that the real reason Jesse left was because he didn't like her. It's actually funny, now that I think about it. Even a blind man could see that de Silva loved her more than anything, but I managed to make her believe otherwise. Really just goes to show how powerful I actually am. De Silva is no match for me.
He actually had the nerve to challenge my love for Suze. Saying it was just lust, she belonged to him. But I taught him, didn't I? Is de Silva around interrupting mine and Suze's private time anymore? No, he's not. And you can thank me for that.
As always, I'd gotten exactly what I'd set out for; Suze Simon. And I coveted her so, treated her like the angel she was. Anything she wanted, she got. Because I'd never let her fall into the hands of that jerk Rico again. She was mine.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Suze's POV—
I rested my head against Paul's chest, letting it rise and fall, coinciding with the steady beat of his heart. He gently ran his fingers through my hair, his eyes closed, long lashes draping his cheeks, curling perfectly at the ends.
It's kind of ironic. I'd always imagined Jesse and me lying like this, silent, and just happy to be in each other's company. Never in a million years would I have guessed that I would be lying on my bed with Paul Slater, my arms wrapped around his neck, smiling pleasantly. But here I was, and, surprisingly, Jesse was the farthest thing from my mind.
I closed my eyes, letting myself drift into a peaceful sleep.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
A/N: So.... Whaddya think? Good? Bad? So/so? PLEASE REVIEW!!! :-) Thanks! Love, Luna.
Next Chapter:
.... I walked slowly, cautiously, the fog curling around my knee-high black boots. I shivered, hugging my arms. "Hello?" I called in a trembling voice. "Who's there?" And all at once, I heard dozens of voices whispering my name all at once. Some frantically, other calmly, and some moaning in distress. I covered my ears and stumbled backwards against one of the many doors that lined the walls. My hand fell upon the door knob and I turned it beneath my fingers. I didn't care where it took me, anywhere to escape these voices....