Here is the next chapter of Seattle called- The first shifter lesson, part one.

Review Replies-

Fizii- I'm glad you like my impression of Suze's mum! I think this is how someone like her would react to Paul-seemingly-perfect-Slater. And hey... IM UPDATING! Yay...

Saery-chan- I believe it is my personal duty to be sure every reviewer receives an answer. To me it's like this: I write- you read- you review- I reply! It balances out the universe! And, uh, plus I always feel pretty giddy when I get a review and I instantly get all flattered that they took their time to tell me I write well! I have a quick question- do you have an account? And are you planning on writing a mediator fic? Because Paul/Suze stories/updates are few and far between thank you for my review! As for your second review, well, it's a good thing you said it was a figure of speech, because I thought for a minute there I had put you in hospital or something! if anyone goes into hospital due to my writing, I would expect it to be due to mass trauma or a heart attack from my terrible writing. Not elongated neck caused by my lack of updates!

Angel4eva- 15- Yay! You're from England! Sorry... I buzz of English people reading my story. Although I don't really see why as I am English too, so... I dunno. I guess I'm just odd. Ah well, the weather here is horrid! All cold and icky thank you for using such a wicked adjective (awesome) for describing my story: D

RachelRedvines- Hahaha... I'm evil, of course I'm gonna leave you at a cliffy! Although, I could have left you at a cliffy that said, "Suze... Will you marry me?" wouldn't that have been crueller? Good thing you like being compared to Gina, because if you didn't, I probably would've been paranoid that you were gonna pop up at my door in the middle of the night with an axe and be all, "ello poppet..." sorry. I was watching pirates of the Caribbean. I cant remember whether I have asked you yet or not, so please bear with me if I already have, but have you read lolly's stories? She has some TERRIFIC stories. In fact, I think some of them (especially flashlight) are more addictive than the actual series! And as for the impatience thing? Well, I can totally relate to that, lol! Just ask Fizii, she can tell ya...

And now, without further ado, chapter 8 of Seattle

The first shifter lesson

Last time-

"The reason we are called shifters," he began, "is because we can travel back and forth between the planes of existence. This is called shifting. To shift to purgatory, the place where the souls go once you exorcise them is okay if you're carful. There are a number of other things we can do like: mind reading, mind control, dream control, making ghosts relive their death and a number of other evil things. Shifting is okay, as long as you don't go too often, but when you start experimenting with other, darker things, then... it can sort of... bring out the worst in you. And that Suze is what happened to me."

I gasped, and quickly yelped, "I knew it!" as I leapt off the sofa and ran to the door. But, just to prove that bad luck/good luck thing I pointed out back in Carmel... it was locked.

Paul Slater had locked me in his den with him. And he had basically just told me he's evil!

He looked shocked, as though he hadn't been expecting that. Actually, he looked like he hadn't just admitted to me that he was evil, as if he were completely innocent.

"Suze? Calm down! What's wrong? Why are you so... panicky?" he phrased it carefully, sounding sincere. Pfft... Probably just an act.

"Let me out! I knew it, Paul! L-let me go! Unlock the doo-oo-or!" I moaned. I swear, I tried to keep my cool, but I was just unable to do so. I kept picturing his black eyes and wondering what, exactly, he had done, who he had done it to, and, most importantly at the current time, whether or not he was going to go it to me.

Then I remembered who I was – Suze Simon, kicking mediator. I drew in a sharp breath, pulled my fist up into the defence position and then exhaled, ready to stand up for myself.

He came to stand in front of me.

Sit down, Suze. He must have a good reason for what he did. Let him explain, stay for dinner like originally planned, just relax and have a good time... a voice in my head soothed. Hmmmm... That sounded good. I really was too tired to be much good at wrestling spawn of Satan, so maybe I should just do that.

It was only once I was sat on the sofa, right next to Paul, with my hands in his, my body facing him, that I realised he was the voice in my head.

I gasped in recognition at the feeling of drowsiness that claimed me, just as I went to tell Paul to get out of my head. I knew he was doing something, but I didn't figure out what until I tried to back off of the comfortable leather sofa- only to find I couldn't!

He was using his mind-like he had in the cafeteria-to make me stay completely still, except for blinking, breathing and shivering at his sudden proximity. His breath was brushing against my cheek, and it, well... I know it's crazy but... it felt quite... nice. All cosy like, ya know?

Yes, as a matter of fact, I DO know I must be a complete nut case. A few minutes ago, I was shrieking, moaning, wanting to be away from that house, away from him. But oh no, my brain has to go and get all messed up. It is just... illogical. It doesn't make even a slither of sense but it happened.

For a few moments I hoped it was just some shifter trick Paul was playing on me and wondered if he was gonna torture me by making me go crazy, because that's what I thought was going to happen if he didn't keep his warm, minty breath off of my face.

But no, alas, my shifter intuition was telling me this reaction was purely me, to which I was devastated. The guy had just revealed to me that he messed around with like, dark magic, and all I wanted to do was curl up on the squeaky leather sofa with him.

At the same time, though, my shifter instincts were telling me to let him speak and so I brought my attention back to him, and didn't bother attempting to break the curse-thing that wouldn't let me move. Ooooooh, look at that. How did I get up here? I thought to myself. I was perched on Paul's lap, his hand cupping my chin, forcing me to look into his eyes. You know what I saw in them?

Pain.

He was greatly hurt by what I thought about him and the torture thing (he had been reading my thoughts, which I still found creepy and kinda rude). Also, sincerity, which made me obliged to accept his next request. (A/n- Ooooh, doesn't that sound all posh and smarty-pants-like?)

"Suze, please I can explain. I swear, I don't do that sort of thing anymore, and I'm not going to hurt you. Suze, I couldn't hurt you even if I wanted to. I'd rather die than see you get hurt, so please, stay and let me explain. I'm sorry about scaring you when I... well, you know. And I'm sorry about everything else too! But really I regret ever doing any of those things that caused me to be like... that. Will you stay? Think your answer, I'll listen."

OH. MY. GOD! Did Paul Slater just say he'd die for me? HE DID! OH MY GOSH! He's so much sweeter than I thought! And cute too! Rare combination...

His face had been etched into a look of sadness and all negative emotions, but suddenly, his mouth tilted up at the sides. No, not at THE side, but on both sides. It wasn't a smirk, or a grin. It was an actual smile. He raised his eyebrows at me, chuckling a little, and I realised something: he had just heard my thoughts. My thinking about him being all sweet and stuff.

Instantly I blushed and thought 'okay, okay, I'll listen. Just... let me talk.'

"Sorry about the mind control thing. I thought you were going to leave."

"I understand... I think. So, please tell me why you felt so inclined to torture ghosts. And what you did to them. As well as whom you did it to. And no lying!"

He took a deep breath and then looked down at me. he looked sort of weird, before he said, "Would you mind moving? It's a little... distracting" he looked away and I remembered I was on his lap. Blushing I muttered a 'sorry' and moved to sit next to him.

"Okay, it basically started about 7 or 8 months ago, when this ghost came to me for help. As usual, I gave him the normal choice I gave ghosts: leave or be exorcised. The biker ghost left for a few days but then returned. I was in a good mood so I gave him another chance to leave and he did. Except that night, he came back while I was asleep. Thanks to my advanced senses, I woke up as soon as he arrived, but I wasn't quick enough in my half asleep state. He broke my nose and, I am horrifically embarrassed to admit, intimidated me a bit. Apparently, all he had wanted to do was cause me some damage, so he left, satisfied.

Once he was gone, I was so angry, I decided to exact revenge. I had given him a chance to stick around and that was how he repayed me? I sought out a curse that would bind him to eternal slavery, working for me, doing anything and everything I made him. It was all going well for a few days until I noticed that the power was going to my head. I then started to feel sort of bad, which I didn't like. After all, back then, I thought having emotion made you weaker, more vulnerable- which I guess it does." For the first time during all of his explanation, he smiled a genuinely warm smile. I knew what he was referring to (the I-would-rather-die-than-see-you-hurt thing) and I flushed as he carried on.

"Anyway, I made him tell me all about himself, but he refused. Frustrated and impatient, I conjured up this fiery whip thing- I will explain that another time if you want –and, well, whipped him with it until he gave me the information I needed. I discovered he'd been a good for nothing, murdering thief and all the guilt, the doubt, disappeared and I became infatuated with the idea that maybe that was why I had been given these powers. That perhaps it was actually my duty to punish the souls of sinners. And so, for the next month or so, I made all the ghosts who visited me tell me about their lives, deciding which punishments should be used on which sinners. If they hadn't sinned I simply exorcised them. After that first month was around the time I realised there were side affects to using all these horrible curses and the likes. I was no longer really myself and I lashed out at the smallest thing. I became more violent and swore a lot more than I used to- basically, I turned terribly bad.

I tried my best not to use my powers like that anymore, and succeeded. I am now able to control my temper a lot better and my usual interests are returning- I have also gained emotions, which I didn't think I was capable of having till I went on holiday..." he smirked, but I was too astounded to slap him. I dimly registered that he changed mood a lot and wondered if was to do with what... what we had spoke about.

Oh my god.

This was just, too much to take in. I felt like I was gonna faint. Or start hyperventilating. This is what I did.

Start hyperventilating, I mean.

Paul's P.o.v-

I had just revealed everything to Suze and so far she had been quiet. I was beginning to worry she was just going to up and leave or shout at me and tell me I was a horrible human being and refuse to ever talk to me again.

"Suze? Please speak," I requested softly. She had a stunned look on her face and her eyes were glazed over. What is she was having a heart attack or something?

Nah, she wasn't. Although, she did start breathing really rapidly. A little freaked, I asked again, "Suze? Please speak. Are you okay? Suze?"She just carried on hyperventilating.

"Y-you actually used your p-powers to ens-slave g-ghosts?" she finally managed to squeak out. Her voice was so adorably squeaky, that for a moment, all I could do was grin like an idiot.

Until I realised what she had said. And why she was hyperventilating. She was scared and that was not good.

"Suze, I explained, it was all a mistake. I was angry and I acted rashly, only doing bad things to those who truly deserved it! All I did was balance out the natural order of things. Please though Suze I already told you, I don't do things like that anymore! Please Suze, look at it logically!" I begged.

Well, not literally, that'd be sad. But I was pretty close. Slowly she shook her head.

"No. No, you... you're lying! Y-you're just messing with my head! Stop it! I can't take it! You're lying, I know you are! You probably enslave ghosts all the time! You haven't changed at all!" She shrilled, leaping off the sofa. I made her stop, and she fell to the ground, shuddering in anticipation of what she thought was going to happen.

I read into her mind and the same 4 words were rushing through her head.

He's gonna kill me, he's gonna kill me, he's gonna kill me!

I ventured a little further and found what I was looking for.

It's not the fact I'm about to die that makes me upset; it's the fact that I had been deceived by him so easily and so thoroughly. He said he would rather die than see me get hurt. How do I know he didn't mean he'd rather see ME die tan get hurt?

I felt well and truly pained. I was so pained in fact, that I didn't even register what her thoughts meant until later on that evening.

I scooped her up from the floor cradling her in my arms, with her head resting on my shoulder. Tears pooled in her eyes; her expression was one of true upset; fear.

"Shhhhhh. It's okay Suze; I don't want to hurt you." I muttered; she heard me.

'You're lying! You want to kill me! You made me feel happy and then you took it away! Put me down! Don't TOUCH me!' she mentally screeched at me.

"Suze, please! I wouldn't EVER want to hurt you. I care about you too much. Please, trust me! Listen to your shifter-instincts. They never fail." I advised.

They're telling me... t-to trust you. But... they might be lying!

"Suze, please, you wouldn't lie to yourself about your life would you? No, you wouldn't."

She seemed to consider this for a moment and I cautiously took the spell off her. She didn't go anywhere. She closed her eyes and I didn't invade her thoughts. That was only to be done in emergencies.

I carried her to the sofa and she laid across it, her head on my knees.

"Paul?" she murmured.

"Yes Suze?" I replied softly.

"I'm sorry for not trusting you." She whispered.

I smiled softly at the guilty look on her peaceful face, amazed at her compassion. "I understand,"

"Oh and I have a question. Do all the mind things make the other person tired? Like, when you read my mind, I feel tired, the same as when I call a ghost or when you used that weird power on me to make me really still." She questioned.

"Uh, yeah it can do. But that fades after a few days. Why are you sleepy?"

"A bit" she replied, stifling a yawn.

I laughed quietly and fingered her hair. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.

I inwardly groaned, but nonetheless went to answer the door. In front of me, was a cowering Jack. "Yes Jack?" I asked politely. The polite thing was mainly because Suze was there, but also because recounting to her about my 'dark days' as I had called them, made a feel a little, well... guilty, about how I treated Jack. I knew she disapproved of Jack and I's behaviour towards each other, so there was no harm in appearing friendly.

"Wh-who was that g-girl? Sh-she looked familiar," he stuttered. The poor little coward.

Before I could answer, Suze was by my side, answering for me.

"Jack! Hi!" okay, that's unfair. How come she was so excited about seeing him and not me?

"Suze! I thought you lived in Carmel? Did Paul kidnap you?" he asked looking fearful. Weird kid... he propelled himself forward, crushing her in a hug. Alright, that's REALLY not fair! He gets a hug and not me? Pfft, little kid doesn't realise he's hugging an angel...

Suze's p.o.v- Okay, apparently the Slater Iron Grip runs through the family. I couldn't breathe too well and I was starting to go light headed.

"It's okay Jack, I moved here. I live in that house over there." I pointed out the window to my new 'home'. I continued, "I'm here to talk to Paul- and he hasn't blackmailed, threatened or endangered my life in any way while I've been here. How are you going, anyway? With the ghosts I mean?"

He looked a little confused because I was actually spending time with Paul, voluntarily. "Oh, them. It's going great! I've helped loads of them move on- well, about 5, but it hasn't been very long. It's really fun and none of them have tried to hurt me! There was a boy my age first, who died from Lou... Uh, Look-eem... uh, leukaemia!-'Awwwww, he's adorable!'-and then, there was this little girl, who wanted me to take her dolly home from the park in case it got lonely and there were some more too. They all moved on after I did what they asked."

I nodded and noticed Paul raising his eyebrows, seemingly to himself. I poked him and asked, "What?" he just shook his head and murmured "nothing".

"Hey Suze? Why did you look like you were dead when I walked in?" Jack asked suddenly. Oh, yeah. I had completely forgotten about the tired thing when Jack arrived. All my drowsiness had just... disappeared.

"Oh, I was tired and I didn't feel very well. Still got a bit of jet lag, I guess." What? Don't look at me like that! There was no way on Earth I was gonna tell Jack about what Paul and I had been discussing. I didn't want him getting any ideas... "Okay," he grinned and bounded out the room, much lie an adorable little puppy dog.

Paul closed the door and I sat back down on the sofa. We still had ages until I needed to get home. He slowly rotated looking menacing, scaring me a little. I was a little worried that telling me all about the evil stuff he did had sparked something within him, making him go bad again.

"How come," he whispered dangerously," the little guy gets a hug and I don't?" his face cracked into a teasing grin as he sat beside me. I thwacked him round the head playful-yes, you read correctly, I was being playful- and laughing.

"Because he doesn't smell," I stated simply. He feigned a look of hurt.

"that wasn't very nice Simon. And you know what?" he leaned him face really close, only a few millimetres away from me, and I wondered what possible excuse I could use if I accidentally kissed him. I couldn't think of one. "You smell too!" he finished.

"I do NOT! Girls don't stink; it's a well known fact." I stuck my chin in the air and flipped my hair back.

"Yeah well, that rule only applies if you're a girl. And... You're not." He smirked insufferably.

"What? I am too! You little... GRRRR!" I retorted lamely.

"Girls don't growl, Suzie Q. Therefore, you are not a girl."

"Am too!"

"Are not!"

"Am too!"

"Are not!"

"Am too!" I yelled, standing up.

"Am too." He replied coolly.

"Are not!" I yelled, again, "Wait what the-? Hey! You made me mess the chain up!" he laughed at my outraged expression.

You can't just end the chain like that! It's just not done! It's like... blasphemy, or something!

"Too bad, Suze. You lose." He he said in a sympathetic voice. I was just about to launch into a massive, boring speech about the importance of 'the chain' when I made that terriblr noise I made at lunch time. You know, the stomach rumbling? Well, yeah, it happened again. Thankfully he didn't notice my red cheeks and so didn't realise-again-that I had made that sound.

"What was that? Again." He questioned.

"Uh, the lion?" I answered feebly. Oh, no, I had been wrong. He did know exactly what the noise was, and was just humouring me.

"Oh, yeah, him again. Come on, let's go order something. What do you want? I, personally, am in the mood for some Chinese, but you can pick." He sighed as he gently tugged me back up from the sofa.

"Chinese sounds good." My traitorous tummy howled again." I think my stomach agrees." He laughed. You know, in the past day, I had really come to like that sound. Err, his laughing, not my stomach that is.

Hope you enjoyed! Apologies for the shortness lately but my sister needs the laptop now

I have been on it for about two hours, typing and facebook-ing and stuff.

Please review!

p.s- if you don't know what to put in the review I like it when people tell me what they liked/thought I could improve. As long as when they point out mistakes they point them out nicely and don't tell me I am the most terrible author ever. Because if you're gonna do that, I actually think I'd prefer you not to review. Ah, well, bye, bye.