A/N: In this chapter, Simon begins to hear thoughts, they're done in italics; just like these.

--- You Lie ---

Father Dominic was shaking his head.

His soft, white hair moved gracefully in his head motions. One of his hands tapped against his wooden desk. "I can't believe this," he muttered, "well I can, but this is terrible."

"We have to do something, Father D." Paul said, he was sitting in the chair next to my usual one, which I was occupying.

"What is she doing that is causing such harm, that we fear her?" Father Dominic asked.

"Well, the journal, which Suze's great, great aunt wrote, said she steals spirits for power, she can control them. I think this could be really bad, so does my grandfather," Paul said, his voice was harsh.

I slouched lower in my chair, biting the nail on my pinky finger. My mind thought of the reasons she was here, and what her purpose was; why she was so bent on screwing my life over. I blinked and realized that both Father D and Paul had stopped talking and were staring at me.

I pulled myself up straight and leaned forward, "Have you seen any ghosts lately?" I asked Father Dominic. He was silent, but shook his head gently. "Paul?" I asked.

"No," he said, softly.

"She's building an army. Paul, you said so yourself that she has the power to control spirits, she can make them do whatever she wants. That's why we haven't been visited lately." I looked between Paul and Father D. "That's why we have to stop V, because if we don't, no one will. The question isn't why, but how," I closed by eyes and leaned back.

I was beginning to feel tired again. I worried that it wasn't a good time for my other half, if that's what happened every time I was in the darkness. I closed my eyes and tried to relax when I heard a distance whisper.

"Together," the voice said.

I opened my eyes and sat upright. Father Dominic and Paul ceased talking and looked at me quizzically. "Together," I muttered to myself.

"We have to fight together. That's how we beat her. Father D. that's want Tom meant that day. Can you call all the mediators in close perimeter to the mission like ASAP? I think I know what to do," my voice filled the hushed office.

I made my way to the door, quickly, "Susannah, what…" Father Dominic began.

"Trust me, Father D." I said, smiling just a bit. I finally opened the door, "Come on, Paul!" I said over my shoulder.

"Suze, what's going on?" Paul asked, following quick on my heels.

"I don't have time to explain. We have to find out everything there is to know on V, and then we have to group together and come up with a plan. You just have to trust me." I said, heading towards Paul's car.

The only reason I trust her, is that she has a cute ass.

I whipped my head around to face Paul. He looked at me oddly. "Pardon?" I said.

"I didn't say anything," he said, furrowing his eyebrow.

"I could have sworn…hey wait a minute, I can read minds. Cool," I grinned to myself. Paul thinks I have a nice butt. Chuckles.

"You can only read Jesse's," Paul said, in a duh like matter.

"Then how come I know you think I have a cute ass?" I asked, stealing the smirk off his face. He swallowed, hard, before jingling his keys and getting in the car.

"Where to?" Paul questioned, once we'd pulled out on the main drag.

"Well, you're dropping me off at the beach. I still have to get my car. And then your going to your place to get whatever you have on Verzerren Sie," I mocked her name.

I saw the ocean in the distance, and slowly the beach came in focus. Paul stopped at the parking lot and let me out, "See you back at the mission, Susie-Q."

I turned without another word and found my car a few spaces down, just the way I'd left it. I was walking over to it, when I saw Jesse. He was just walking down the street, looking like he was in search for himself, as much as I was.

My mind told me that I couldn't handle another fight. That I should run and never look back, but I wasn't ready to just give up when I was so close. To what, I'm unsure, but somehow I just knew I was near.

I needed him like the sun needs the sky and like a sentence needs spaces. Without him, I wasn't alive, I was a dying carcass. "Jesse," I shouted, running towards him.

I had my decision and it was final. There was no going back now, no second thoughts. I had to follow it through.

I grabbed his hand and swung him around to face me. I saw these eyes that burned of traitorous evil. He was him, but covered by a blanket of secrecy. Blazing evilly in his socket, they wanted to conquer, defeat, and destroy Jesse. I was losing him between the gaps of my childish hands.

I never knew just how much I was losing, never knew that everything was falling through, until I looked him square in the eyes. Jesse's body twitched, as if he was waiting on a queue to turn and run, when all I wanted was the truth.

"I miss you, Jesse," I said, squeezing his hand, hoping he'd feel me again. I was losing him and it was effortless.

"I've been busy," he mumbled. It hurt me to see that he couldn't even look me in the eyes, but had to look past me to the ocean, that I stood in front.

I felt pathetic, standing there begging Jesse for the truth. "I gotta go," he said, wrenching his hand from my grasp. He turned to leave, letting me stare at him in awestruck.

I felt my anger rising from deep within my heart. "Jesse! Don't you walk away from me. Not now, not ever. Get back here!" I screamed at his backside, not caring who looked at us.

I was waiting for him to continue to walk away, but he didn't. Strangely enough, he came back to me. He looked stricken with pain and his face scrunched in agony.

As if, my one little command hurt him. "Look at me," I said, quietly, afraid to hurt him more. As angry as I'll ever be, I could never hurt Jesse.

I would hurt myself more in doing so. He lifted his gaze from the pavement and finally looked me in the eyes. The thing that bothered me most when he finally looked at me was not that the secrecy was gone, not that at that moment a tear slowly slid down his perfect face, but as I looked into his eyes, I saw his soul.

I saw that Jesse was fighting a battle with himself and he was losing. "Let me help you, Jesse," I eventually whispered.

His eyes flashed with fear, "No," he said.

It shocked me, "Jesse, please, stop pushing me away," I pleaded. It hurt me immensely when all I wanted was for everything to be perfect again.

It seemed that every time something got better, something else got worse.

"I have to, you don't understand," he said, sounding exasperated and looking like he was ready to give up.

"No Jesse, I don't. You don't let me in anymore. Every time I come close, you push me away. You don't call, you don't talk, you ignore me," I paused, not only watching his reaction but also fighting back the tears in me. "So no, Jesse, I don't understand why I can't help you, I don't understand why it is you ignore me, but you don't understand what its like for me, either. To look into the eyes of the person I love and not have the feeling returned. To wake up screaming because no matter how hard I try, how hard I fight, I'm always losing the battle. Always losing the only person I love so much that without them I may as well quit breathing. I need something, something to hold onto. Because I'm losing you and myself and none of that matters if I can't trust you, if I can't love you…if you can't love me," I finished, tears drowning my face.

My whole body was ready to give as I waited, waited for Jesse to understand. My knees wobbled and in mere seconds, I knew I'd make contact with the rocky pavement. Or so I thought. In one quick motion, Jesse caught me in his arms, holding me close against his chest.

The music of the angel's rang throughout my head as I heard the steady thump-thump-thump of Jesse's heart.

I'd wait forever for Jesse. I'd always wait for him. No matter how hard things might ever get. I was him as he was I.

I never want to lose her.

Jesse's thought rang clear in my head. "I never want to lose you, either," I said, blinking some tears out of my eyes.

I love her so much, and everything I'm doing to keep her out of harms way; is hurting her just as much.

"Susannah," he whispered, aloud, into my hair. It sounded beautiful coming from his lips.

I would be nothing without her.

Jesse pulled away, and I felt part of my soul go with him.

That's why I need to leave. Forget me. Don't look into her eyes.

As if Jesse were still a ghost, he dematerialized, leaving me dumbstruck in the middle of a sidewalk on a hot and sunny Californian day.

My fists clenched the air that had previously been Jesse. My brain swelled and ached from confusion, from his thoughts. And to think that I thought they would help me. His thoughts, I mean.

For the millionth time in this miserable life it'd become, I felt like fleeing in flight. I guess the only hope I had was that Jesse loves me.

-------

I crashed on the blades of the plush grass at the top of a hill, I'd just found. Feeling out of breath, I lay on my back and watched the clouds cross the sky.

Warming myself in their beauty. The way the crisp edges were pink and orange, and how it contrasted against the thick blue sky.

I was washed away by nature's beauty.

The wind nipped gently at my cheeks and the grass blades tickled my skin after every slight movement. The sun beat down, warming my body of whatever chills it might have.

Jesse's gorgeous face came to my head. I began to think of all the times we'd laughed, smiled, hugged, and kissed.

The first time he told me, he loved me, or our first kiss. In the hospital, when his fingers gently touched my cheeks, or when he woke up, alive. The moment I told him I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him, forever.

My life was with Jesse. Always with him. The bliss bathed over me, filling me to the brim, that I thought I might spill over. I smiled to the sky and I smiled to him.

I smiled because it was something I hadn't done in a while.

I stretched my arms out over my head, closing my eyes. My lids looked red from the bright light casted by the sun and even that made me smile just a little bit more.

My world came crashing down when I realized that I could run forever, but the fear and pain would always catch up to me. My smile was because of memories; past memories; deceased memories.

I heard the tinkle of materialization. It caught me off guard; I hadn't seen a ghost in weeks. Peeking through one eyelid, I saw it was Tom.

I sat up sharply, "Tom," I breathed.

"Yes," he said, sitting down next to me. His head glowed angelically in the sun's light.

"You're not a ghost are you?" I asked, softly, afraid to break my own peace.

"No, I'm a guardian angel. Yours to be exact," he smiled gently.

"And you left the journal on the bed," I said.

"Yes, you were finally on your way to the end," he spoke.

"Will I die?" I asked, foolishly. He wouldn't know. He shrugged his shoulders and looked out upon the ocean.

"Why do you do it?" he asked after a moment of silence. "Why do you let him do that to you and yet always run back loving him?"

I looked away from the ocean for a moment, and then back at Tom. "Because, even the small moments with him are worth all the pain in the world. He's a part of me, always," I whispered, listening to the waves and feeling different inside.

Like I was growing strong, even while I was missing the other half.

"You're ready, come now, stand," Tom said, standing up.

I stood up with him and took the hand he'd extended. I didn't need to ask what he was talking about. I watched as he closed his eyes and followed pursuit.

I felt something cover me, like a different air. Heaven air, to put it vaguely. When I opened my eyes, I was in a place just like Shadowland.

Except this one was different. This one was full of life and purity. The doors were as white as snow, as were the floors.

The sky above was full of clouds, puffy and full. It beamed of light, it was Radiantland. I sucked in a breath and swallowed. "What do I do?" I asked him.

"Follow your heart, you'll know," he said.

"But I'm … sick," I said, shyly and slightly embarrassed.

"Yes, but in good time, you'll just know. Your place isn't here, not for a while. Nevertheless, your neither mediator nor shifter. You are something more. This is your ascension. When you return back to Earth and your people, you will feel power you've never felt before, and when the time is right you'll be able to use it," Tom said.

"Think wisely, young one," were his last words before my eyes shut and I woke up in the basilica.

I sucked in a sharp breathe that echoed throughout the room. Four pairs of eyes looked at me, sitting in the back row.

"Susannah," gasped Father Dominic.

Hey, I wasn't there a minute ago.

I stood up, slowly, wondering if I'd get a killer headache like my other trips to Shadowland. I didn't feel any immediate pain; maybe Radiantland was different, better. Walking as smoothly as I could, I ventured towards Father Dominic standing at the end.

"Tonight," I said, turning around to face everyone. I saw my mother's warm eyes, Paul's piercing blues, and Jesse's blanketed eyes. I had to look away from his.

"We need to be ready. Whatever it takes. Tonight we finish this. Tonight we end the end," my voice was growing.

I began to feel the power that Tom spoke of. The strength that I needed, the power I felt.

"Suze, I uh, I found an incantation that is supposed to finish V. It was in the journal, but I don't understand how come it didn't work for her," Paul spoke.

"She was alone. Together we're stronger," I blinked, trying to slow my quickened heart rate as the power flooded into my brain.

When I opened my eyes, I saw Jesse.

I couldn't begin to believe the horrific sight even as it unfolded right before my eyes. Jesse silently stood up and walked out.

He walked out on me, he walked out on Father Dominic, on my mother and on Paul. He walked out on the solution to the end.

In my blind fury, I chased after him; my subconscious blew a chair into the wall. I saw it crumble to smithereens and heard the three gasps behind me. He kept walking, right on out of the basilica and to the parking lot.

"Jesse," I screamed after him.

He stopped but didn't turn around. "Don't make me do this again. Don't make me ask you want you've become," I pleaded.

"Nothing," he grumbled, not turning.

"If you insist. At the rate you're going, you are nothing," I paused, watching him tense. Was this the reaction I wanted? "To everyone," I finished.

He turned, abruptly, staring directly behind me, not looking at my eyes. Is that what Jesse meant when he thought; 'Don't look into her eyes.' "DON'T SAY THAT!" he shouted.

"Tell me what it is then. What do I need to say to get you to tell me?" he didn't answer. "You've changed, you're no longer the man I love," I said, solemnly.

No, Susannah, don't give up on me. Please don't.

"Good," he started, his voice steady against his thoughts, "Because I never loved you," he finished, bitterly.

Nothing happened. All an illusion, all done by her, I hate her. I love my Querida, but I had no choice.

I blinked hard. I didn't move, although more then anything, I wouldn't have minded breaking down and crying. Now wasn't the time.

She has control, control over my spirit.

"Look me in the eyes and say that again," I said, my voice delicately holding a dam of tears. He didn't look at me, kept his gaze on something behind me. "LOOK AT ME!" I screamed my voice ragged with pain, love, and fear—an odd mix brought on by odd emotions.

She'd hurt you if she knew, knew I was talking to you. She hates you and your strength.

Fear was dominant. Fear that he would stop loving me, that he had stopped loving me. He finally drew those terribly eyes and gazed at mine.

I love you, I love you, I love you.

"I hate you," he said, enunciating every syllable and I felt small. I could hear his mind; it rang throughout my ears, but his words. Doesn't matter the truth, words still hurt. And words still break.

I shrank into the ground on my knees as Jesse turned and stormed off. "You lie, Jesse," I shouted after him, feeling my face wet with the first tears. "Hector Jesse DeSilva," I began.

That voice, calling me.

In one swift quick motion, I pulled myself up off the ground, feeling out of control, and ran after Jesse. He turned to look at me, startled, as I jumped directly into his arms, kissing him with such fervor.

My fingers combed through his thick, dark hair as I pulled his head tighter to mine. He held my hips while my legs wrapped around his waist as kissed me back with just as much intensity.

I pulled away for a breath. "You lie," I whispered.

"I lie," he whispered back, as I stroked one finger over his scar.

"I'll always love you," I whispered, brushing my lips against his. I had yearned for these lips and I never wanted to let them go.

As if right on cue, it began to rain. Bringing on a rush of unlashed fantasies of kissing the person I love in the pouring rain and feeling the love wash over us.

My salty tears slid fast down my cheeks, being washed away with the Carmel rain. I wanted to kiss his lips again, although they looked so delicate.

I wouldn't break them

I tipped my head down to kiss him. He pulled back slightly, "I love you, Querida."

Right then I look into his eyes, and saw my own face. Just me. My own heart beat filled my head; the thumping soothed me, as I reached down and stole my kiss from Jesse.

I needed this kiss. I was finally completed. I was finally a nerd with braces, and shoe with laces and a sentence with spaces.

I needed this kiss just like I needed Jesse. It wasn't my heartbeat that was missing, but the love of my life, my Jesse. I finally had the world in my arms and although this wasn't the end, I was ready to fight.

I pulled back and watched the rain patter on Jesse's forehead. I smoothed a hand over it, catching the drops that landed on his eyelashes.

"Let's go save the world," I smiled to him. Feeling as beautiful as I might ever be. The power I'd received in Radiantland was nothing compared to the power of love.

It was time to fight the end!

-----

Finally, they're back together again. I was weeping it was taking me so long. Review Please!

Hearts;

Tori