A.N - Reviews have been dropping for this story. Which, you know, I don't mind - it got a bit boring those last few chapters.

But this one you guys have got to have something to say about. :)

Chapter Eleven

Suze

Surprisingly, I fell asleep. Admittedly, it wasn't exactly the best night's sleep I'd ever had – but it was sleep.

Paul woke me up the next morning when he slammed the front door shut behind as he left.

There was a note on the pillow next to me:

Gone to see Rico Suave – to tell him you spent the night
Should be fun,
Paul.

I groaned in despair – that was all that Jesse needed right now, Paul taunting him with made-up stories.

Painfully sitting up, I stretched my hands behind me and noticed the rope that was binding them together was loosening. And, once I knew that, it didn't take long for the rope to fall away completely.

I was going to leave, to go to the jail, evade Paul, and tell Jesse exactly what had happened – and ask him to help me get him out of jail.

But then I remembered everything Paul had told me last night – and I mean everything.

Including that time travel thing.

Which was when I decided that I was going to travel back and save him – before he needed saving.

I was clutching Paul's shirt in my hands as I walked into the Mission rectory later that day.

Paul had told me that in order to travel through the fourth dimension, you needed something to anchor yourself to the time. Which is why I grabbed his shirt. He was there at the time, after all, and I knew he'd had this shirt since I'd first met him – strange though, considering Paul is so the type of person to change his wardrobe with the seasons.

I followed his instructions exactly. And, when I found myself in the mission courtyard where I ate lunch as a high-schooler, Paul's shirt in my hand, I closed my eyes and pictured that night, one year ago when I stood in shock watching the love of my life taken away in handcuffs.

Only, earlier in the night. I didn't want to travel through time and get there too late.

That would be completely pointless.

"Paul," I heard Jesse hiss. "Seriously now, do you have any idea what you're about to do?"

I must have made it.

Taking a deep breath, I quietly followed the voices.

It wasn't long before I saw the glint of a gun. And the golden highlights in Paul's hair.

And he was raising his gun, ready to aim.

At Jesse.

"No!" I screamed, running forwards to the two boys outside the mission church.

The look on both go their faces would've been comical – if it wasn't for the situation we were in.

"Susannah?" Jesse's voice was incredulous and his face was unnaturally pale. "What are you doing here?"

Paul, on the other hand, just laughed.

"Just stopping by, Suze?" He asked, gesturing in my direction with the gun. "Or are you going to stick around?"

"Don't you point that gun at her." Jesse warned.

Paul rolled his eyes.

"Bored now, come on Jesse." He walked towards the church doors. "We have a job to do."

I watched as Jesse sighed and followed him.

"Jesse, what are you doing?" I asked hesitantly. "You don't have to go with him. You don't have to be a part of this."

"Yes, I do."

"Why?"

Paul called back over his shoulder.

"Because he doesn't want you to know that he's a mediator too."

I was confused.

"But, I know. I told him…"

It was as Jesse's eyes widened that I realised I hadn't actually told him. Well, I had, but a year into the future. God, this time travel stuff was confusing.

Shaking my head, I continued.

"The point is, Jesse. I know you are." I smiled. "I am too." I put my hands on his arms and took a step closer to him. "And I know how this ends too – you're going to go to jail, Jesse. You helped me save you."

Needless to say, Jesse was confused. Especially when I leaned upwards and caught his lips with my own. Thankfully, Jesse wasted no time in wrapping his arms around me and kissing me back.

The feeling was … incredible. His arms were warm and strong and protective. And his lips …

Wow.

Paul wasn't quite as happy as the two of us, though.

"Always, always him!" He screamed, turning his attention to the two of us and I recalled having a conversation almost identical to this just last night. "Why has it only ever been Jesse that you're interested in."

I bit my lip and looked away – it was a bit embarrassing to admit that I'd loved Jesse since I'd moved to Carmel.

"Tell you what, maybe I should just eliminate the competition, so to speak."

My eyes widened as Jesse tightened his grip on me.

"Paul, don't do anything you'll regret." I pleaded. "Please. You've called the police, remember?"

"Oh, I won't regret this." Paul tightened his grip on the gun and held it at Jesse's heart.

"Paul," Jesse was scared – I could tell – but he didn't show it. His voice didn't once waver. "Put down the gun."

The flashing red and blue lights could be seen in our peripheral vision whilst the distant sound of sirens grew ever louder.

"Jesse?" Father Dominic's voice joined the conversation, from behind Paul. "Is that you?"

"Father D, stay back!" I warned, all too aware of what had happened last time around.

"Yeah, Father D," Paul continued. "You wouldn't want to get any of Jesse's blood on you."

It was an instinctive decision. I didn't think – I just acted. Paul's finger tightened on the trigger and set it off. I pushed Jesse out of the way and took the bullet myself.

The pain spiralled from the epicentre in my shoulder to all over my body.

I fell to the floor.

Jesse was by my side in an instant - his hands were running through my hair as he screamed for somebody to call an ambulance. I heard Father Dominic's voice and saw Paul's shocked expression as his hand remained frozen in front of him, gun shaking with Paul's fear.

"Shift her back." He whispered, voice emotionless. "You have to Jesse."

His hands never left me once. They were smoothing my hair, my cheeks. Applying pressure to my gun wound.

"But, I've never –"

"Just do it!" Paul's fear for my safety was evident. "She has to get back to her time – we can't have two Suze's here."

He shook his head.

"Just do it," he repeated. "I'll explain it later."

The next thing I felt was that strange feeling I got when I shifted here to begin with before feeling my body hit the ground with a thud and Jesse's soft voice was in my ear.

"You're going to be fine, Susannah." His voice was strangely comforting, drifting me to sleep. "I promise you."