A/N - PLEASE READ THIS NOTE!!! I have rated this chapter M, for extreme violence, and a disturbing situation. Please don't read if you are sensitive to these situations. This will be the last - but one - chapter, I hope. Please R&R (unless you are one of the aboce mentioned people) and make me smile!

Chapter 35

"Paul," I said, sitting up slowly. "You take one more step, and I'll scream like hell."

Paul smirked. "Like I'd hurt my little Susie."

"Oh, I know you would," I replied firmly. "And I have at least twenty people monitoring me right now, who will come rushing in the moment they realise I'm awake."

"You're not in any danger," said Paul. "I just thought I'd come see how my girlfriend's doing, seeing as her boyfriend's M.I.A."

I ignored how weird that last statement sounded, and instead panicked. "Where's Jake?"

"Oh, he couldn't take it," he replied. "He's probably half-way to Nebraska on a suicide mission."

"Paul!"

"Kidding, kidding. The nurses sent him home to get some rest. He's been waiting 24/7 for you to wake up."

"How long have I been in a coma?" I asked curiously, still aware that Paul was skulking around my doorway, and he was the only one who knew I was awake.

"Three weeks," he answered. "But we thought you'd be there longer."

"Three weeks?" I echoed. "Wow..."

A long silence followed, which I broke with, "I'm gonna go tell my mom we can start packing for our road-trip to Alabama with my da-"

Dad!

I pulled back the sheets - unhooking all the drips and wires- and ran to the door. Paul grabbed me by the elbows and started pushing me back to bed. "Where'd you think you're going, Missy?" he asked. "You better rest up if you're going state-trotting."

"But my Dad!" I cried. "He's alive, I have to go see him!"

"Let him come see you," replied Paul firmly, not releasing his grip on me. "Now, back we go, Susie."

"NO!" I yelled fiercely, and shoved him to the floor. "Do you realise that I haven't seen my dad in over three months, and I thought I'd killed him?!"

"Do you realise I have a knife in my pocket?" roared Paul - though quiet enough to not alert the hospital staff.

My stomach did a flip flop as Paul rose to his feet. I took a few steps backwards against the wall, and gripped it with cold, sweaty fingers.

"What the hell are you carrying a knife around for?" I hissed, as Paul slid the lock of my room door into place.

"You never know when you're gonna need to stab something...or someone," he replied with a shrug. "Now, are you going to get back into bed, or am I going to have to make you?"

"You're insane," was my retort, but I climbed carefully back into my bed.

"I think you mean criminally insane," corrected Paul. "But hey, whoever said I was on the right side of the law?"

"If you love me," I said cautiously. "You'll get rid of that knife in right now."

"I think I'm past love now, Susie," he said, pulling it out and watching it gleam. "I know you'll never return my admiration for you. Oh yeah, I know all about your little engagement. Everybody's so happy for you, by the way. Everybody except me, that is."

"Paul, I've been in a coma," I tried to reason with him. "I haven't actually said yes yet."

"Yet," he repeated. "But you will, Susie, I know you will. You'll do anything to ensure that you're safe for the rest of your life. Yet, you're stuck in a private hospital ward with me. Funny how things turn out, hey?"

"Side-splittingly funny," I said humorlessly. "Just put-the-knife-down."

"Isn't it pretty?" said Paul, probably to himself, ignoring me. "The way it reflects the light. It glitters so bright...just like your eyes, Suze."

"If my eyes glitter so much," I said, starting to shake. "Then why are you trying to kill me?"

"I'm nowhere near you," he reported. "You're in bed, I'm up against the opposite wall. See? Metres apart."

"That's not to say you won't come any closer," I spat at him, feeling the blood run from my face.

"You're right," he said, suddenly. "I think its time we got to know each other again."

He came striding up to my bed, and climbed onto it on his knees. He dropped the knife to his side, but brought his face to touch mine. "Hello, and you are?"

"Paul-" I began, but he shook me by the shoulders.

"And you are?" he repeated, his eyes gleaming crazily.

"S-S-S-Suuuuuze," I whimpered.

"Nice to meet you, Suze," he said, smiling falsely against my chin. "But, you know? I think we'll skip the small talk. I like you, Suze. I like you a lot. I think I'll kiss you."

"No-"

Paul pressed his lips hard onto my mouth, forcing me backwards onto my pillow.

"Suze?"

I opened my eyes, to see my father outside my door. He was shaking the doorhandle, trying to get in, But it was no use. Paul had locked the door shut.

"Suze? Are you alright? Who's that boy?"

Paul groaned and sat up on me. "Is that your freaking Dad?" he asked. I nodded, frightened. "Don't hurt him," I whispered.

"Hey, Mr Simon!" he cried to my dad. He dragged me up by the collar of my nightdress. "I love your girl!"

"Suze?" my dad replied, ignoring Paul. "Honey, fight him off. I'm going for the master key. Fight him honey, fight him!"

I attempted to wriggle myself out of Paul's grip, but he turned fiercely to me, and threw me down again. "Think you're gonna escape?" he asked. "Think again."

He kissed me once more, cold and harsh, pinning my shoulders to the bed.

"Shall I tell you what I've got planned?" he asked, not waiting for an answer. "I'm going to make out with you, whether you want me to or not. And then? Then I'm going to kill you. And you can either enjoy my company, or die screaming."

"You can try anything," I said, more confident than I felt. "But Dad is going to come in, and he is going to save my life, no matter what I've done to him. But he loves me. You don't love me. You're just mad. Insane. Crazy. All of the above."

Paul kissed me again, harder and harder, and I couldn't struggle. He had me down in a vice grip of iron, and I couldn't move. But it was OK. Because my Dad was coming any minute.

"Suze!"

My dad had appeared at the door again - I could see his face through the glass slot.

"I'm coming in, sweetie!"

I heard the key slide into the lock, and the lock turn.

"Shall we give him a show?" asked Paul, reaching for the knife. I raised my knee to kick him where it would surely hurt, but he just grinned.

"Nice try," he said, as the door began to open. "Just remember this, Suze. If I can't have you, no-one can."

And he rammed the knife hard into my chest, piercing my skin, sliding into my ribcage.

Just before I died, the door opened.