Okay, I lied again. This time, there REALLY IS ONLY ONE MORE CHAPTER AFTER THIS! I'm sorry for lying...but I couldn't really just leave it here...

But it's really Steph's fault. Honest. Sorry I've been so long. My computer shat itself, but it's semi-better now. It's healing...

All my love,
Lolly.

With a moody groan, I entered my room and announced dejectedly that I was indeed home. There was no response for about ten seconds until I heard the twinkle of materialisation, and Jesse greeted me with a weary sounding, 'Hello querida...'

I bit my lip. 'Uh oh. Someone had a bad day.'

Jesse sighed gustily. 'Not bad, just...draining. You don't seem too pleased with the world yourself, Susannah.'

I belly flopped on my bed. 'You go first. Mine involves a lot of PMS-induced bitching.'

His chuckle was delicate as he came to sit on the side of my bed. I rolled over and sat behind him with my legs to the side, one dangling over the edge of the bed, linking my arms around his shoulders and resting my chin against his neck. I breathed out. 'So? Who pissed my man off today?'

Sounding guilty, Jesse muttered under his breath, '...Father Dominic.'

Eyebrows raised, I prompted him further. 'Oh? Do tell. He had a chat with me today, but it was pretty short.'

I didn't mention how I think I'd made him cry.

'Yes, he mentioned he'd spoken with you,' Jesse agreed, resting his hands over mine. He seemed more tired than he ever had before. I don't know why...ghosts don't get tired, right? I mean, they never sleep.

I think his heart was just tired...

'He basically demanded to know everything about us,' Jesse went on. 'He's very protective of you, Susannah. He certainly does have your best interests at heart... It's very admirable. I guess he sees himself in you - '

'Eww,' I said without thinking.

'Pardon me?'

'...Um. Never mind. Keep going.'

Thankfully ignoring that, Jesse continued. 'He just wanted to know all of my intentions for...our future. He asked me what I'd do in certain situations, and I believe that my responses were satisfying enough that he no longer disapproved as greatly. I may have been a little...overly noble in some, whereas in reality I may be a little more selfish, but I doubt he noticed. He told me in excruciating detail, the downfalls of a dead/living relationship - from experience, no less...his list was endless. Depressingly so,' Jesse added. 'He just made me think a lot about all the sacrifices you will have to make...'

I clicked my tongue in sympathy, and kissed along his neck. 'Oh, rubbish. Don't think about it.'

He laughed. 'Believe me, when you're doing that...I can think of nothing else but you.'

I smiled, and continued to accost his throat with my lips. He ran his hand along my arm, and groaned in obvious happiness. 'I love you so much, Susannah...'

I murmured a reply against his skin, realising that it wasn't entirely audible. He just laughed it off.

'So...your day?'

Grumpily, I stopped nibbling his earlobe and hmphed, remembering my perfect irritation. 'Who else, but Paul?'

Squeezing my hand suddenly, he demanded hotly, 'Did he do something to insult you? Are you okay, Susa - '

'I'm fine,' I assured him. 'Just...he's going on and on about how badly he needs my forgiveness over the whole dumping-me-in-his-basement-and-leaving-me-for-dead thing, and I don't particularly want to give it to him. And I feel so bad for not...you know, just telling him that I'm over it - because I'm SO not. But still, he's obviously all broken up about it... I just feel like I'm getting blamed for something that I don't deserve blame for, you know?'

Jesse grunted in dislike. 'You have no obligation to be forgiving, Susannah. Please don't feel bad. Guilt is the natural response to sin...it's his consequence for doing the things he did – his only consequence, in fact, seeing as you have told your friend not to go to the police with her information.'

I dumped my chin on his shoulder again and smiled weakly. 'See? I knew I'd feel better after telling you. You're so bias...yay.'

'Because I love you, and hate him?' Jesse asked in agitated humour.

I bit gently at his ear again. 'Yegh...'

What? I had an EAR in my mouth. Sue me if I sound alien.

I proceeded to ravage his neck/shoulder/ear region with more ardent kisses until he finally told me I could stop. I didn't want to...I was addicted to all the weird noises he was making...and discovering the places that made him all gooey and shuddery, but I did anyway.

Jesse sighed once more, this time in a very good way. 'That certainly improved my foul disposition...'

I giggled, nuzzling my face against his neck one last time for good measure.

'Now, I've been thinking about what Padre said to me today,' Jesse ploughed through his words bravely, ignoring my mission to get him to shiver, 'And how he maintained that there was no way we could have a normal relationship...' he broke off and finally trembled accordingly. 'Querida, please...'

I rolled my eyes and ceased. 'You know you love it.'

'That is the problem...I can't concentrate...' he coughed and resumed his speech. 'Well, in efforts to get some normality into it...would you like to go on a date tonight, querida?'

'A...what?' I asked, thinking I hadn't heard him correctly.

'A date,' he said again, losing a little of his confidence. 'I just thought...in this day and age, relationships usually begin with dating...we didn't really get to do that before we...'

All I could think of was a very blind me sitting in a cinema on my own, passing popcorn to 'My Invisible Friend' and getting laughed at by seven year olds in the row ahead.

'Where would we go?' I asked dubiously. 'I mean...you can't eat, or drive – and I'm blind – '

'I did actually have something in mind, querida. But...it's perfectly all right if you are not too fond of the idea – '

Finally getting the alone-in-the-cinema idea out of my head, I started grinning. Jesse was asking me out on a date. A DATE, people. My first ever date with a boy.

And that's when the excitement started rushing in.

Delighted, I replied, 'No, no! I want to go. Count me in.'

Pleased with this eventual reaction, he laughed. 'Wonderful. So...is eight o'clock all right for you?'

I nodded fervently, grinning like a mad woman. Not that I know how a mad woman grins...but I was grinning a lot. 'Sure is!'

Yes, I was, um, rather excited.

'I will see you then, querida...' he said, and got up to leave, but not before kissing me on the forehead.

I said dumbly, 'and I will see you too!'

Halfway through dematerialising, he stopped. 'What? Astral projection? Oh, that's not necessary...I can't ask you to do - '

'For transportation reasons,' I said airily.

He considered. 'Yes...perhaps it would be better all in all...all right, Susannah, I shall see you at eight.'

And then he was gone.

The minute his presence disappeared, I fell backward on my bed, experiencing an uber-happy rush. Then, I started giggling...just like any ordinary girl who was going on her first date ever would do...

I'm not ordinary. I know that.

But now that I had Jesse...I felt extraordinary.

- 8 -

'All right, troops,' Andy announced at the dinner table. 'I'm having a barbeque next Saturday night. So, if there's anyone you want to invite, go right ahead. Except you, Brad,' Andy added sternly. 'You check with me who you're going to bring...this isn't some party that your hooligan friends can crash, all right?'

Brad snorted, and murmured under his breath, 'as if I'd want to show this freakshow family off to my friends...'

Doc happily announced he was going to invite the chess club. That is to say, one person. And Jake muttered that he might bring his potential babe along. Melinda, her name was. He started to list all her attributes: she was nice, pretty, and was into surfing. And his Camaro.

I asked if I could drag Adam and CeeCee, and Mum and Andy happily approved. Brad said something particularly rude under his breath...something about how, now my freaky friends were an item, the house was going to be covered with white stuff...and, erm, not because it was snowing.

He got told to go to his room.

He didn't, however. I heard him storm halfway up the stairs, before he obviously crept back down and escaped out the front door. No one else noticed this, so despite my rage that he'd insulted my mates, I held my tongue. He wanted to go out and get drunk, that was his issue.

'Mum?' I asked loudly, 'What time is it?'

'Twenty past seven,' she responded after she'd swallowed her mouthful of casserole. 'Why do you keep asking the time?'

I shrugged casually. 'I dunno...' Then, pushing my plate away with finality, I pseudo-yawned and exclaimed. 'Wow, that was good! You know what? I'm real tired now. Would you believe that? So...I'm just gonna go upstairs, and...sleep. Yep. Because I'm tired. Bye,' I finished hurriedly, before grabbing my guide stick and getting out of there.

What? Sue me if I had to lie about my first date with Jesse.

Haha. What a great start, huh?

After making it to my bedroom, I clarified that Jesse was indeed, not there. Then, I went directly to my wardrobe and started fumbling for the dress that I was after...

Silk...silk...where's my silk one...?

Ah hah!

My fingers buzzed in victory as they detected the soft smoothness of my silk dress. It was chilly beneath my fingers. It was a little slip dress. Mum liked me wearing it. It was white, and it flared out when I spun, she said. She always got me to spin around when I had it on...

Perfect.

Not having the sense to get a sweater, having not imagined that Jesse would take me somewhere cold, I scuttled happily to the bathroom and jumped into it.

I felt pretty...

Then, I began putting on my make-up as best as I knew how...

But screwed up when there was a loud knock at the door. I felt the mascara smudge all the way down my face, and I started panicking BIG TIME. I couldn't ask MUM to do it! She'd know I was going out! Oh God, oh God...what was I going to do!

Then my saving grace came.

'Suze! CeeCee's dropped in to say hi! Can you wake up for just a minute?' Mum called through the door of my bedroom. I gasped, and clutched my heart, on the verge of tears. 'O-Okay, mum, just s-send her in!' I cried, in a strangled voice.

I held the bathroom door closed. 'Uh...Suze? I...can't see you.'

I would have responded with a witty blind-joke, but I was too emotionally distraught. 'CeeCee! Is my mum gone?'

'Er...yes?' she said uneasily. 'You're not self-mutilating or anything, are you?'

I opened the door, miserable. 'Worse...'

'Wow,' she breathed in appreciation. 'That dress looks amazing on you, Suze! It's ...holy fuck, what happened to your face?'

And then, she cracked up laughing.

I burst into tears, and went back into the bathroom, slamming the door.

'Suze!' she called, cackling. 'Suze, I'm sorry, just...you looked so funny...'

'Go away!' I shouted, crying.

She managed to get her hysterical laughter under control. 'Suze, please...come on...open the door. I'll help you fix it, I promise.'

Finding this an okay compromise, I opened the door hesitantly. I heard her snigger. 'Wow, you really made a mess of it... You look like a member of an emo band...'

I sniffled, fanning my face energetically. 'I - just - I'm freaking out - I have m-my...very f-first d-date with J-Jesse tonight and I look so...stupid!' I hiccuped again, trying to stop crying. God...how embarrassing. I don't know what came over me, but I just felt so incompetent.

'Shhhh...' she hushed me, hugging me soothingly. 'Come on...sit on the edge of the bath, and I'll clean it all up, okay? Then, we're going to make you look even more the knock-out you already are. Sound good?'

I nodded shakily, biting my lower lip. 'Y-yes...'

After a moment of running water, she got on her knees in front of me - I knew, because of her arm level - and began mopping at my face with a warm cloth. I pouted miserably.

'It's...waterproof...' she said, concerned.

I started sobbing hysterically again. 'Oh my God!' I let out a blood-curdling scream. 'Oh my - '

'Suze!' she laughed at me. 'Calm down, okay? Look. When's your date.'

'Eight!' I whimpered.

'It's only seven thirty...you still have half an hour. Come on, get in the shower and scrub like hell. And wash your hair too; I'll blow-dry it.'

I nodded obediently. She left the bathroom, and I jumped straight in the shower, washing like mad. I eventually stopped crying, too. When I got out - four and a half minutes later, CeeCee informed me, I got dressed straight away and she started drying my wet straggly locks.

When she was done, I was fully calm once more.

'So, why'd you pop over?' I asked curiously.

'I wanted to know what you and Paul talked about today,' she muttered. 'I should have called, first...but I was...I dunno. I went out for a big walk, to clear my head...get around all of that ghost stuff we talked about today, and think it over. It makes a lot of sense,' she admitted, applying a little foundation on my face.

I smiled. 'I owed you the truth...scary as it was.'

She was all, 'Hmm...you sure did. But I'm coming to terms with it, so yeah. You got a friend in me, Simon.'

'Thanks,' I said softly. 'For everything. You're...you're an amazing friend.'

'I know,' she laughed. 'Close your eyes for me.'

I did, and she wiped the cosmetic sponge over my eyelids, rubbing it in so it wouldn't be blotchy. Then, she did my eyes and my blush and lastly, my lipstick. When she was done, she whistled.

'God, I'm good...' she said victoriously. 'If I can say so myself, you look...wow. And that dress is...just wow, Suze.'

I grinned, feeling like I could cry from pure appreciation. 'Thank you.'

'You really are beautiful,' she said, sounding pensive.

'So are you,' I assured her.

'Yeah, right. Like you've ever seen me,' she sniggered.

'I don't need to see you to know that,' I told her earnestly. 'In my head...you're gorgeous. And what's in my head should be all that matters to anyone in the world. Adam sees you just the way I do, I promise.'

I was rewarded with a taut hug.

'You're one hell of a girl,' she said fiercely, holding me tightly. 'To know what you go through everyday...I'm in awe of you, Suze Simon.'

My smile was watery. 'Back at you, Cow.'

She let out a bark of sudden laughter, and let go. 'Okay, I'll piss off now...and tell your mum you're sleeping. Any idea where you're going? Or...um, how you're going to sneak out without your parents noticing?'

'I won't be leaving the room,' I grinned.

'You mean, the date's in there?' she asked doubtfully. 'Oh. That's...okay, I guess.'

'No - I don't think so. I mean, I'll be astral projecting. So I can see,' I added.

She was silent. '...I'll respond to that when I'm fully used to the idea of you being all...supernatural and stuff...' she burbled. 'Bye, Simon.'

With that, she exited the bathroom, my room, and was then gone.

I sighed, and slid into the non-heeled slides she'd grabbed for me. She told me they were silver, which matched the necklace and the earrings she'd selected for me. I felt so...happy.

Which was weird because, half an hour earlier I'd been in floods. Eh...It's the PMS, I tell you! Damn it to hell.

I waited in the bathroom, wringing my hands anxiously. What time was it? Why couldn't I have like...an audio watch that would be all "SEVEN. FORTY. ONE!" when I pressed a button or something? Why must I suffer?

Not knowing was horrible. Even though it must have only been about two and a half minutes, I was nervous beyond belief. When my perceptive ears finally detected the sound of materialisation - not to mention the pleasant warmness that plunged into my stomach - I perked up gleefully.

'Susannah?' Jesse called softly. 'Are you in there?'

I stood up giddily, did a little happy-dance, and then readjusted my dress. 'Yes! I'm just...'

ARGH! MY TEETH!'

'One second!' I called, a fresh wave of panic claiming me as I fumbled sightlessly in my draw for my toothbrush, and scoured at them without the toothpaste, in fear of messing up my make up. Then, I squeezed a tiny bit of toothpaste afterwards, and rubbed it over my teeth until they squeaked, before breathing in deeply to get the minty freshness down my throat so I had socially acceptable breath. Finally, I burst out of the bathroom. 'Sorry! I just...sorry I'm late - '

I frowned. 'Jesse? Are you still there?'

It felt like he was still there. But I couldn't hear him, at all. My head twitched to the left. 'Damn it...' I called, 'Jesse! Sorry I was late, I'm ready now! You can come back - '

'Querida.'

The word was kind of spluttered out in a mess. I blinked quickly. 'Oh, you're there. Gah, way to let me yell like a freak - '

He cut me off again though. 'Susannah...I see you changed...'

I raised my eyebrows, suddenly feeling flushed. 'Oh...oh yeah, I...I thought since it was our...first date, I'd get all spritzed up and - ' I broke off in horror. 'Oh my God. It's wrong. It's too posh. Sorry, I just love the feel of this dress, I guess I just got too excited and...sorry...tell me what to wear so I'm dressed more appropriate for whatever we're doing - '

'Susannah.'

' - I mean, it's not like I can go rock-climbing in this or anything,' I babbled furiously, my face boiling hot, 'N-not that I expect you to take me rock-climbing or anything! I mean, I...I hate rock-climbing! I can't even see where I'm supposed to grab the - '

'Susannah.'

' - Whatever we're going to do is so totally fine! I really don't mind, just as long as I'm with y...'

I didn't get to finish that, because before I could finally stop rambling like crazy, he just grabbed me and kissed me.

...Wow...what a great way to get me to...shut up...

I moaned in surprised pleasure, and he pulled away, panting. 'Susannah...please, relax. You look exquisite.' He added, as if he needed further emphasis, 'Trust me.'

Breathless, I rocked toward his lips again, my eyes drooping closed, 'Oh...okay...' as I silently begged him to kiss me again.

He didn't; instead he took me by the hand and directed me to lie on my bed - beneath the covers to avoid suspicion from my mother - and then astral project. I did this without too much fuss. When I was in ghost form, I rose from the bed and looked around with wide eyes.

Everything was very dark. I guess I didn't have the light on...and it was night time...

I turned, and saw Jesse standing in front of me, smiling. 'Dios, you're so charming tonight...' he breathed.

My face heated up again. 'Um...you're always charming...'

He laughed, and his hands came to rest on my hips. I looked up into his eyes. They were so beautiful...so interesting to look at...

'All right, we best be off,' he proclaimed after a second of just staring at me. I nodded, and wrapped my arms around his back as together, we dematerialised...

The first thing I noticed when we arrived at our place of setting was that it was a little cold. Judging by the wind – although a little louder than usual, it probably wasn't as cold as it should have been if I was here in alive-form, but whatever.

The second thing I noticed was that we were at -

'The beach!' I gasped in ecstasy. 'Oh my God!' Thrilled that I'd worked this out for myself, even though it was clearly dark, I grinned wildly at Jesse. 'Wow...the sun looks different...'

Jesse chuckled. 'Uh, that's the moon.'

...Oh.

I blinked quickly. 'Oh. Right...'

He pecked me on the cheek. 'You're adorable, Susannah.'

Feeling a little dumb, but not enough to put me in a bad mood, I followed him as he guided me along the oceanfront, telling me random facts about the water. He'd point at things, and explain them to me. He picked up shells, and told me what type they were...and what animals lived in them...

The ocean crashed wonderfully in the background, washing along the shore rhythmically and soothing my slightly frazzled state of mind. I breathed in the lovely salty air, and sighed it out, happier than I could remember myself being.

My heart was all pitter-patter as I walked with him, hand in hand. Occasionally, he'd just stop to kiss me...a moment of pure joy each time.

It was absolute heaven.

After a while of identification, kissing and magnificent strolling, I pointed in the distance at a random spot of intense light. 'Oh...is that the sun?'

He didn't laugh this time. 'No...that's...' he trailed off curiously. 'Someone's lit a bonfire, I believe.'

My face lit up? 'Fire? Oh! Oh, Jesse, pleeeeeeease take me to see it! I've never seen fire before! Please, please, please - !'

He laughed. 'All right, all right...we're going.'

'Race you,' I shouted quickly, before taking off into the night without waiting for a reply. I heard an amused sounding, 'Querida! Where was my warning?' before, just as I was close to the fire – yay! Go the developing depth perception! – I felt arms grab me around the waist before they hoisted me up and spun me around. I squealed in delight, giggling endlessly as my world spun and my breath caught in my throat pleasantly.

Then, he placed me back on the ground, and took off to claim the lead.

'Hey, no fair!' I griped, catching up to him. I could see his black silhouette against the intensity of the fire. He was laughing loudly. 'All's fair in love and war...and threats against my ego,' he told me.

I pouted. 'Boo to you.'

He went to say something else, when I heard something very curious.

'And - and he just DUMPED me RIGHT THERE!' someone wailed. 'For the BLIND CHICK. I - I mean, your step-sister...not that there's anything wrong with her...but he's MINE, you know? Since tenth grade, he's been mine! I mean, I know he only came to the mission then, but - I had him first! So why the hell is he making moon-eyes at some freak who doesn't even HAVE eyes? Working ones, I mean - '

And to my disgust, the reply was from none other than Bradley Ackerman.

'Yeah, yeah...Slater sucks, I know.'

She sighed dramatically. 'You realise I'm only here to make him jealous, right? I mean...you're hot and all Brad, but...my heart belongs to him. It always will - '

'Whatever,' Brad said, disgruntled. 'I know, I know. The whole you-can-have-my-body-but-not-my-soul shit, right?'

Sounding a little deflated by this, Kelly replied flatly, 'Er, right.'

I grabbed Jesse's hand and pulled him around the fire, appalled by what I was hearing. Oh my GOD. I couldn't believe that Brad was such a - a USER.

When I finally saw them - the moving heap in front of the fire - I realised that they were already kissing. The long yellow hair spilling from the person beneath could only be Kelly. They were making very loud squelching sounds with their kisses.

'Mi Dios...' Jesse muttered under his breath, sounding revolted and angry. 'He...he lacks any regard for her at all!'

I glared at the moaning pile in front of me. Then, one of either Brad's or Kelly's limbs shot out, and knocked something close to the fire. 'What's that?' I pointed to it.

'Bradley's bag...' Jesse said in disgust. 'And...there are things spilling out of it. Socks, I believe, and...' he bent down, and picked something small up off of the ground. 'I'm not sure what these are, sorry...what are Trojan condoms, Susannah?'

I choked on my own saliva. 'UH...THOSE ARE...THOSE ARE BALLOONS,' I said heatedly. 'PUT THEM DOWN.'

'I did not know that Bradley studied the Greek War,' Jesse commented, his voice still filled with disdain. 'I did not know he studied at all, for that matter. What use would the Trojans have with balloons, querida?'

I spluttered, 'It's...um...a brand name...why are you still holding them?'

'Non-lubricated?' Jesse brought the box closer to his face, confused. 'I've never even heard of lubricated balloons before...how incredibly strange.'

I snatched them away, before he could read any closer, momentarily marvelling at how I was able to hold the box - or identify it's location for that matter...giggidy giggidy... 'Yeah. Real strange. No balloons for Jesse now.'

Then, a very strange thought came over me. I...I don't know why, but suddenly something Gina once told me she did with a group of boys down the street popped vindictively into my head as I listened to the moaning and groaning couple in front of the fire.

'You...didn't happen to notice a faucet anywhere, did you?' I asked Jesse innocently.

His expression changed. I wasn't sure how. His face was a strange colour from the fire. He looked like the sunset. 'Why do you ask?'

I kept the smile from my face. 'I want to show you how to use Trojan condoms...'

He turned away from me, before informing me that we were about ten feet away from one. Beaming, I held the box closely - absurdly heavy - and followed him to the faucet.

I then got him to fill up all of the condoms with as much water as they could hold, twist them until they held in place, and pass them to me...

He did so without question, quite curious as to what the hell these strange rubber things were used for...

I gotta admit, I'd never touched a condom before...and holding it while it was swollen with water was certainly an experience.

When the twelve were filled and the box was empty, Jesse took it and then took half of them.

'What now?' he wanted to know.

'We go and stand next to my whore of a step-brother and Paul's ex...' I directed him until we were close enough, 'Put them on the ground...mind they don't undo...'

One did, sprinkling a flood of cold water over my feet...

'And we fire!'

For my first ever visual throw, my aim was wonderful. A shrill scream tore through the night as I heard a wonderful splash of the water hitting the pair. They certainly moved jerkily.

Jesse, catching onto the haunting quickly, started throwing like mad. Brad's screams were higher than Kelly's even. I just threw, and threw, and threw.

'OH MY EFFING GOD, THIS BEACH IS HAUNTED!' Kelly howled.

'GET OUT OF MY WAY!' Brad was freaking out. He shoved Kelly - I think - and took off. I aimed my last bomb at Kelly, who was sprawled over the sand. She shrieked in abject horror and streaked right after Brad. Wow...why were all her and Brad's clothes the same colour as their skin?

When they were gone, I fell to the ground laughing my ass off. I was beside my self...I could not stop...Jesse cracked up too, and collapsed next to me.

'Mierda!' he cried, 'I haven't had a good haunting like this in so long...'

'HE WAS SUCH A WUSS!' I could feel tears of laughter at the corners of my eyes. My mascara was waterproof, so it wasn't that bad. 'Oh my GOD. That was the FUNNIEST. THING. EVER!'

My stomach ached from my fits of giggling, and I rolled onto my back, shaking with jerks of relentless laughter. They ripped through me, piercing the silence with pleasant loudness. 'HAHAHAHA...'

After like, five minutes, I finally calmed down to breathe again. I didn't need to...but I was still used to it I guess. 'Oh God, that was...so funny...'

Jesse chuckled appreciatively, pulling me over him. I looked beyond his head and saw that the sand was a funny black colour...then, after some finger investigation, I discovered there was a big blanket, and even a rough pillow, spread out on the ground.

Wow. Brad had sure meant business.

'And we got the bonfire out of it too,' I added happily, relishing the lovely heat that the fire was providing against the rather cold chill of the night.

Then, Jesse brought up the stupid condom thing again, pulling the box out of his pocket. 'These truly are the most peculiar balloons I've ever seen...'

I went pale. 'Jesse, God! Let it go, okay?'

But he'd already turned the box around. Suddenly, he said in a strangled way, '...Susannah! Th-these...are NOT balloons!'

I winced. 'Uh...yeah.'

He threw the box into the fire. 'Do you mean...that they are used for - ?'

'Yeah,' I said again. 'Sorry...I felt weird about telling you. I'm still all wiggy with the, uh, sexual references and stuff.'

'How on earth do they work?' Jesse wanted to know.

Blushing rather hard, I explained to him. He let out a soft 'Oh...' of awkward understanding. 'I...see why you were embarrassed to say that...'

'Yeah,' I said yet again, hiding my face from his. 'I've never even touched one until tonight.'

He murmured, 'Speaking of all of this...we never really got to talk properly after we...made love.'

Wow, that sounded weird.

I mean, that's what it was called, what me and Jesse did. Making love, I mean. We WERE in love, so it wasn't just...you know.

'You're blushing,' Jesse said, amused. That only made my face get hotter. I mentioned this, and he laughed. 'You're so sweet when you blush, Susannah...'

'Hmph,' I said. 'And you're so infuriating when you think my blushing is sweet. Gah!'

My fingers felt his smile.

'So what did you mean, before? When you said we didn't have that...talk after doing that...thing?'

Jesse, sounding uncertain, said, 'I don't know...I believe that we should have talked about it afterward. To make sure I...didn't hurt you, or that there wasn't anything you disliked about it at all...if...being with a ghost was satisfying enough – '

I poked his chest hard, chastising him. 'Pfft. You're more than just a ghost to me, and you know it, Mr. de Silva,' I scowled.

'I'm just saying – '

I rolled my eyes, and cuddled myself closer to him. 'It was incredible,' I promised him. 'I felt closer to you than I'd ever felt to anyone in my life, Jesse...that alone felt so, so good...'

He seemed happy with that.

'I just feel bad,' I went on, 'That we haven't...done it again since then. I mean, I get the feeling that you want to, am I right?'

Jesse laughed guilty. 'Don't, for a second, let me pressure you, Susannah.'

I sighed. 'I'm not. But I still feel bad...I mean, I want to – I really do. I'm just...scared, you know?'

'Of what?' Jesse's voice was laced with concern.

I shivered a little. 'Well, for starters... I was kinda...freaked after that whole thing with Rhys. I'm getting better with it though – ' if the bathtub last night was ANYTHING to go on... ' – and secondly, of everything that Father Dom said to me...that you could suddenly just leave, and I won't even know...and God, if you left, I'd just – ' I closed my eyes. 'I wouldn't know what to do with myself.'

'I won't ever leave you,' Jesse breathed into my hair.

'You might,' I said seriously against his shirt. The fire was making my feet boiling hot, which was fine since they'd been like ice before. 'You could always move on...or get exorcised...'

'How is that any different to natural death or getting murdered, for an alive person?' asked Jesse suddenly. 'The living take the exact same risks as we do, querida.'

I thought about this for a second. '...Yeah. Good point, cowboy.'

I snuggled closer still, feeling comforted by his non-existent warmth. It made everything seem okay, just as long as I was touching him. I slid one of my legs over his body, so it was resting in between his thighs. He groaned a little. 'Susannah...that's a dangerous place to put your knee...'

'Why?' I asked inquisitively.

He swallowed his first answer. 'It – it just is.'

I smiled, knowing perfectly well what he meant. 'But I'm so comfy...'

He tutted me but then sighed, getting back on topic. 'Susannah, being with you, as incredible as it is, is just another way for me to show you how much you mean to me. I don't ever want my love to make you uncomfortable. If you aren't completely sure this is what you want, I'll wait. I'd wait an eternity for you if I had to.'

I went all squishy inside and I started smiling uncontrollably, touched so deeply by his oath. 'Aww...'

THAT WAS SO, SO SWEET.

Who got the bestest boy? That'd be SUSIE. I wriggled so I was only half-lying over him, my head resting against his chest as I stared at the fire. It burnt my eyes in such a way that I couldn't bear to look away, in fear that I'd miss the intoxicating dance... it burnt into my memory, so brilliant and fierce.

'Wow,' I murmured in awe. 'Fire's so...cool.'

'It's truly hypnotic, isn't it?' Jesse agreed, tracing his fingers along my back. Through the silky material, it felt even more amazing. I grinned girlishly. Yay...I loved this.

I stared at the flames. No matter how repetitive it was, it just drew me in and kept an iron hold over me...

Jesse then pointed up at the moon, the thing I'd mistaken for as the sun. 'That's beautiful too, isn't it?'

I nodded in silent incredulity. 'Pretty...'

It was just a circle thing. It wasn't nearly as bright as the sun, I don't know how I could have made the mistake. It was almost white, but not quite. I said this to Jesse, and he told he it was more of a pearl colour.

I was all, 'Oooh...'

And I lay and watched the moon as it kept disappearing behind the sky. Jesse corrected me and said it was a very cloudy night, and would most likely rain tomorrow. But not tonight...

It was nice, just lying there in front of roaring life of the fire with my head on Jesse's silent chest. I focused on my breathing, and was ridiculously happy when it fell into perfect sync with his.

Then, I readjusted my body so I was kissing him very contently. Golly, this man was no slouch in the kissing department...I felt him all the way down to the tips of my toes. Everywhere on my body was tingling, all at once.

He rolled me over to suddenly, he'd crawled over me instead and my head was against the scratchy pillow that Brad had abandoned. I giggled insanely as he kissed along my neck. I was melting from the combination of the fire's heat and his kiss's passion. His lips were so...God...they drove me over the edge...

But it stopped all too soon, when Jesse's entire body suddenly seized up over mine. I opened my eyes in alarm, but the expression on his face was one I'd never seen before. My fingers fluttered over his features and to my horror, I felt he was in great pain. His face was creased and he'd screwed his eyes up.

And then, he tumbled to the side and started gasping.

I sat up, terrified. 'Jesse?' my voice shuddered in fear. 'Jesse, are you okay?'

I didn't understand what was happening. The Jesse in my vision was moving strangely. I swiped my hands blindly and discovered that his hands were trying to peel something away from around his neck. Something that clearly wasn't there.

All I could hear was gentle sounds of choking, and spluttering...but even those were terribly quiet.

'JESSE!' I screamed at him, 'What are you DOING?'

I could feel his legs writhing, and my fingers on his face told me that his mouth was open, as if trying to gulp air. Why, though? He didn't NEED air! What was happening to him?

The ocean behind me was roaring. I turned to look at it. I didn't understand...but the water was moving quickly in all different directions. I squinted against the forceful wind, which was making our bonfire smaller and smaller...

Then, I felt something cold and wet on my arms.

The sky split open and started to rain, hard.

He lied to me! He...he said it wouldn't rain tonight...

'Jesse!' I started shaking him, hard. 'Jesse, please! Why can't you talk to me?' He was still trying to tear away an invisible constriction from his neck. Then, he stammered out on word of pure hate, shock and rage. '...Diego!'

'WHAT?' I demanded, terribly frightened. I should have remembered the significance of that name, but my mind was frazzled beyond repair. It was like there was a blockage in my throat. I couldn't breath. My nose burned fiercely from the coldness and the impending tears. And the rain...the rain was showed me no mercy...

'What do you mean? Jesse! TALK TO ME! Tell me what to DO!' I shrieked at him.

And suddenly, he changed colour and just went dead still.

I gasped, my eyes so wide that they were aching from the wind. The rain was pouring, drenching my ghostly form with a coldness that I feared I'd never be free of...my whole body suffered from the icy chill.

With a loud hiss, the intense orange blaze of the bonfire suddenly died, and everything became truly dark.

Once again, I was fear's bitch. It scythed at my defenceless soul, leaving me for dead.

The downpour only escalated in its harsh attack as the rain started to burn against my skin as it penetrated my ghostly state. I winced against the pain as my hair plastered itself against my face and the back of my neck. Water meandered down my face, and my silk dress only served to make me even colder.

'J-Jesse?' I asked in a voice that wasn't mine. I shivered horribly. '...Jesse?'

I shook him gently. He didn't respond. He was just slumped in the sand. His face felt expressionless, and his eyes were closed.

My lip started trembling madly and before I could stop myself, I started sobbing wildly. I didn't even know what had happened...had I done something? Had I hurt him? What...why was he...?

I collapsed on top of him, crying hard and begging him to wake up. Tears were pouring down my face, warmer than the rain that was trying to drown me. 'JESSE!' I hammered his chest. 'WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU? GET UP, YOU STUPID COWBOY. STOP JUST...LYING THERE! WAKE UP! YOU...' my face creased in horrible realisation. This was not normal ghost behaviour. That meant that something was seriously wrong, and it wasn't ever going to be rectified, '...you promised you'd never leave me...'

I had no energy, suddenly. I had nothing, except my tears, and my weeping heart. I grabbed fistfuls of his shirt and just cried over him. 'You promised...'

And that was when I heard it –

The most glorious, most gratifying, most heavenly sound across life and death.

...His heartbeat.