A/N: Well, I've actually finished this story now. To be honest, it's probably the one I'll least like when this is through. The second installment should be fun though, more oddity from this AU.

And I was thinking of starting another fic based on that snippit just released for Twilight although I imagine the idea's been done to death, I might try it out later. Or even odder, twist that same idea into this story. We'll see what pops up. By the way, since this story is done, it'll be updated probably daily until its through. Hope you guys had fun.

Chapter 8:

Susannah glanced over her shoulder and shouted, "Run!"

I didn't need another word. Getting to my feet, I ran to the fence and vaulted over it. I turned and saw that Bryan was being pelted by smaller but many more pieces of rubble. I didn't see her anywhere. I yelled, "Susannah!"

There was a hand around my wrist as I was pulled away from the fence and back towards home. Susannah said ahead of me, "I told you to run!" We finally slowed down when we were a good distance from the school.

I pulled my wrist out of her grip so I could grab her shoulders with both of my hands. My heart was going so fast I thought it would burst. I was honestly afraid. I asked her, "Nombre de Dios, querida, are you all right?"

She looked surprised. I suppose it was a pretty dumb question. "I'm fine, Jesse. How about you?"

"I've never met someone so… unreasonable." I started pacing up and down a ten foot stretch of pavement. "I have to warn Shannon. Bryan is completely out of it. He could come flying at us-"

"No, he can't," Susannah said resolutely. "Bryan doesn't know how to handle his powers yet. He's still too fresh."

This did not make me feel better. Bryan was a newbie and he already had down telekinesis of large projectile objects. "So you're saying he can come flying at us, he just doesn't know how yet?"

"Jesse…"

"Shannon's not going to have a chance at school if he's like this," I started thinking out loud. "I'm going to have to keep a close eye on her tomorrow. Or maybe just Bryan. Unless he disappears, which he'll probably do."

"Jesse."

I might've been rambling in Spanish at some point, I'm not sure. Either way, I continued pacing, "Or maybe I can just keep her from coming to school. Send a threatening letter or something. Is that stalker-ish or just illegal? If I hadn't gone and-"

"Jesse!" Susannah stepped out into my path and I nearly collided with her. She put her hands out to my chest to keep me from crashing into her. I almost stumbled backwards in surprise, but managed to keep myself upright. Her touch was pretty warm for a ghost, but that might have just been the heavy-duty ghost dodging I just did in this heavy sweater.

"It's not your fault," she said firmly.

I blinked at her blankly first before I said, exasperated, "Of course it is, Susannah! He was fine until that last part." I ran my left hand through my hair in frustration. "I'm going to have to go back."

I moved to step around her, but Susannah took my arm and spun me around to prevent that. "No, Jesse."

"But-!"

"No." She had both hands pushing against my back to keep me going forward. Kind of odd considering how much smaller she was than me. And, you know, dead.

When she was convinced I wouldn't go back to the school tonight, she walked on my right side next to me. I glanced down at her and noticed that she was staring at me. "What?" I was taken completely off guard when she took a hold of my shirt front and pulled me down closer to her. As in, just-inches-away kinda close. Was she going to…?

To be completely and utterly honest, I have never given nor received a kiss that wasn't entirely platonic. Sad, isn't it? I don't consider myself the hottest guy around, but decent, I suppose. As CeeCee would say, I just kind of have an exotic Latino appeal. But despite this, there has been nada in the kissing department. I wasn't the type to give out kisses carelessly, and I think I've already explained about my situation with flirty girls. So here was Susannah, a beautiful but sensible Victorian lady, pulling me toward her in the middle of the night. What was I supposed to think? My mouth partly opened in surprise (and perhaps anticipation) when her other hand rose to the side of my face. Susannah said, "You're bleeding."

Well, that was equally unexpected. I said automatically, "Am I?" I touched where her hand was headed and felt a sticky wetness on my temple. That chunk of debris must have grazed the side of my head closer than I thought. "So I am." Hey, it wasn't like getting hurt was unusual in my line of duty.

"Here, stand still." Susannah reached somewhere in the folds of her dress and took out a white handkerchief. I caught the scent of white lilies as she dabbed the cut. It was a bit awkward for me to lean over like that, but she was at least a head shorter than me. Besides, I didn't dare move. I kept my eyes fixed firmly on her face since I didn't trust myself to look any lower, given both the low cut of her dress's neckline and the way I was leaning over her. She was very lovely in the moonlight. Hell, she was lovely in any light. The gaze of her bright green eyes was concentrating on my cut so I couldn't tell if she noticed me staring or not. When she was finished, Susannah handed me the handkerchief, saying that I should probably keep some pressure on it just in case.

I cleared my throat and said sincerely, "Thank you, querida." It was the first time I noticed I had been calling her that. My father used to call Mom that, years ago. It meant "dearest one" or "sweetheart." Even though Dad was married to Annie now, I knew that he would only use that name for Mom. For some reason, it just seemed to suit Susannah.

She didn't think so though. "Don't call me stuff in Spanish," she huffed. I could tell she didn't know what it meant, but that only seemed to make me smile. That seemed to soften her. Susannah added, "It was nothing, Jesse."

"No, really," I continued, "I really appreciate you coming out here and saving me. And well… Thank you."

Susannah looked embarrassed as she once again fidgeted with the locket around her neck as if trying to find something to distract her from me. For some reason, I thought it was important for her to know how much I appreciated her help. Even though we didn't start out on the best terms, Susannah had been nothing but helpful since then. Proud, yes, but helpful. She had even come down to the school to make sure I was all right and bandaged my wound. I've always aided ghosts in their problems, but she was the first to help me with mine. Mom popped up once in awhile to assist as best she can, but she's a mess in a crisis honestly.

She brushed imaginary dust from her dress and said, "Never mind. Let's go home."