A/N: Guess who's in this chapter. No, no, don't look! You're supposed to be
shocked out of your minds. Even if you're not, pretend to be.
Chapter 6
When Jesse returned to the Agency, there was Hell to pay. He'd known that the moment he went to see Susannah, but he still had to go.
So, for the next two weeks he was locked up in one of the rooms at the Agency-reminiscent (A/N: Hey, I spelled it right on the 1st try!) of the one he had occupied before, not to mention in a state like the one he had been in the last time.
Jesse stood up from his seat on the bench, stretching. He didn't think that ghosts needed to stretch, but he still did it for good measure. After only a couple weeks, he was already tired of the place-it didn't take more than a couple hours, if he were to be honest. It made him sick to think about how long he would be there.
"They certainly changed this place quite a bit since I was here," a voice that was only vaguely familiar to Jesse said from somewhere behind him.
Jesse spun around the girl-well, woman, rather-standing before him looked more familiar than her voice. She couldn't have appeared more than eighteen, with long black hair that-unlike his-was completely uncurlable (A/N: Is that a word? It is now). The last time he had seen her-while he was alive anyway-she had been ten years old and climbing every tree in sight.
The main difference, however, was the fact that she was long since dead.
Jesse smiled faintly. "Amelia."
She grinned at him-a rather refreshing relief from the stark blankness of the room around them. "Hello, Jesse," she said. "It's. . . it's good to see you again." She glanced around, her smile fading a bit. "Even if it is here."
There was a long awkward pause. Then, Jesse said, trying to sound light, "Allow me to congratulate you on your nuptials. Both of them." He said this last part in reference to the man she had married when she was alive.
Amelia scowled at him, beginning to look very much the way she had at ten. She seemed misinterpret his meaning, saying, "I will have you know, dear brother, that Derek is a very good man, and-"
Jesse held up a hand silencing her. "I was not referring to Derek," he said slowly, though he had to admit-at least to himself-that his respect for his brother-in-law was a bit grudging. But that mostly had to do with what had happened the last time they had all been at the Agency. "I was referring to that alcoholic wastrel you refer to as your first husband."
Amelia didn't bother to argue with Jesse's assessment of the man-mostly because he was right, of course. "Yes, well." Her voice trailed off for a moment. Then, "I did not come here to talk about that. I have a message for you." Jesse nodded, signaling her to go on. Amelia sighed. "The message is simply this: You cannot trust the Agency. You must consider anything they say-any promises they make-as lies."
Jesse shook his head. Nothing she had just said, of course, was anything new to him. "I had noticed," he gave her a rather pointed look.
She rolled her eyes. "Hector," she said in a warning voice. After a moment, she sighed. "Just keep that in mind. And whatever you do, don't do anything stupid."
He was tempted to point out that he almost never did anything stupid, but instead, he said, "Shouldn't you be with your husband?"
Tilting her chin, Amelia said, "I was just on my way." But before she left, she stopped, biting her lip. "Jesse. . ." she began. Then, she sighed again. "Just be careful." And then, without another word, she dematerialized, leaving Jesse to his thoughts.
***
Two years later.
Jesse supposed that there were benefits to cooperating with the Agency. For example, after two long years of being locked up and only brought out to be used for various tests and experiments, he was finally being allowed to venture outside the walls of the Agency.
Not that he didn't have work to do, of course. He wasn't quite-as Susannah would have put it-a free man. He had to watch Paul.
Paul had been released on the heels of Susannah and Derek's release. The Agency had somehow managed to lose track of him a few months earlier-how, Jesse was never sure-and now they needed someone to find him-someone who could materialize and dematerialize anywhere they wanted to. Someone who could walk through solid objects like walls and locked doors.
In other words, they needed him for the job.
He didn't mind much, of course. He wasn't quite sure who he hated more-the Agency or Paul Slater-but if he could do anything to hurt one. . . well, he would do it.
And the good news was, he was going to see Susannah.
Jesse smiled, closing his eyes as he stepped from the Agency building out into the sunshine-something he hadn't seen in more than two years-he could have easily materialized, but he had felt the need, after being locked up in that room, to move around.
He did not, however, waste any time getting to Susannah's house, of course. He hadn't seen his wife in two years-he didn't want to waste any more time dallying outside his prison.
***
I got home late that day, having spent it at the beach with CeeCee and Adam. I was exhausted and just needed to take a nice long shower and go to bed.
I slumped into my room, fully expecting it to be empty. I hadn't seen Jesse in two years-and, wherever he was; I didn't expect him to come back anytime soon.
Not that I thought Jesse had left me, though the thought had crossed my mind. I figured that he must have a good reason for being gone so long. At least, he better have a good reason.
But the moment I closed and locked my bedroom door behind me, someone wrapped their arms around my waist. I shrieked-really, I literally shrieked, I was so surprised.
"Shh," a familiar, silky voice said in my ear. "Susannah, it's just me."
I spun around, feeling unwelcome tears-tears I hadn't allowed myself to shed since a few months after he left-welled up in my eyes. "Jesse? What are you doing here? Where have you-"
Jesse silenced me with a long, passionate kiss. I wrapped my arms around his neck, reveling in the feel of being in his arms again.
"Not now," he murmured, cradling my cheek in his hand as he drew back. "I will explain everything later, but now. . ." His eyes drifted toward my bed, and I knew exactly what he was thinking. I wasn't, after all, the only person who had gone without these past two years.
And, yes, it was everything I remembered it to be, only much more urgent- like we were afraid that one of us might disappear at any moment. And considering what had been going on, I wouldn't have been surprised if that really did happen.
But for a couple hours, at least, I was able to forget all the heartache that I'd felt lately, I was able to forget all the loneliness. For one night, at least, it was just me and Jesse, and screw the rest of the world.
But I still felt his fear-fear that I later figured out was that, after he told me the entire story, I would hate him.
At least for that moment, though, I didn't think I ever could.
***
A/N: How was that? It was a little longer than usual, I think. Three full pages and a couple lines on the fourth. It had a little fluff at the end (happy?) And look, I even put in Amelia! That should make Derek happy, shouldn't it? Lol.
Chapter 6
When Jesse returned to the Agency, there was Hell to pay. He'd known that the moment he went to see Susannah, but he still had to go.
So, for the next two weeks he was locked up in one of the rooms at the Agency-reminiscent (A/N: Hey, I spelled it right on the 1st try!) of the one he had occupied before, not to mention in a state like the one he had been in the last time.
Jesse stood up from his seat on the bench, stretching. He didn't think that ghosts needed to stretch, but he still did it for good measure. After only a couple weeks, he was already tired of the place-it didn't take more than a couple hours, if he were to be honest. It made him sick to think about how long he would be there.
"They certainly changed this place quite a bit since I was here," a voice that was only vaguely familiar to Jesse said from somewhere behind him.
Jesse spun around the girl-well, woman, rather-standing before him looked more familiar than her voice. She couldn't have appeared more than eighteen, with long black hair that-unlike his-was completely uncurlable (A/N: Is that a word? It is now). The last time he had seen her-while he was alive anyway-she had been ten years old and climbing every tree in sight.
The main difference, however, was the fact that she was long since dead.
Jesse smiled faintly. "Amelia."
She grinned at him-a rather refreshing relief from the stark blankness of the room around them. "Hello, Jesse," she said. "It's. . . it's good to see you again." She glanced around, her smile fading a bit. "Even if it is here."
There was a long awkward pause. Then, Jesse said, trying to sound light, "Allow me to congratulate you on your nuptials. Both of them." He said this last part in reference to the man she had married when she was alive.
Amelia scowled at him, beginning to look very much the way she had at ten. She seemed misinterpret his meaning, saying, "I will have you know, dear brother, that Derek is a very good man, and-"
Jesse held up a hand silencing her. "I was not referring to Derek," he said slowly, though he had to admit-at least to himself-that his respect for his brother-in-law was a bit grudging. But that mostly had to do with what had happened the last time they had all been at the Agency. "I was referring to that alcoholic wastrel you refer to as your first husband."
Amelia didn't bother to argue with Jesse's assessment of the man-mostly because he was right, of course. "Yes, well." Her voice trailed off for a moment. Then, "I did not come here to talk about that. I have a message for you." Jesse nodded, signaling her to go on. Amelia sighed. "The message is simply this: You cannot trust the Agency. You must consider anything they say-any promises they make-as lies."
Jesse shook his head. Nothing she had just said, of course, was anything new to him. "I had noticed," he gave her a rather pointed look.
She rolled her eyes. "Hector," she said in a warning voice. After a moment, she sighed. "Just keep that in mind. And whatever you do, don't do anything stupid."
He was tempted to point out that he almost never did anything stupid, but instead, he said, "Shouldn't you be with your husband?"
Tilting her chin, Amelia said, "I was just on my way." But before she left, she stopped, biting her lip. "Jesse. . ." she began. Then, she sighed again. "Just be careful." And then, without another word, she dematerialized, leaving Jesse to his thoughts.
***
Two years later.
Jesse supposed that there were benefits to cooperating with the Agency. For example, after two long years of being locked up and only brought out to be used for various tests and experiments, he was finally being allowed to venture outside the walls of the Agency.
Not that he didn't have work to do, of course. He wasn't quite-as Susannah would have put it-a free man. He had to watch Paul.
Paul had been released on the heels of Susannah and Derek's release. The Agency had somehow managed to lose track of him a few months earlier-how, Jesse was never sure-and now they needed someone to find him-someone who could materialize and dematerialize anywhere they wanted to. Someone who could walk through solid objects like walls and locked doors.
In other words, they needed him for the job.
He didn't mind much, of course. He wasn't quite sure who he hated more-the Agency or Paul Slater-but if he could do anything to hurt one. . . well, he would do it.
And the good news was, he was going to see Susannah.
Jesse smiled, closing his eyes as he stepped from the Agency building out into the sunshine-something he hadn't seen in more than two years-he could have easily materialized, but he had felt the need, after being locked up in that room, to move around.
He did not, however, waste any time getting to Susannah's house, of course. He hadn't seen his wife in two years-he didn't want to waste any more time dallying outside his prison.
***
I got home late that day, having spent it at the beach with CeeCee and Adam. I was exhausted and just needed to take a nice long shower and go to bed.
I slumped into my room, fully expecting it to be empty. I hadn't seen Jesse in two years-and, wherever he was; I didn't expect him to come back anytime soon.
Not that I thought Jesse had left me, though the thought had crossed my mind. I figured that he must have a good reason for being gone so long. At least, he better have a good reason.
But the moment I closed and locked my bedroom door behind me, someone wrapped their arms around my waist. I shrieked-really, I literally shrieked, I was so surprised.
"Shh," a familiar, silky voice said in my ear. "Susannah, it's just me."
I spun around, feeling unwelcome tears-tears I hadn't allowed myself to shed since a few months after he left-welled up in my eyes. "Jesse? What are you doing here? Where have you-"
Jesse silenced me with a long, passionate kiss. I wrapped my arms around his neck, reveling in the feel of being in his arms again.
"Not now," he murmured, cradling my cheek in his hand as he drew back. "I will explain everything later, but now. . ." His eyes drifted toward my bed, and I knew exactly what he was thinking. I wasn't, after all, the only person who had gone without these past two years.
And, yes, it was everything I remembered it to be, only much more urgent- like we were afraid that one of us might disappear at any moment. And considering what had been going on, I wouldn't have been surprised if that really did happen.
But for a couple hours, at least, I was able to forget all the heartache that I'd felt lately, I was able to forget all the loneliness. For one night, at least, it was just me and Jesse, and screw the rest of the world.
But I still felt his fear-fear that I later figured out was that, after he told me the entire story, I would hate him.
At least for that moment, though, I didn't think I ever could.
***
A/N: How was that? It was a little longer than usual, I think. Three full pages and a couple lines on the fourth. It had a little fluff at the end (happy?) And look, I even put in Amelia! That should make Derek happy, shouldn't it? Lol.