Chapter 11
It was around three in the morning by the time that Jesse finally showed up. I had pretty much given up on him coming back at all, and I had finally managed to get to sleep.
"Susannah," I heard Jesse say through my sleepy haze. I cracked open one eye and looked up at him. God, he looked like a wreck-I didn't even think that Jesse could look like a wreck. He had that awful haunted look in his eyes that I had seen earlier that day after we left the ranger station.
I shuddered, sitting up. "I-I didn't think that you were coming," I muttered.
Jesse looked away from me, apparently feeling the need to stare at my dresser. "I wasn't sure I was coming either." There was a long pause, and then, "Susannah. . ."
I sighed. "Jesse." When he didn't respond, I said more firmly, "Jesse." Finally, with a weary sigh, he turned to face me. I patted the bed next to me. "Come here."
He hesitated only a second than came and sat down beside me. I put my arms around him in what I hoped was a comforting hug. He was stiff at first, and then he sort of melted-it's the only real word for it, anyway-and started shaking uncontrollably.
"Shh," I whispered, stroking his back. It was rather unnerving, really, being the one who was comforting Jesse instead of the other way around. It was just never one of those things that I never imagined happening. And who would? I mean, Jesse's not exactly the kind of guy you'd see breaking down a whole lot. "It's okay," I tried to assure him. "It's over."
Jesse calmed down after awhile and pulled back from me. "I'm sorry," he muttered hoarsely.
I swallowed hard. "It's okay." I gave him a tentative smile. "Look, Jess, about tonight-"
Jesse shook his head. "I don't want to talk about." He gave me a pleading look that nearly broke my heart. "Please, Susannah, not tonight."
I didn't particularly want to talk about it either, so I wasn't about to push it. I just moved closer to him and laid my head on his shoulder. He reached up and stroked my hair, and we just sort of sat like that for awhile. Then he kissed me, murmured something in Spanish, and made me go back to sleep.
Just before I fell asleep again, I looked over at Jesse, sitting on the windowsill. His head was bowed and he was saying something-I couldn't hear what-but a part of me rather thought that he was praying. I turned away, not wanting to disturb him, and not wanting to see me cry.
***
Jeez, it's so short. Not really that good, either, in my opinion. *sighs* Jesse was very ooc. But at least it makes sense with the story. Anyway, you know the drill, read and review.
It was around three in the morning by the time that Jesse finally showed up. I had pretty much given up on him coming back at all, and I had finally managed to get to sleep.
"Susannah," I heard Jesse say through my sleepy haze. I cracked open one eye and looked up at him. God, he looked like a wreck-I didn't even think that Jesse could look like a wreck. He had that awful haunted look in his eyes that I had seen earlier that day after we left the ranger station.
I shuddered, sitting up. "I-I didn't think that you were coming," I muttered.
Jesse looked away from me, apparently feeling the need to stare at my dresser. "I wasn't sure I was coming either." There was a long pause, and then, "Susannah. . ."
I sighed. "Jesse." When he didn't respond, I said more firmly, "Jesse." Finally, with a weary sigh, he turned to face me. I patted the bed next to me. "Come here."
He hesitated only a second than came and sat down beside me. I put my arms around him in what I hoped was a comforting hug. He was stiff at first, and then he sort of melted-it's the only real word for it, anyway-and started shaking uncontrollably.
"Shh," I whispered, stroking his back. It was rather unnerving, really, being the one who was comforting Jesse instead of the other way around. It was just never one of those things that I never imagined happening. And who would? I mean, Jesse's not exactly the kind of guy you'd see breaking down a whole lot. "It's okay," I tried to assure him. "It's over."
Jesse calmed down after awhile and pulled back from me. "I'm sorry," he muttered hoarsely.
I swallowed hard. "It's okay." I gave him a tentative smile. "Look, Jess, about tonight-"
Jesse shook his head. "I don't want to talk about." He gave me a pleading look that nearly broke my heart. "Please, Susannah, not tonight."
I didn't particularly want to talk about it either, so I wasn't about to push it. I just moved closer to him and laid my head on his shoulder. He reached up and stroked my hair, and we just sort of sat like that for awhile. Then he kissed me, murmured something in Spanish, and made me go back to sleep.
Just before I fell asleep again, I looked over at Jesse, sitting on the windowsill. His head was bowed and he was saying something-I couldn't hear what-but a part of me rather thought that he was praying. I turned away, not wanting to disturb him, and not wanting to see me cry.
***
Jeez, it's so short. Not really that good, either, in my opinion. *sighs* Jesse was very ooc. But at least it makes sense with the story. Anyway, you know the drill, read and review.