Thanks once again to all those who reviewed – I'm trying to ignore points that were already in the actual book- unless Paul makes some sort of appearance that changes it – but I will try to do a quick review of book things – just for those people who have never read the mediator – which if there is anyone like that reading this – why are you reading stuff out of a section that you haven't actually read the book – makes no sense to me – yet I know people do it… so on with the chap.

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CHAPTER 8:

"Hi Suze!" I waved to yet another person who obviously knew me, yet I didn't know who in the world she was. It had been like this ever since my history class. Apparently threatening the most popular girl in the sophomore class made you pretty popular yourself. At least with all the geeks and that's exactly what that girl was, a geek. But hey, I couldn't complain. At least I was popular in some social class.

"I see what you mean." Paul said with a slight laugh as we both waved back. When the girl blushed, I knew that it was due to the hot guy that was actually giving her some attention, without making fun of her. I had told Paul all about the incident in my history class, and he had gotten a real kick out of it.

"My own little wonder woman: Fights ghosts, and protects the geeks from the popular." He had joked, but lightened it with a quick kiss, while none of nuns or novices was looking. (A/n, none of the nuns – how weird is that?)

"Hey Suze, over here!" glancing around to see who was calling, I barely missed the white haired, and skinned girl who was being pulled down from a bench by someone I couldn't see.

"Its Cee Cee, the albino chick I was telling you about. I'm guess I should go over there to say hi, do you want to come or have you found someone else you would rather hang out with?" I found my self praying that he would stay with me. I wasn't in the mood to hang out with a bunch of geeks, not after everything that had happened today, but I would do it any way.

"the only person I've found so far, I'm already hanging out with, and I think that I'll stay with that person, if she doesn't mind" it took me a second to realize he was talking about me, but when he did I was fast to answer, with out sounding too desperate.

"I think I can manage having someone like you around."

We walked over to where Cee Cee was and she immediately started introductions. I don't know if she really intended for me to remember everyone's name, but I guess I should try.

"Hey Suze, who's your friend? He's new too isn't he, I saw him in the office this morning." The boy who said this, I recognized as the same boy from the office this morning, the same one who mentioned the statue, Mr. McTavish as Father Dom had called him, but Adam as Cee Cee had introduced him.

"Oh, yeah. This is Paul Slater." I said, sensing from Paul that these people were definitely not the type of people he would usually hang out with.

"Well, you two were a little fast to hook up weren't you?" Adam asked boldly, seeing that we were holding hands. "We've know each other longer than you think." Paul said, speaking for the first time since we got here. (A/n – there's a pwetty blue jay in front of me eating the berries off the bushes – don't you just love the woods?)

"Suze, tell us about how you threatened Debbie Mancuso." said a girl. I think her name was Rebecca or something like that.

"It's not that big of a deal, really." I said trying not to laugh. I mean, because of me our class had an extra essay due tomorrow.

"Are you kidding, Suze? You were awesome." Cee Cee said with great enthusiasm.

"All I did was threaten to break her finger." I still didn't get the big deal, but obviously it was since Cee Cee went into a detailed description of what had happened. When Paul started chuckling at the sight before him and how easily this group of people was entertained, I elbowed him in the stomach, which got him to be quiet, but I could still feel his body trembling from holding in his laughter. 

It was near the end of Cee Cee's story, and lunch, that I saw her. She was concentrating hard on something, and when I looked in the direction that she was looking, and saw a group of seniors. I noticed my step-brother Sleepy and another guy with slumped shoulders standing next to him. I knew that this guy was Bryce Martinsen. Everyone around school was talking about him… and his ex-girlfriend, who had apparently killed herself over Christmas Vacation. I knew that his ex was Heather, the same girl, or at least the ghost of the same girl, that was staring at him now, or at least I thought she was staring at him.

It was than that I noticed the post nearest Bryce that was holding up the breezeway was shaking. It took me only a few seconds to figure out that Heather was shacking it, and judging from the way it was moving, and the look on her face, it was going to fall and it would land right on top of Bryce.

It was instinct that brought me over there as fast as I could. Next think I know I'm throwing myself onto Bryce to get him out of the way of falling debris as the Post came crashing down to where Bryce, just seconds ago was standing.

I slowly became aware of my surroundings: the unnatural silence, the dust floating in the air, and the cotton shirt underneath me.

I opened my eyes to see that I was lying on top of a very firm chest. I slowly started getting off, to make sure that I hadn't broken anything. Since there was no sudden pain, I knew everything was clear. "Are you okay?" I asked Bryce after seeing that he was still lying there, looking at me as if I were an angel fallen from heaven,

"You, you saved my life." He stumbled, than started getting up.

"What happened here." It was Sister Ernestine, obviously frantic about getting a law suit. I didn't even bother answering her. I mean any one could see that the post just fell right? Well, anyone who isn't a mediator or a shifter that is. "Every one, get to your classes" Sister Ernestine yelled.

All the sudden the silence was gone and everyone was whispering to their friends about what had just happened. I glanced back at Bryce who was still looking pretty pallid. Without even thinking, I started brushing off his chest. "You should probably get cleaned up."

"Why don't both of you go up to the nurse and get checked out." I hadn't even realized that Father Dominic had gotten out here, but it only figured he would.

"I'm fine; I think I just want to go to class." Bryce said in a daze. What a dope. He has an excuse to get out of class, but he passes, what is this guy on. I guess I can't blame him though. He DID almost die today.

I looked up at Father Dominic, trying to tell him through my eyes that I needed to talk to him. He got the message. "Susannah, I want to talk to you a minuet in my office, to find out what happened. Go along, I'll see you there." He walked off to have a word with some of the novices and Sister Ernestine.

That's when I remembered Paul. Where was he? You would think he would be over here making sure I was alright. Glancing around, I almost missed the tall guy pushing his way through the crowds to get to me. Paul was out of breath, and looked like he had just gone to hell and back.

Okay, maybe the adrenaline surging through my blood was making me exaggerate a little, but I know for sure I wasn't exaggerating that cut and bruise forming on his lip.

"What did you do to yourself?" I asked as he caught up to me. He pulled my arm and made me start walking with him. "We need to find some place private to talk." He said, and than I knew that it was about Heather. Did she do that to him?

"Father Dominic's office. He's meeting me there and if I don't show, he'll get worried." I said, forgetting that I had left one certain part of my day out when talking to Paul today at Lunch.

"No, he'll come in eventually and he might hear some part of the conversation. What did you hit you head when you two fell or something?"  He said, acting like I had just suffered major brain damage. But hey, he didn't' know, you cant blame him.

"Trust me on this, Paul. I'll explain everything when we get there." We walked there fast, avoiding everyone's glances and whispers. When we go here, Paul shut the door, turned to me with his arms crossed and said "explain"

"Well," I said as I flopped into one of the chairs at Father Dominic's Desk. Suddenly I was feeling Exhausted. "as you can see, I left a small part of my day out." I started and continued after Paul nodded his head. "After Father Dominic and I left you at your class room, we went to my locker. This was Heather's old locker, before she… before she--"

"Killed herself?" Paul suggested? I nodded my head, than continued. "Well, she was pretty mad that I was taking her locker, so she made herself present. Father Dominic tried to--"

"Wait.  Father Dominic? He's a mediator than?" I nodded my head. "That's why I said it was safe here. So unless you want to keep your powers a secret, we can stay here." Paul paused for a second and than nodded his head.

"So, as I was saying, Father Dominic tried to talk to her, but she just got mad, and called me a bitch. Of course I got mad too, so punched her, and she went flying into my locker, which is now broken, then she dematerialized."

Paul started laughing and shaking his head. "That explains a lot."

"What?" I asked

"After you went to get that guy out of the way, I went after Heather. I got to her right before she dematerialized. I pulled her to where no one could see us, and she was yelling something the whole time about stupid mediators. After I found a vacant hallway I questioned her. I basically got out that she had killed herself because some guy named Bryce wouldn't be with her, and now that she's dead, she wants Bryce to be gone too. So he can feel the same pain that she feels. Am I right when I'm guessing that the guy you pushed over was Bryce?"

"Yeah, he was--" I was interrupted by the door opening. Father Dominic came in already talking, unaware of Paul's presence.

"Susannah, what on earth happened out…Mr. Slater, why aren't you in your class?" Father Dom asked as soon as he became aware of Paul.

"The same reason Suze isn't" he said simply, so I elaborated for him, well aware that Paul wasn't too thrilled about this. I think it was my Shifter senses that were telling me that Paul was none too thrilled about having to tell this old priest about his powers. 

"Paul here knows about Heather, yes, he's a mediator too." I said after I saw the Father's eyes go wide with question. Only after I confirmed his suspicions did he say something.

"Oh my heavens! In all my life, I have never, never met another mediator, and today, I meet two. Who would have guessed? How many of us do you think there are out there?" Ohmygod, it was like a kid seeing the real Santa Clause, this mediator business must be pretty important to him, I wonder what he would do if he found out about shifters…

"There aren't many, but there's enough" Paul said. Something gave me the impression that he didn't like Mediators all too much, and that same something turned on tones of warning bells. But of course little ole' me ignored them, which would be something I would come to regret latter.

"Umm, u guys, yeah, we have more important things to do here. So can I suggest that we get back on focus, i.e. Heather!"

"Oh, yes, your right, Susannah. So that was Heather out there, who pushed the post over." I nodded my head and Father Dom shook his. "I really can't see how such a sweet girl could try a stunt like that; maybe it was just an accident."

Paul snorted at Father Dominic's assumptions. "Excuse me Father, but I had a little talk with Heather, and she's pretty hooked on ending someone's life."

"You don't say. Who in the world would she ever want to kill, and why?" I sighed and shook my head. Priests, they only see the good in everyone.

"She's mad at her ex-boyfriend, Bryce Martinsen, so it's probably the only thing that makes sense to her." I said, trying to explain, the best way I knew how, what would cause some one to murder, to a man of god.

"I'll try talking to her again. Maybe I can talk some sense into her and make her change her mind." Father Dom said.

"I don't think that's a good idea." Paul said, putting his hand to his mouth. I figured Heather had given that to him, but I hadn't mentioned it, you know, don't want to hurt a guy's pride by rubbing it in his face that he got decked by a girl "last time I did that, she nearly knocked me out, and all I did was mention that I was a friend of Suze."

"Oh, Paul, I'm so sorry. I figured Heather did that, but I didn't know it was because of me." I said, filling really guilty all the sudden.

"It's not your fault Susannah." Paul said as he gave my hand a quick squeeze, than turned back to Father Dominic, "we need to warn Bryce somehow or at least get him out of the school until we can get this taken care of." Father Dom walked around the desk and sat down in his chair with a sigh.

"I'm afraid you might be right." He finally said.

"Umm, how exactly are we going to get him out of here? What are we going to do? Go up to him and say 'hey, you know your ex, yeah the one who killed her self a short while ago? Yeah well she sort of came back as a ghost and now she wants you dead?'"

"We're not that stupid, Suze." Paul mumbled with a slight glare my way. Umm does this count as our first fight as a couple? Just curious.

"Father Dominic, is it possible at all to get him suspended at all?" Paul suggested. Father Dominic looked up with his eyebrows raised. "Unless being in the way while a breeze way starts to fall is all the sudden against school policy, I think not." Father Dominic said.

Paul nodded his head, and finally sat down in the chair next to me as we all began to think of a way to get Bryce out of the school. We sat in silence for about five minuets at what time Father Dominic shot his head back up.

"I have the perfect idea."

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There, I wrote a long chapter for a change. And crap – I thought it was only nine, guess its eleven o'clock instead – o well.

Okay, so tell me what you did and didn't like – tell me your suggestion and your criticism – heck man, just say HI if you want. All I'm asking is that you review – I like to write my stories so my readers like it  - so tell me what needs to be done.

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-sky