Okay – since I have no computer and I have to barrow one – I put all my other stories on hold. The reason why I'm still working on this one is because this is the original story I started w. and so I want to finish it first. I'm positive that eventually I'll return to the others, but not anytime soon. For now, I'm just going to stick with this one.

So rereading what I've done with this sequel so far, I went and fixed up the 2 chapters just a tickle. Their was a lot I wanted to do, but I decided to keep it as simple as it is right now – so now that that's all said and done, chapter 3…..

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CHAPTER 3

I don't know how Jesse knew to come out side, but he did, and found my self once again in his comforting arms as he was on the phone, apparently with Jack. He was staring at the nearby Jacuzzi unaware that I was watching him.

"Has he said anything since he's woken up?" during the pause that it took for Jack to answer I could hear the muffled chit chat of my family inside, but strangely, nothing else. No crickets, birds, or any other animals. Everything was eerily silent not even the wind was blowing to rustle the trees around. It must be the after affects of the earthquake that afternoon.

"We'll catch the next flight up there. I'll call once I get the details…and jack…thank you for telling us…she'll be okay, it's just a shock for her, for both of us… we'll see you soon." I watched as Jesse pressed the end button on my cellular, than look down at me.

"Is he really awake?" I asked, finding my voice to be a lot shakier and quieter than I would have liked it to be.

"Yes, Querida, he is. Jack says that he hasn't said anything yet, which isn't too unexpected for such a case like his. From what I was told, he's just been lying in bed staring at the ceiling."

"Do you think he remembers?" I asked, praying that by some miracle I would never have to hear the answer.

"I don't know, but there is only one way to find out. Go inside and tell everyone what happened while I call the airlines. Do you want to finish up dinner before we leave?"

"Do you honestly think I can eat right now?" I asked as I stood up and started back into the house. I heard the punching of the keys on my phone as I closed the back door behind me. Everyone at the table looked up at me as I came back into the dinning room.

"Is everything all right, you look like you've seen a ghost."

I always wanted to laugh at that remark but now, I could barley find the strength to shake my head at my mother's comment. Gina and Doc both surprised me when simultaneously they both stood up and asked the all knowing question with just one word, "Paul?" apparently I wasn't the only one who realized that ten years ago today Paul had gone into a coma.

As I looked at the two of them, and around the whole table I saw everyone now for the first time really, all grown up. Ten years really changes people, and when you're living with them the majority of the time, you don't really notice it. Gina had turned into the beautiful woman we all knew she would. Doc had grown into his ears, and his long red hair actually did him some good, his nerdy look done, he looked like a typical college kid. Dopey was no longer that. He had a look in his eyes that only parenthood could give a feel to his aura that only the stress and love of taking care of a child by oneself could achieve; it was the same aura that my mother and Andy had. Sleepy no longer had that sleepiness to him, which is kind of shocking sine he has a little baby to take care of, Emily must have really done him some good. Then there are my parents. Well my birth father still looks the same at least he did the last time I saw him which was a week ago if I remember correctly, but Andy and my Mother, they looked…happy, besides the fact that there faces were filled with worry at the moment, you could still see the happiness in there eye. It was the look of someone who knew they had succeeded. Ignoring the new set of wrinkles they had throughout there faces, which is an expected turn of age. They still looked like a beautiful couple, and needles to say, I pray that Jesse and I look tat way when we get to that age.

With a nod of my head I said "That was Jack. Paul woke up today. Jesse is outside trying to find a flight out to Seattle right now. We're going to try to leave as soon as possible."

My mother got out of her seat and came over to me and gave me a hug. I felt tears coming down my face. I hadn't realized that I had been crying. No wonder everyone looked so worried.

"He's going to be okay, I know that now. He's awake. So nothing worse can happen, right mom?" I hadn't acted like this since I was 16 it seemed. And here I was, an adult, and I was crying like a baby.

"I sure hope so, Suzy." It's funny how moms can make you feel as if there are no problems in the world, even when you're twenty-seven. I heard someone clear their throat and I looked up to see Jesse standing in the doorway.

"I got a flight that leaves from San Francisco in 3 hours; we're going to have to leave now if we want to make it. It'll be calling it close, but I think we can do it." I nodded my head and cleared away my tears. We'd have to leave right now, after all we have an hour long drive to the airport, and we still needed to pack.

"Right, Andy thank you for dinner; Jake, Emily it was great to see you again." I bent over and gave AJ a quick kiss. "Happy birthday Andrew. I'm sorry we have to leave like this." I started in the direction of the front door when I remembered Gina. "Oh Gina, I'm so sorry I have to ruin your visit like this. But we're going to have to leave now if you want to get back to our house."

"I'll take her back when she's ready," Brad volunteered "you two get going, your going to be late."

"Thank you. Gina, you know where the spare key is, right?" I asked hurriedly.

"Yes, now go. Do as your brother says for a change." Gina said so sternly I did so, with no more words out of my mouth. Jesse wrapped his arm around my shoulder as we walked to the car.

"Everything will be okay. I promise." Although there was no way of knowing that for sure, and he knew it. We had no idea what we would find in Seattle. Would Paul remember everything from that different time when Jesse was still a ghost? Would he only have memories of this lifetime? Would he have any memories at all? As frustrating as it was, only time would tell. So Jesse and I drove in silence and I tried to clear my mind of all my thoughts. The last thing we needed right now was for me to have an aneurism.

Jesse, seeming to once again sense my thoughts reached over and started to massage my neck. He was a great stress reliever, and he always new the right time to use his skills, but when I looked up at him to say thank you, I knew he was doing his own share of stressful thinking.

"A penny for your thoughts?" He looked over at me and then returned his gaze to the road. In his dark brown eyes, barley visible by the light of the setting sun, I saw so many emotions, but the only one I could recognize was love.

"My thoughts are always free for you, Querida." After a short Pause he continued "I'm sure it's just some weird coincidence but apparently Washington had an earthquake of the same size up there at the same time that we had ours. Jack says that they found Paul awake right after they went to make sure that he was alright after the earthquake."

"I have a feeling that was more than a normal earthquake. I mean there were no aftershocks or anything, and now we know that there was also one at the same time up in Washington? I'm assuming it was located right near Seattle?"

"That's what I'm told"

"There hasn't been an earth quake there since the sixties if I'm remembering correctly."

"Who's the history teacher now?" Jesse said with a smile in his voice. "Hurry up and pack, Querida, now's not the time for us to start talking, we don't want to miss our flight."

I hadn't even noticed that he had stopped the car, nor reached our house. By the time we had packed, drove to the San Francisco airport, checked our luggage into our flight, and gone through security, our plane had already landed and the boarding process had begun. We were one of the last on the plane, but at least we made it.

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The flight had been the longest two hours of my life. The never ending roar of the plane most certainly would have driven me mad if Jesse had not been their. Nevertheless patience is a virtue, as I've been told many times by countless elders, and at last I found myself walking out of the airport doors with my luggage in hand and Jesse right next to me. Jack was supposed to meet us here, in the loading and unloading zone in front of the airport. I had called him on our way to the San Francisco airport and he had insisted on driving over to pick us up.

"It'll be late when you two get in," Jack had said, "and the two of you will be too tired to find you way around Seattle. It'll be easier for me to come and pick you up. And don't you dare think about staying in a hotel! We have plenty of room here, and mom and dad will be pleased to have you stay. I already got the guest house ready for you." Jack was always the sweetest boy I knew. At eighteen he was already thinking all this stuff through. So I agreed to it. After all it wasn't like we would be that much of a burden. Jack had told me countless times about this guest house. Offering it to me for when ever I would want to come up and visit. It was just a little one bedroom house directly next to the main house, as Jack described it. I had never taken him up on his offer. I just couldn't gather up the courage to go see Paul, no mater how much I missed Jack. What happened to Paul was my fault in a way. You know, the whole 'if I didn't go back in time and save Jesse, none of this would have happened to Paul.' Then again I wouldn't have my husband either. But it was that guilt that had kept me from Seattle, and from seeing Jack. I hadn't seen that little curly haired boy since that terrible night in the hospital. And now, from the sound of his voice on the phone, he wasn't that little curly haired boy I used to know.

I sudden honk of a horn brought me out of my thoughts. I looked around to see where it had come from, and then almost fainted. That couldn't be right. "Jesse," I said, trying to grab his attention. He was the realistic one, he'd know. "Doesn't that look a lot like Paul's old car?"

The black Porsche that I was looking at came pulling up in front of us. "I think it might be." Jesse said as the driver door opened. Then, everything changed. It was as if the world had stopped moving. And standing their, right next to

the Porsche that had just pulled up was Paul, just as he had looked ten years ago.

"Suze! Jesse!" but it wasn't Paul's voice.

"Jack," Jesse said as they started towards each other and shook hands, "it's great to see you again." They both looked over at me and once again I saw Paul, but there was something that Jack got that Paul didn't. Jack's smile.

"Jack," it was all I could say. I raced over and pulled him into a tight hug, even if he did beat me in the strength contest.

"It's been too long Suze." Jack said, voicing my thoughts.

"I'll say. Look at you, your tall… and well, you've grown up."

"It has been ten years. Now come on we have plenty of time for chit chat in the car, let's get your stuff in." we loaded our bags into the trunk and then started to make the tight squeeze into the car. I sat in the back, giving the roomier part of the car to the bigger of the two, if you know what I mean.

"Can I drive?" Jesse said in a jokingly manner, but yet with a hint of seriousness to it as well.

"I don't think so old man."

"Watch it kid, I'm in the prime of my youth."

"And I'm full of estrogen, so both of you watch it. Now Jack, how's Paul?"

Jack started the car and headed out of the airport "The doctor was called in right after we noticed that he was awake. They were testing his LOC for about an hour."

"Jack," Jesse interrupted, "I don't know if you're aware of this, but none of us went into the medical field, in other words. Speak English"

"LOC means Level of Conscious." I said, almost forgetting that I had ever heard that term. "I heard that word a lot ten years ago, so I guess it sort of stuck to me."

"Suze, did you ever think about becoming a doctor?" Jack asked.

"I did actually. But I knew I would never be able to deal with all the pain and death that happens with in the walls of a hospital. Ghosts give me enough of that category to last me twenty lifetimes. I could just picture dead patients of mine coming back to me. 'Why did you let me die Dr. De Silva?' how about you? Your right at that career fork in the road. Are you considering the medical field?"

"I did, but I came to the same conclusion as you. Call me crazy but I'm thinking of becoming a therapist. God knows I saw enough of them through out my life to know how to do the job, plus I would understand a lot more about how to help the dead when ever they come along, at least that's my theory."

"Now why didn't I think of that?"

"Because, Jesse," I so proudly informed him, "you're too busy living in the ancient times to dwell about the future." Jack and I burst into immature laughter as Jesse denied what I had just said.

"Jack, why don't you keep talking about Paul?"

"Oh, right, well as I was saying, Paul put on quite show. When ever the doctor asked a question, Paul would roll his eyes and look away. As I told Jesse, he hasn't really said much. His movement isn't that well I suppose. Since he hasn't used any of his muscles in ten years, but he still has his stubbornness. When the doctor did a finger prick on him to see if he had feeling, Paul actually gathered up some energy to hit him. It was kind of hard not to laugh at the sight."

"Paul's going to get control of his muscles faster than normal, since he's a shifter, but it'll still take some time." I said thinking of all my injuries and their speedy healings

"The doctor said it could take a few months until he walks again."

"Then I give it a week." Jesse said sarcastically. He knew all about the speedy recovery of a shifter. He had watched me go through it tones of times, not to mention himself.

"Shall we make a bet? I have next Thursday!"

"Well, well, well Jack. Looks like you've inherited some of that Slater wit that swims around your family."

"It comes with age. Oh, I can't believe I had almost forgotten to tell you. After the doctor left I went and started talking to him even if he wasn't answering me. But then I mentioned that the two you were coming. He looked over at me then and his eyes seemed to have an almost murderous look. Then he asked 'how's Suze?' just like that. It's the only thing he's said. And after I answered his question, he just continued to star at that spot on his wall."

"Did you mention that Suze and I got married?" Jesse asked? And I could tell that he was a little worried about that. That was a side of the story that I hadn't thought about, but apparently Jesse had.

"I think I might of." Jack said thinking about it a bit more. "Yeah, right when I said it I noticed his hands clench. He has it in for you, doesn't he Jesse?"

"Well, I did steal his girl from him." Jesse said in a hushed voice

"You did a lot more than that, we both did" although I don't think I kept that in my head like I had planned on doing.

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Well, I just want to say it felt weird writing about that earthquake what with all the tsunamis over in the east. It makes you have a really deep respect for Mother Nature (and Life) they can both turn on you at any point in time.

So that said. I actually like this story so far. (Which is saying a lot for myself, I think) I've been trying to get more characterizations in it, so tell me how I'm doing.

The more reviews, the more encouraged I am to continue on with this.

-sky

Oooo, the choo choo train