Hey guys! Sorry this chappie took so long! It's now 3:00 a.m.

I have no life.

Anywho, thanks to EVERYONE who reviewed! You're all amazing and I hope you like this next part of the story. As for all the "is it J/S or P/S" questions, I'm sorry to say that I have come to the decision that I'm not going to tell you…I just love the suspense. Sorry but that's the way this cookie is crumbling.

Yup so now I'm blabbing on and I'm sleep deprived so please RR

Love, Lyanne

Disclaimer: I most definitely don't own anything written below. Don't sue.

Chapter 4

Honestly now, what normal person sneaks up on another and tries to fondle them during the night? Wait a minute, who am I kidding? This is Paul Slater, the very epitome of abnormal. Not that I'm any better than he is of course, being a mediator and all. Talking to the recently deceased is not that high up on society's "ordinary" person list, you know.

Anyways, while I was trying to shrug Paul's heavy arm off and stumble to my feet, Jesse took a few steps backwards and stared at me in disbelief,

"Susannah?"

How is it that with just that one, forlorn word, Jesse can make me feel as though I am the absolute scum of the universe? Needless to say I have no doubt that I actually am, but still.

I am so whipped.

I almost drowned in the depths of his eyes as he silently questioned me, the burning fire casting eerie shadows upon his face. Guilt swept over me in waves and I couldn't bring myself to continue looking at him. Instead, I settled for my usual course of action which was suddenly becoming mesmerized by the unexpectedly fascinating pattern of the floorboards.

I sat on my haunches where I had once been lying and I flinched as I felt Paul stir beside me. Just like in one of those horror movies where the camera zooms in on the sleeping person's face, Paul's eyes snapped wide open and I saw him quickly assess the situation. He was obviously completely aware of his move on me during the night and was looking upon our horrified faces with what could only be described of as immense satisfaction. He had struck a chord and was loving every minute of it. The jerk actually had the nerve to grin suggestively at me! He sat up and stretched nonchalantly.

Leave it to Paul to break the awkward silences,

"So Rico decided to show up after all," he laughed, sounding perfectly awake. At this comment I felt Jesse stiffen a few feet away from me.

It was only then that I noticed that Tad was no longer in the cabin. Well that's great. There's another reason for Jesse to suspect that Paul and I got it on during the night. Tad was so dead - well, you know what I mean.

"Jesse," I began while giving Paul his well-deserved death-glare, "It's not what it looks like."

Wow. How cliché can I get? Lucky for me the guy that I'm talking to hasn't seen enough movies – not to mention television – to recognize a huge cliché when he's heard one.

Paul, however, was a different story,

"Aw, c'mon Simon, don't act all innocent in front of lover-boy here."

I swear I could have shot him. As Paul gracefully stood up and walked towards the entrance to the dirty cabin, I blissfully imaged taking one of those huge guns like in Terminator and firing thousands of bullets through his body, laughing manically in the background. Who ever said I had issues to work out?

"I guess I'll just leave you two alone then," he winked and walked outside where I could see the sun beginning to rise. The storm had thankfully subsided and the mountaintop was simply returning to its original state of gloom and dreariness

And then I was left to my own devices to face Jesse alone. Damn Paul.

I opened my mouth to speak again but to my great surprise, Jesse rushed over and knelt in front of me.

"Querida, did he hurt you?"

Well knock me over with a feather.

He began to gingerly trace his fingers over my face and bare shoulders, as though searching for bruises, much to my chagrin. I gave an involuntary shudder as I reacted to his caress.

"No, Jesse, I'm fine. We just got a little off course on our way to the campsite and then it started to rain so Tad –who is a ghost now by the way- told us about their old hunting cabin so we came here and stayed over night…" It was then that I continued to babble on about how I was scared of poisonous demonic insects crawling into my mouth and what would probably have happened if we didn't sleep close enough together. I'm pretty sure my incomprehensible story contained the words 'ghost' and 'sexual predators'.

After what seemed to be about an hour of me talking, Jesse finally shook his head in disbelief.

"Nothing happened though. I swear, nothing." I made sure to emphasize this fact and I could only hope he caught my drift. Jesse is not exactly known to be quick on the uptake.

Amazingly, Jesse took his gaze away from his physical inspection of my body and fastened it on my face.

"I know, Susannah, I believe you. You must know that it is Slater than I do not trust so much."

Yeah well, he shouldn't.

"Besides," he continued, a slow and sardonic smile creeping up onto his face, "You have had a hard enough night, what with having to sleep beside someone who tried to kill you."

This is so true.

My relief in Jesse's coolness overwhelmed me and I threw my arms around his neck, practically clinging to him for dear life. He so understands me. Is it any wonder why I love him?

I felt his arms encircle me as I buried my head into his neck, basking in his wonderful presence once again.

"I'm so glad you came!" I whispered and managed to smile in spite of the situation.

One of his hands made its way into my tangled sorry excuse for a mane of hair and fortunately he only ran it down it, instead of through it. It would be a sorry day when I'd actually have to pry myself away from Jesse's gentle touch.

"How could I not? You called me so I am here." Called? I didn't even remember talking about him until I remembered the dream I'd had. Whoa. I really do have to be more careful about what I think up in my subconscious states.

A streak of sunlight –or more like a bright cloud- managed to break through the dust encrusted window of the Beaumont's cabin. I dared not even look around my current residence knowing full well that I would not like what I saw.

Instead, I proceeded to grab Jesse's hand and drag him out of the shack without a look back. That memory is definitely something I would love to keep in the past, thank you very much.

Paul and Tad were standing together outside and appeared to be in deep conversation. Gee, for two guys who'd only just met each other the day before, they sure seemed to be hitting it off.

I caught Tad looking at me and then he said something quickly to Paul who turned around and replaced his contemplative frown with that shit-disturbing grin of his.

"So, we all sorted out?" He asked, falling in line behind Jesse, of whom I was still dragging behind me. I continued to stomp haughtily through the forest although I had no idea where I was going. I wasn't about to let any of them know, though.

"Piss off, Paul," I snapped as Tad and Jesse fell in step with me. Paul through his arms up as if in defeat and shrugged. Beside me I could see Jesse smiling at my comment and could only imagine how much he wanted to hurt Paul at the moment. Oh, don't we all.

"I went to the camp this morning before you two woke up," Tad informed me. I was pleased to see that he had taken the role as guide because I sure as hell would have gotten us lost. "They did a head count and know that you two didn't make it."

Great. How embarrassing will it be to show up unscathed many hours late with Paul Slater? People will probably gossip about how we ditched just to go make out or something. Ew, please. Paul is so passé. At least, that's what I keep telling myself.

It was then that Jesse finally spoke to the other man beside me. I'm guessing he already knew about Tad's tragic death considering he's part of that whole ghostly connection.

"It really was fortunate that you happened to have that old hunting cabin on this particular mountain," he said. I couldn't help note a hint of something else… suspicion?

"Yeah, I guess," Tad continued to look ahead although there we were pretty much surrounded by only trees and grass. How fascinating can that be?

When I glanced over at Jesse, I recognized his familiar pensive expression, the one where he seems to be about a million miles away. I dared not speak to any of them because the tension between us all was uncomfortably thick. I'd hate it if one of us snapped. I know that I was pretty close.

We walked for a few minutes in almost a deafening silence, except of course for an aggravatingly cheerful humming coming from Paul. At least one of us was having a good time.

It was just when I thought I was about to die of awkwardness that we came upon the gravel road and into light that the trees had been shading from us.

I would have been only too happy to continue trudging stubbornly along the path when Jesse grabbed my arm and turned me abruptly to face him,

"Nombre de Dios, Susannah! What happened to your legs!" I stopped and looked down. I had been so caught up in all of the night's occurrences that I had forgotten about the nice scrapes – of which were quite attractively oozing with something I'd rather not know of- I had acquired. Think fast Suze, I prodded myself. I couldn't very well be all, 'Oh yeah Paul sexually harassed me yesterday. He fully knocked me down and jumped on top of me and dove right in with a kiss.' Uh-huh. That was so not going to fly. I settled for the oh-so-casual,

"Oh, that. I fell as I was jogging up the mountain. It's fine," I waved my hand trying to tell him to forget and shot another well earned death glare at Paul who was laughing his head off. Unfortunately for him, Jesse noticed this too,

"I do not see what is so funny about this, Slater," he pointed to my battered legs, "those scrapes are infected and could get worse if they aren't tended to."

Just my luck. First the whole issue with my feet and now this. Maybe I'll be in such bad condition that they'd have to send me home! Thank you, Paul!

Tad watched us all with an amused expression as Paul rolled his eyes and sauntered over to me.

"Please, Simon's tough. They're nothing but a couple of scratches, de Silva. Relax." With that, Paul took his sweater -the same one that had been over my shoulders, might I add- and put one foot on it, tearing it into two shreads. I watched in disbelief as he crouched down and tied a piece around each of my legs, shielding the world from all of their oozing glory.

I stared agape at him as he straightened imperturbably and continued with Tad down the road. This really was mind-boggling. Two acts of Slater-kindness in twenty-four hours? I was impressed! Granted, my infection really was his own fault but since when does he take responsibility for his own actions? I now have a whole new respect for this sweater and was almost glad that I could keep it. Almost.

I turned to see Jesse staring evilly in Paul's direction but flushed visibly when he noticed me looking at him. I put a reassuring hand on his shoulder and gently tugged him forward,

"It's alright, Jesse, really. They have a first-aid station at the camp so they can fix me right up." This, of course, was untrue. I had no idea if such a station actually existed but it was all I could think of that would convince him to keep walking. I definitely didn't want him to leave and I certainly didn't want him hurting Paul… not yet, anyway.

My words had their desired affect as Jesse and I followed Tad and Paul. He put his arm around my waist in what I would like to think of as a possessive action but I think he was only trying to help make my walking easier, due to my sausage legs. I could only hope that the camp was not that far away.


To say that everyone made a little fuss over Paul and my return would be the greatest understatement in the history of the universe. As soon as the four of us –well two as far as anyone else was concerned- showed up, those who were not out searching freaked out. They ran amuck in a frenzy to tell everyone else they knew of our return and some others just stared at me in all my decrepit and weary magnificence.

A flock of his usual female admirers instantly surrounded Paul with a gust of "Ohmigods!" and they shoved me, the injured one, aside.

Surprisingly, Sister Ernestine rushed over with Adam and Cee Cee and ushered me into –you'll never guess- a first aid tent. I'm not kidding. They actually had all these antibiotics and pads lined up on a table beside a long bench that I got to lie down on. Jesse followed us into the small room and watched with rapt interest as Sister E. took off Paul's handy work with some tuts and then disinfected and re-bandaged my legs. And I was so looking forward to going home. Damn Sister Ernestine and her Red Cross training!

Afterwards, Cee Cee led me silently to what would be our tent (all six feet of it) and graciously helped me change out of carefully selected blood and dirt streaked ensemble – an event of which Jesse, with an encouraging smile, modestly bowed out of.

I had almost forgotten the fact that Cee Cee was the one who made that entire hellish experience happen by ditching me for Adam. She was packing away my dirty clothes and unraveling a sleeping bag for me beside, and I mean right beside, her own. I had managed to finally locate my toiletries and was brushing the lost cause I had for hair when I confronted her,

"By the way, thanks a lot for the whole sticking-Suze-with-Paul thing,. I really appreciate it…" I tried to add as much disgust to my voice as possible but I was pretty unsuccessful, considering my exhaustion.

My friend perceptibly paled; a feat of which I had previously considered impossible for someone like her.

"I'm so sorry, Suze," she spurted, as though she had been holding her breath this whole time, "It's just that he kinda cornered me and started asking me all these hard questions and he confused me and then before I knew it, he had totally blackmailed me." Paul does have a tendency to do this to people. I guess it was the fact that I was sort of relieved he hadn't tied her up somewhere that I was about to tell Cee Cee not to worry about it. That is until she mumbled under her breath,

"The jerk has something on me."

This got me. I know Paul is sneaky and conniving and knows a lot of disturbing things about other people, but he has something on Cee Cee? Something that I, her best friend, am unaware of? There is just no justice in this world.

I was just about to ask her what detail could possible possess her to give in to the like of Paul when Debbie popped her head into the tent.

"Ohmigosh Suze, so you're OK, right? We were all so worried about you and Paul last night… it must have been terrible!

She is such an airhead. She said this as though she were egging me on to confesses to Paul and I having steamy sex among the dew covered leaves or something. Who does she think we are? Tarzan and Jane?

I just rolled my eyes and followed after Debbie, leaving Cee Cee alone with her thoughts. I found Jesse waiting for me outside the tent and he held out his hand to help me to my feet.

We walked together towards the main tent where I was told Sister Ernestine had wanted to see me.

"She called your mother and Andy and told them the whole story," Jesse said and my face brightened. I was careful not to look at him and spoke quietly,

"Do I get to leave? 'Cause you know, I don't know how much more I can take of this." I gave him a halfhearted smile but it wasn't returned as Jesse's was clearly thinking about something else with this worried expression. I grabbed his large strong hand and intertwined my fingers with his. This didn't trigger the desired sexual reaction from him of which he'd wrap his arms around me and kiss me until I suffocated but, whatever. Beggars can't be choosers.

Once inside her tent, Sister E. handed me her cell phone –something I don't own- and stared at me with a startling amount of contempt.

It took about a half an hour to explain to a semi-hysterical mother that I wasn't about to have both of my legs amputated and this resulted in my mother saying, "Oh, sweetie I'm so proud of you for staying there after all of this! I'm so lucky to have such a strong daughter."

Well, there you have it. I can't very well ask to come home after that. My life sucks.

After a brief lecture from Sister E. about my responsibilities as Vice President and my apparent disregard for the rules, I left her tent to go meet up with Jesse and planned on skillfully avoiding Paul who was roaming around looking for God-knows-what.

It was then I realized that Jesse was gone. As in left me. As in I didn't even get to kiss him again and thank him. As in I am now fully alone once again with Paul. Someone kill me now, please or I may just be forced to do it myself.

I was so shocked that Jesse would just leave without saying goodbye and even more so to feel the prickling of tears behind my eyes. I ran as fast as my heavily bandaged sausage legs could carry me and collapsed in a tired heap on my sleeping bag. The one good thing that had happened on this lousy weekend had left me. Score one for Suze.


I guess I had fallen asleep because when I opened my eyes, I was encased in darkness one again. I struggled to find my way out of the tent and when I got outside, I could see a faint flickering in the distance, accompanied by the strong scent of smoke.

Idly I made my way over to the bonfire and my stomach gave a sickening growl at the sight of the marshmallows and hotdogs burning over the flames.

Everyone that had come along was sitting around the fire and talking amiably with his or her neighbour. Dopey, I couldn't help but notice, was getting a nice tongue workout with Debbie Mancuso. And I'm not talking about them having a verbal conversation, either.

When Adam and Cee Cee saw me, they waved me over and I sat in between them. Cee Cee was still eerily silent but Adam was as talkative as ever,

"Hello, sleepy-head! I made a hot dog just for you… I bet you're starving." I was stunned by how disgustingly fast I wolfed it down and a second one after that. When I was finally sated, one of the band geeks whipped out his guitar and started playing, "Home on the Range." The strange thing is, everyone actually joined in and started to sing. As cheesy as I knew it was, I couldn't help but laugh along with them and I was surprised to think, after all of that, am I actually having a good time?

I was seriously contemplating this when a warm hand slowly traced the back of my neck. I froze and sat up straight, looking around the fire at all of the illuminated faces. I could see pretty well everyone around me smiling and singing… everyone, that is, for the one person who was unaccounted for. Paul.

"Sorry to interrupt Happy Hour, Suze," Paul whispered right into my ear as his finger continued to unnervingly stroke the back of my neck, "But I'd like you to come with me somewhere."

The singing was loud enough that no one managed to hear my lovely response,

"Frig off, Paul," only I didn't say frig, "you can't actually believe I'd go anywhere with you."

I could practically feel Paul's gaze boring into me as he hardened at my harsh words. His caress of my neck turned into more of a grasp than a gentle touch,

"You will if you have reason to," he spat at me in a wolfish growl. For some reason this made me think of Jesse and how he promised he wouldn't exorcise him if I'd go to his stupid shifter lessons. He couldn't possible mean that… right?

I spun around on my seat to see his handsomely chiseled face thrown into high relief, the flames making his malevolent smirk appear even more sick and twisted than usual.

"What are you talking about?" I hissed, wanting so badly to choke him.

He put out his hand in front of my face to help me up, trying to be the gentleman that Jesse is. His malicious grin broadened,

"Consider this another one of my lessons."

C'est ca… REVIEW S.V.P.!