It took me some time to finally calm them both down. Jesse especially. He kept shooting me concerned glances that I found easier to ignore. I was still plenty angry with him for now.

Father Dominic was sitting opposite me looking extremely troubled.

"I don't understand." He muttered in confusion, "So you're saying that the same psychic that you mentioned to me before is pulling your soul into the Shadowland?"

I nodded kind of dazedly. I was still going over what she'd said to me in horror. I had to choose Paul. That's pretty much what she'd meant anyway. Choosing Jesse would be handing myself a death warrant.

"What do you mean 'that you mentioned to me before'?" Jesse asked looking visibly even more confused than I was. I threw Father D a warning look. I wanted to tell the story –the whole story- myself. It was about time I came clean with him on this one.

"When I was younger, Gina made me go see this psychic woman with her."

"Madam Zara." He injected.

"Yes." I agreed calmly, "She told me that I was a mediator. Gina always loves to bring up that one." I added as an afterthought.

"And….." Jesse prompted causing me to look at him –I mean really look at him- for the first time since I'd woken up. I closed my eyes briefly in a moment of weakness.

"She told me that I'd have one true love," I whispered softly, "and that that love would last till the end of time." I risked a glance back up at him. As our gazes locked I felt the familiar connection. The familiar knowledge that he was that person. I don't know if something in my eyes gave me away, but I saw the change in him as he realised what I meant.

It broke my heart that I was going to tell him the rest.

"What did she tell you when she talked to you today Susannah?" Father Dominic asked, not noticing the way Jesse's gaze stayed fixed on mine the whole time.

"She said that she had not told me everything when she gave me my first reading." I replied sadly. I could already feel familiar tears gathering in my eyes. How could I tell Jesse this?

"Hey Jesse, you're my one true love. But guess what? It doesn't matter. I'm going to go get married to your arch enemy instead or he'll kill me."

Jesse looked at me curiously from where he was standing. I guess he must have noticed the waterworks beginning. Why can't I ever just put a brave face on things?

"Susannah….." he began, but he was interrupted as the door flew open and Paul strode it.

"Where's the stampede?" he asked mockingly, staring back at the demolished waiting room. But that's all it took to break me. I felt the first tears fall as I stormed out of the room.

I was crying, mostly because I finally had a plan. If I couldn't have Jesse then I'd just have to not have anyone. I'd just be single my whole life. There was no rule involving that right?

I rushed out of the school grounds feeling completely empty. My life was over. How was I meant to survive seeing Jesse every day but never being able to tell him how I felt?

I felt a hand close around my wrist as I swivelled round, right into Jesse. I could hear my heart beating in my throat as his other hand came up to seize my other hand. It took me a few seconds to realise why. I was desperately struggling to get away from him. Anything that brought us together was dangerous now. That meant no more talking about things he'd never be able to understand.

"Let go of me." I hissed through gritted teeth. He looked down at me in utter confusion.

"Querida, what's wrong?" he asked me. Do not melt, I told myself firmly. But my body ignored my instruction.

"Right now it's the fact you're not letting go." I answered in my most angry voice. Or that's what I told myself anyway. I had a feeling it sounded more like a terrified little girls'.

He dropped my arms so that they fell limply at my sides. I rubbed one of them in annoyance. I was startled to find he had moved closer, closing the gap between us. I looked up at him in horror. This was not supposed to happen.

"Susannah….." he whispered, brushing back some of my hair gently. I could feel my defences weakening already. He was way too close.

"Get away from me." I told him softly. But he just kept moving closer, as if he was hypnotised by me. I'm ashamed to say I wasn't much better. I'm pretty sure my arms wrapped around his neck closing the distance between us even before he touched me.

"Stop doing this." I whispered weakly as he bent down and kissed me.