After We've Said Goodbye, chapter 11

By Carolyn, Don't own 'em. Never have, never will.

Author's Note: OH MY GOD DON'T SHOOT! I know it's been. . . crap, almost a full year since I've updated. And for that I am so, SO sorry. This chapter's just been sitting around on my computer, doing nobody any good, waiting to be tossed out into the public eye, and I've just forgotten about the whole thing. Since freshman year ended a few days after my last update, I was kind of tossed into a summer whirlwind of my own little crazy dramatic story of being pursued and eventually loved. And hey, why write about someone else's story when you've got one of your own brewing right under your nose? That, and the fact that my computer wasn't set up at home. But that's no excuse, I guess. My personal story has recently come to a tragically dramatic end, or as I like to call it, a "to-be-continued" (I know, I know. . . sucks, but that's life), and so upon finding this in my Word documents, I figured I'd get crackin' on finishing it. My deepest apologies yet again, but I think this chapter will make up for it. Love you guys!

"Scatter me across the sky

I'll shine all night

And just like a star

I'll fall for you." -Matchbook Romance

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I don't know how long he was holding me under—I kind of lost track of time what with the flailing and drowning and all—but the next thing I knew, Anthony's grip around my neck relinquished and was no longer holding me down. I took this opportunity to force myself up with all the might I could muster, which, after being nearly drowned, was not very much. I surfaced, all kinds of pains racing through my chest, gasping for air.

It wasn't until then that I saw why Anthony Tonelli had been unsuccessful in killing me: Jesse had returned, and was now proceeding to beat him senseless. Oh, how sweet.

I flung myself over the edge of the fountain—because first of all, that water was way cold, and second of all, I'd really like to be in a position to fight back if Anthony returned—and leaned up against it, catching my breath. My vision was a little hazy due to lack of oxygen and all, and I had quite a headache, but at least I didn't pass out.

Jesse, who had been fighting to both get away from Anthony and still keep him distracted, gave him an impressive left hook to the jaw, which sent Anthony flying backwards and into the ground. Father Dominic, I noticed, was helping Jessica up. He glanced worriedly in my direction, but seeing that I was more or less all right, breathed a sigh of relief and hurried over toward the mission, supporting Jessica all the way. He looked over his shoulder as he rushed back into the building and insisted, "Jesse, get Susannah out of here. I will speak with you both later."

With Anthony temporarily down, Jesse rushed over to me and helped me up. "Querida," he breathed, his voice urgent and worried, "are you all right?"

I nodded weakly, but I guess motion was not a good idea, because it made me spew out a plentiful mouthful of water that I didn't even realize was trapped somewhere in my lungs. No wonder they hurt so much.

This event didn't appear to soothe Jesse any, if the way he glared lethally over at Anthony and tightened his grip around my waist was any indication. "Susannah, we've got to get you somewhere safe."

I peered up at him, my mouth still hanging open probably quite unattractively. "Jesse, no! I've got to take care of this! He's going to kill her!"

He looked angry—angry at Anthony for having nearly drowned me, angry at himself for having left me, even at my urging, and letting it almost happen. "Susannah, he nearly killed you!"

I was unpleasantly aware of this, but I'm far too bull-headed to start something like this and not finish it. So, I simply ignored that little revelation. "Jesse. . . he is going to kill her! Maybe not now, but he can get her later when we're not around! I've got to finish this NOW."

Jesse didn't say anything. He just got one of those stern looks on his face and started leading me away from the scene. Not for long, though. Since his back was turned, he didn't see Anthony ferociously approaching from behind, but I did.

"Look out!" I cried, and gave Jesse a little shove, meanwhile tackling the former NoCal sophomore to the ground. Fire was burning in my green eyes. "Who the hell do you think you are!" Punch. "I'm trying to help you," Punch. "but maybe I shouldn't! Maybe Jessica had the right idea when she killed you!" Double punch.

All right, a little extreme, but can't you see I was pissed?

So, it seems, was Anthony. He sat up fiercely, knocking me onto the ground not a little roughly.

If I ever got back to college, I was going to have some serious explaining to do to my roommate for all these bruises I'm sure I was getting, not to mention why I smelled like seawater.

"Stay out of my way, bitch," he growled at me, and then disappeared with an angry flash of light. I just stayed there, staring open-mouthed at the spot where he just was. Jesse gently-but-firmly wrapped his arm around me again, lifting me back up. He pulled my body close to his so that I was pretty much leaning into him—not that I was complaining—and guided me toward the road again.

It wasn't until then that I realized just how crappy I felt. I was freezing, my chest ached, my legs were sore, my head was killing me, and my shoulder felt like it was on fire. I looked down at it, and let out a little gasp when I realized that fresh blood was trickling down it, mixed with rivulets of water from the fountain, and soaking into my black tank top. That little gasp quickly turned into a full-out coughing fest; I was suddenly coughing so hard that I had to stop walking until the fit was over.

Jesse looked down at me, concern omnipresent in his well-defined features. He put his hands on my shoulders and stared down at me, all serious and grim. I shivered from both the cold and from some bodily ache that came from within.

"Susannah. . . you are ill," he concluded. He then glanced at my shoulder, which was cut from the brick Anthony hurled at me. "You are hurt. . ." He sounded so despondent about it that it made me think that he felt guilty for it. And, well, I couldn't have that. I mean, it wasn't his fault.

"No, I'm fine."

Then I had to go and totally ruin that statement by doing something that completely erased any conviction that it may have had. I sneezed. Which only served to start up the coughing again.

"Really," I sputtered between coughs. "I'm okay."

When I finally stopped, I looked up at Jesse and met his dark eyes, which were watching me intently and sadly. I'm not even kidding. Jesse was sad that he had "let me get hurt." He lifted my chin up to fix his gaze on mine.

"You're not fine."

And then he scooped me up in his arms and began to walk, holding me close to him. I raised an eyebrow, tired as I was, and thought, hey. If this is the treatment I get from getting knocked around and nearly catching pneumonia, maybe I should go looking for homicidal ghosts more often. I wrapped my arms around Jesse's neck and leaned into him, resting my head on his broad chest. All of the sudden, I didn't really hurt all that much anymore.

"You know," I said softly, smiling to myself. "I don't need you to take care of me. I mean, I've managed for the past six months without you."

Jesse kept staring straight ahead, continuing the trek back to my school. I saw him smile a little in the moonlight. "I have to, querida. If I don't have you, what else do I have?"

I swear my heart just did a triple-flip. Oh. My. God.

My head snapped up and I stared at him, my mouth hanging open a little. I don't know if I had planned on saying something, or what, but I just was so shocked by that confession. It was so. . . heartfelt. I nearly choked.

Jesse noticed my surprise and turned his head down toward me. He grinned at me, showing off his white teeth, and just stared straight into my eyes. I couldn't move, I couldn't think, I couldn't breathe. All I could comprehend at that moment was Jesse.

And before I knew what was happening, the already-small gap between our faces grew smaller, and smaller, and smaller. Jesse slowly lifted the arm that was cradling the small of my back up to my neck and then to cup my face. He smiled at me again, so sweetly, that I couldn't help smiling back at him.

And that's when he softly tilted my chin and pulled my lips up to meet his.

Finally.

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And there it is, folks! I hope it makes up for my nearly ten-month absence! Chapter Twelve is done, and I'm currently writing chapter thirteen, so there will be updates in the next week or so. I PROMISE!

Leave me reviews!

Carolyn