AN: As you may have noticed, I have re-worked my previous chapters. Nothing new and exciting, just editing and compacting.

Disclaimer: All of the original and familiar characters are property of Meg Cabot and her series The Mediator, but the plot and new faces are property of me.

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Chapter 20

Jake was being assertively nice to me on the ride over to the "library". I made sure I kept the whole freaking out on the down low and didn't act out of the norm.

"So how's school goin'?" Sleepy asked.

"Eh," I answered cryptically.

"And Jesse?"

I glanced over at him and tried to hide my nervousness. I knew Jake couldn't help that he was a) being overpowered by Paul who's inside Jesse's body or b) dumb enough to trust him. At least Father Dom would be there for me. He could stop Paul if he decided to hurt me. I mean, I can take care of myself, but as long as Paul is involved I really don't feel like I'm strong enough.

"Fine," I say finally, and then we pull into the library at the community college.

"So how is what's-her-name?"

"Victoria? I had to break up with her, I mean she was like so shallow." Jake says with disgust.

"And why did you ask her out?" I ask him while we get out of the car and walk up to the library.

"Because she was hot." Jake says and looks over at me like I have two heads. As if that wasn't obvious, I think

I snort at him and he just laughs at himself. "So what do you have to look up here?" I ask him as he holds the door open for me.

"Nothing."

"So why did you offer to take me? I'm supposed to be grounded you know."

Jake just looks at me and I look at him, and then someone grabs my shoulder.

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"Hello Suze," Jesse says…well his body says, I think, because Jesse always calls me Susannah.

I shoot Jake a dirty look over my shoulder. "What do you want, Jesse?" I ask.

"We need to talk."

"That's what you said Saturday night, and we both know where that went. And personally I don't feel like doing that in a public library." I turn around and Jake's eyes are big and surprised. "I want to go home," I say to him.

Jakes looks over at Jesse, and he grabs my shoulder again, this time harder. "We need to talk." My eyes are pleading with Jake, but he just talks over me as if I'm a little kid.

"I'll just be poking around. Come and find me when you're done." He walks off and frantically I look around for Father Dom. He said he would be by me. Well maybe he thought that it would be smarter not to let the Jesse Wannabe see him.

When Jake is gone, Jesse takes my hand and leads me out of the building. I follow him regretfully, but then when we get to his car I put my foot down. "No, Jesse! I'm staying here. Jake will drive me home. I'll talk to you, but I will not allow you to drive me home. I'm already grounded."

"Fine," he says and puts his keys back in his pocket, then he walks us over to one of the benched flooded under a street lamp.

"So," I say through clenched teeth.

"So. I wanted you to know that I got carried away last night. I never meant—I mean I would never—I didn't want to sleep with you."

"What?" I ask enraged.

"I mean, I want to, but I don't want to push you," Jesse Wannabe says. Well at least he's trying to act like Jesse would, but remember Simon—he's still the enemy.

"Thank you," I say and then kiss him on the cheek. He looks into me and suddenly I'm looking into Jesse. Oh, how I have missed his deep brown pools that make me melt!

He leans closer to me and his eyes dilate and change to a steel blue.

"What else did you want to say to me Jesse, since you worked so hard to get me out here tonight?"

"I wanted to warn you against something. Or should I say someone."

"Who is it, Jesse?" I ask slightly annoyed.

"I don't want you hanging around Slater anymore. He is up to something I don't like it."

"Do you know what it is?" I ask him.

"No, but nonetheless, it won't be good."

"Whatever, Jesse. Just because you don't trust him doesn't mean he hasn't changed for the better. I mean we all have changed since last winter. Even you."

Wannabe's eyes narrow at that last comment. "Me?" He asks.

"Yes you."

"How?"

"Well for one, you never would have tried to have sex with me!"

"Suze!" He whines, "You are so irresistible!"

I pause for a moment at this, but then remember what Father Dom and I had just been reading.

"Oh please," I say while scooting away from Wannabe on the bench.

Apparently I strike a nerve and suddenly, Wannabe is clutching my wrist and hissing at me.

"Promise me you won't be with Paul alone, ever again! He's bad news, and I won't have him hurt you."

"He already has," I say and this just provokes him.

"PROMISE!" Wannabe yells while cutting off the circulation to my arm.

"NO!" I yell back at him and almost spit on his face, but like I said before I don't want to be alone with Paul, at least not when he's angry. I pull my hand away from his death grip, and before I know it I feel a blow across my cheek.

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He hit me. Jesse's never hit me before. I am holding my cheek in one hand while the other clings to the arm of the bench. I am trying not to fall over from shock.

I feel like I have been violated in some way. I feel like my cheek is on fire. I feel as if I have lost something; I am broken into pieces. I feel as if my heart has just broken.

How did things turn out this way? I ask myself, and then the tears well up in my eyes.

"Oh, don't cry Suze," Jesse Wannabe says to me while putting his hand high up on my thigh.

"Don't touch me," I spit and then get up off the seat. He grabs my upper arm, and before I know it I'm face down on the ground, both of my arms behind my back.

"You will love me!" He says. "No matter what it takes, no matter what I have to do, I will make you love me."

I shiver, not only because the ground is cold, but also because I know Paul will do anything to get what he wants. But the question is: why would he want me?

Wannabe picks me up again and places me on the bench, still clasping my wrists in one of his big hands. Hands that have never been rough with me. Jesse's hands were always soft and gentle, no matter how bad I irritated him.

I am about to try and break free and make a run for it, when Father Dom materializes in front of us.

"Hello, Father Dominic," Wannabe says snippily. "We'll hopefully have you outta here soon." He grimaces up at Father Dom, and then stands when Father flinches at his words. "I think you can leave now if you want to, Suze and I are done here."

I glance over at him and he releases my hands. I run over to Father D's side.

"Jesse, I think you and I need to have a talk," Father Dom says slowly and carefully.

"I'm done talking for tonight Papa D, but when I feel in the mood, I'll be sure to call you." Wannabe looks over at him, and I can see the fire in his eyes.

I clench my hands together to insure that I don't snap and break his nose—although I wouldn't mind it, I think Jesse would when he got back into his body. Wannabe Jesse just looks at the both of us, smirks and then walks away.

Once he is gone from our sight, I look at Father Dom. "Why didn't you like beat him up or something with your mid powers?" I ask hysterically.

"Susannah, you know I could never harm one of my students."

"We aren't your students anymore!" I yell and then immediately want to take it back for all the pain it causes him. I can see the tears in his eyes.

"I'm sorry," I say to him and try to put a hand on his shoulder, but Sleepy comes up and looks at me quizzically. I look right back at him. "I thought there was a bug there."

"Yeah, sure, whatever. Are you and Jesse done?"

"Yes," I say quietly, and then throw Father Dom a concerned look, but he is gone.