Before you read… I really apologise for this crappy chapter. I know it's really really short and all… Like, I know there're probably a lot of mistakes in there that I didn't correct, but I'm totally exhausted and I couldn't bear to read through this horror more than once. So… I hope you like it as much as I hate it.

Elizabethiannotloggedin – Well, here it is! Hope you like it… And thanks so much for reviewing! )

I went up to bed early that night, saying I was tired and needed some rest. Once I had the door shut behind me, I packed a haversack with rope, tape, jacket and a whole lot of other junk. You never know when you might need a couple packets of M&Ms to keep you going…

Ruffling through my partially undone algebra homework, I calculated the answers to the remaining questions, the stress causing me to nibble on my pencil. Finally, I threw it down, disgusted. It looked like it had been ravaged by a whole lot of mice! See what constant overload of homework can do to you? I have a good mind to write in a complaint to the schooling board. Well, maybe if I find the time…

I switched my footwear to ratty sneakers, then lay in bed without changing my clothes and mentally prepared myself for shifting to Maria's house.

I HAD to stop Maria from exorcising whoever it was… and shifting was the only way to do it. I was so not about to spend an hour cycling to her house. You see, there's this one quite nifty ability that comes with the whole me being a mediator thing: Shifting. I can shift to any place I want to, as long as I have in possession an item that has some sort of connection to that place. Wow, right? And I have that skill, while you don't.

… teehee…

Okay, so I'm being a bitch. Whatever. I'm tired, alright? Hello, I'm going to be missing sleep because of some stupid ghost in danger of getting sent off to oblivion, or wherever! Sometimes I think I'm too kind for my own good. Really…

Once I was sure everyone was sleeping—certainly Dopey, whose snores could be heard from three rooms away—I got up and stuffed pillows underneath the covers, praying no one took a closer look at my supposed sleeping form.

I had one leg over the window ledge when Jesse materialized right in front of me.

I nearly fell off, shocked as I was.

"Could you STOP doing that? You scared the bejeezus out of me!" My heart was beating triple time, its vigorous pumping threatening to permanently drum a beat into my body.

"Susannah. Where are you going?" Jesse seemed not the slightest bit perturbed.

"Hah. That's my secret. Now get out of my way before I—I eliminate you and destroy the evidence."

Okay, so I admit I was just a teensy bit uptight. But it wasn't my fault! I don't go around materializing in front of people, unlike SomeonE… (cough, Jesse, cough) And, well, he looked really good bathed in the radiance of the soft moonlight, which enhanced his already not-bad physique. As always, he was in black pants and a long-sleeved white shirt which was half unbuttoned, allowing me a tiny peek at his six-pack.

Fine… So his body was even under normal—if you consider being dead normal—circumstances one of the best I'd ever laid my eyes on. So sue me. I'm trying to retain some dignity here!

An almost-irresistible urge to run my fingers through his crisp, jet black hair was rising within me, but I couldn't do anything to satisfy it. That'd be wrong, right? What with the whole me being alive and Jesse being dead thing, I'd probably be offending some higher order or something if I engaged in intimate physical contact with him. Not that I consider touching someone's hair intimate… But if you and a dead being actually had s—

Ok, EWW.

Why did I have to go and think that? Damn. My cheeks burned furiously and I prayed Jesse wouldn't notice anything.

Turns out my little prayer didn't work. So what else was new?

"What's wrong? Your face seems… extraordinarily pink."

I hastily averted my gaze. The floor had suddenly developed an incredibly interesting characteristic.

"Nothing. Lemme go." I was SO embarrassed. You know those irritating girls in school who put on fake, squeaky voices whenever they're around guys? That's what happens to my voice whenever I'm around Jesse. It goes all high and squeaky and everything. I do NOT do it on purpose, all right? Like, I'm honourable. I don't stoop to… shall we say, squeaky-voiced means in order to entice someone, or whatever. Besides, I've never been able to fully understand that logic. How does one attract more guys by sounding like a mouse? Don't make sense, right?

Ducking my head, I tried to scramble past him and failed miserably when he moved easily and I was met with the solid wall of his hard chest. The muscles along his arms and shoulders were clearly visible through his fitting white shirt, and they flexed and corded as he rested his hands on his hips.

"Susannah…" Jesse allowed threatening undertones to creep into his voice as he arched an eyebrow questioningly. Threatening what exactly, I have no idea. Ooh, I'm so terrified! The big bad ghosty is gonna bully me!

But whatever. Just for the hell of it, I told him about my visit to Maria's house and my discovery. And of course, he insisted he come with me. Before I could protest, he dematerialized. And I remembered I was supposed to SHIFT, not walk.

Heh. I meant to half climb out of the window. Really. I needed some fresh air, you know?

I clutched the blades of grass I had pulled out from Maria's garden, squeezed my eyes shut, and thought hard about the back garden I had been in several hours ago. The world spun and colors flashed under my shut eyelids.

When the ground seemed to be solid once again, I opened first one tentative eye, then the other. I glanced down and felt reassured when I saw I'd made it in one piece. I felt a little woozy, but it was no big deal.

Jesse was standing beside me, and we sneaked into the house side by side. The living room was inundated with light from the seemingly perfect white orb hanging in the sky. Several young trees stood in front of the window, their trunks and branches casting elongated shadows across the floor. We were creeping across the dining room when an unearthly shriek assailed my sensibilities. I started in shock, then ran up the stairs towards the source of the noise, taking them two steps at a time with Jesse at my heels.

I turned into the room in which I had found the items and came to a sudden stop. Maria was standing on the bed, eyes wild with fright and craziness and breathing heavily. I kid you not. On the BED. I had a strange feeling this was going to turn out somewhat like a soap opera… She was backed up against the wall, pointing a sharp-bladed knife at a ghost of a HUGE man.

I'm not exaggerating. He was six feet five with broad shoulders, a thick neck and arms that belonged on a bodybuilder. His eyes held a look of murderous rage; his entire body was trembling with barely contained anger.

The floor was strewn with overturned candles and the shattered pieces of what had been a porcelain bowl. A pool of blood had gathered on the floor in a ghastly puddle. The man ignored all this as he advanced towards Maria, voice booming.

"You BETRAYED me. You LIED. Pay. You BETRAYED me. You LIED. Pay. You BETRAY—"

Er, okay. His line was getting kind of old…

Jesse and I stood there, frozen, unable to do anything but stare. As the big man got closer to her, Maria took a step forward, lifted her arm and took a huge swipe at him with the knife she was armed with. A long, scarlet line appeared on her apparent opponent, running the entire length of his arm.

I watched, fascinated, as dark drops of sticky liquid dripped steadily onto the wood floor.

I was jerked out of my reverie when Jesse spat out—not literally, duh—something in Spanish and moved forwards. He grappled with Maria for the knife, the struggle bringing forth another shrill scream from her throat. What is her problem, anyway? Oh, look, I'm screaming, see? You'd better run! Right. She should have taken on a job of vocals for a cartoon character being slaughtered, or something…

Heh.

I took advantage of the distraction by running towards the man, who was staring dumbly at his arm as if wondering what the substance that was running down it was. Grabbing his unhurt arm, I took a deep breath and shifted.

Into the Shadowland.

It was as cold as it had been before. Stars swirled overhead, so close, so bright. Tendrils of mist curled around my ankles and calves. I shivered incomprehensibly, then hurriedly let go of Mr. Schwarnegger's arm and shifted back. Real world, here I come.

Jesse had relieved Maria of the knife. Insanity definitely had her in its clutches. She was muttering gibberish to herself and shuddering violently, occasionally glancing around fearfully.

Joy. I was stuck with a madwoman who looked like she was undergoing a transformation from human to buffalo.

I made up my mind and grabbed Jesse's hand, pulling him down the stairs with me. Maria, thankfully, stayed put on the bed. Lifting the phone receiver, I dialed 911 and explained that a crazy woman had been found. I gave the address and hung up.

Looks like the items in my bag hadn't been of much use this time round, huh? Oh well, it's true one never knew when a bit of rope and masking tape might come in handy…

Shifting once more, this time back to my room, I collapsed heavily on the bed. To say I was exhausted would have been an understatement. How to put it? My physical strength and body power… it had all been sapped clean away.

Jesse was noticeably silent when he dematerialized in front of me. At least for the first few seconds.

"Susannah, I really don't think that what you just did is r—"

I cut him off mid-sentence. "Oh, shut it. You were agreeable, weren't you? Or shouldn't I just assume that? I mean, you didn't STOP me from calling an ambulance or leaving."

He gestured impatiently. "No. I understand why you did all that. That woman—Maria—she was beyond our limited control. Calling in professional help was the only solution."

I sent him a look that said, Duh! What was he so bothered about, then?

"You shouldn't have dragged her… visitor off against his will. He might have had something important to say or—"

"Helloooo?" I waved a hand in front of his face. "Did you zone out or something? I mean, if you were actually LOOKING around you over there, you might have noticed something amiss? Like, oh, her VISITOR was seething and walking towards her looking as if he wanted to strangle her? Jeez."

I settled back down against the soft pillow, quite satisfied with myself. Nice speech, right? Yes, yes, I suppose I must bow to the applause…

A snort escaped Jesse as he tried to contain a burst of laughter. I sat up and stared at him. You can imagine what I was thinking. I was like, Huh?

"Uh, could you repeat what you just said? I don't think I caught that…" Jesse was grinning away. Like that was the funniest thing in the world.

I repeated myself, resentfully picking at the eiderdown. So what if I start blabbing whenever I get upset about something. Who does he think he is anyway? Boss of me? Dream on.

Jesse looked thoughtful at my response. "Perhaps." He seemed about to say more when I gave a groan of pain, doubled over and ground my teeth together. I was having one hell of a killer headache. Stupid thing. That's what shifting can do to you…

I felt a gentle hand on my back. Jesse. Why did I feel so happy…?

"I hope you have a good rest, Susannah. Sleep off your headache…" He swept a stray strand of chestnut hair behind my ear. "Good night." And he dematerialized.

Lying back down, I fought to make my heartbeat slow to its normal rate. A simple touch, a sweep of his hand… God, I'm really pathetic, aren't I? I shut my eyes against the pain derived from my aching head and snuggled deeper into my comforter. I was so tired…

My eyelids soon fluttered shut and I drifted into a deep, dreamless sleep.

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