A/N: Starting with Paul's POV again. I think I'll do... like, Paul, Jesse's and then Suze's POV for each chapter unless they're in the same place or something. Kay? Cool.
Now, uh, THANKS FOR LAST CHAPTER'S REVIEWS! VERY COOL, DUDETTES.
Saz-646- Hehe, that's a really good point actually, but I think I've kinda got it figured out so Suze and Jesse meet anyway.
beebee17- Hey thanks for all those reviews! :-D It made you cry? Really? Wow :-) lol
Nice Hayley- Yeah believe me I'd say yes to Jesse in a heart beat, too lol.
I'm glad you liked Paul's POV. 3
purtymanagirl58- Really? I didn't think so when I was writing it. Two of you seem to think so, about Suze saying 'bitch' that is. I guess it's not a really big deal. Not the biggest big dealk anyway. Oh, and I went back and added a little in the story. Basically, she woke up and did all that stuff or whatever, but she doesn't rememeber any of it. To her it was kind of a blur.
Esodes08- Aw, yeah Jake did say sister. I always thought he was another cutie lol just not Brad. Oh, and they kind of gave Suze a shot to calm her down, you know? Not really to like knock her out or anything lol. Jesse didn't want to say no because he didn't want to let his parents down. But I'm pretty sure he does eventually. Yeah and Maria's got some new tricks up her sleeve now but we'll have to see about that later. And, again, I didn't think such a big deal of Suze saying bitch until you all started bringing it up lol.
Chayter: Nah she's not threatening him. I tried to make it so that it didn't sound like it hehe, that'd be strange....
Alexis De Silva: Aw, thank you so much! And he is pretty angry, I guess. Actually, from the beginning, I wasn't sure what Paul did to Jesse. But now that you say that I really don't want it to be to keep him from dying because that's what book 6 is about, isn't it? i dunno, tell me what you think.
For some reason everyone is asking me to inflict pain on Paul, Maria and Felix.... hmm I wonder why.... teehee
Okay let me just tell you that this story gets a little confusing from here (even for me) so you've been warned.
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PAUL'S POV---
Suze's parents slept soundly, leaning on one another's shoulders. Father Dominic went back to the rectory and the boys were about to go home for the night, but only because Andy made them. Cee Cee and Adam were still here, tired, with dark circles under their eyes, but still supporting Suze.
Honestly, the only reason I didn't go home was not because I needed to find out where Suze was and how to get her back. I was angry at her leaving, sure, but I didn't want her to die. Come on, I'm not that bad. If I left things up to the doctors, she'd never make it. On the other hand, if I went into the Shadowland to bring Suze back then there's the possibility that she could make it out of this place safely.
So while they were all snoozing or whatever, I tried to get over into Suze's hallway, since I had to be a certain amount of feet away from her in order to be able to materialize to wherever she was. But as I was pushing the door open to get into Suze's room, Brad, who came back looking for his baseball cap, went, "Uh, Paul, where are you going?"
I shrugged, "Just taking a walk."
"Oh, okay, see you later then, Paul," I laughed as he walked away. Needless to say, little Bradley here is a few fries short of a Happy Meal if you know what I mean. You could literally see Suze lying in her bed with the foor this wide open. God, all those Steroids have really taken their toll on this guy, haven't they?
(a/n: aw paul's mean!!!)
Whatever. Once I made sure that no one was around, I concentrated all of my thoughts on Suze and closed my eyes, trying to shift and find out where the hell she'd gone off to. I felt a whirlwind of air swirl around me and clenched my eyes shut tighter. One important thing to remember when shifting is to always keep your eyes shut, and your mind clear, only concentrating on your destination. Because if you take a peek, then you will see where you are and possibly get all paniky and end up somewhere completely different to your original destination. This is the reason that so many of us shifters had never really seen what medium we traveled through when we shifted.
So, after a few minutes of the intense wind tugging on my coat and clothing, I felt solid ground beneath my feet and opened my eyes. I'd landed neatly on my feet, crouching low like an animal. I lifted up my fingers from the ground and balanced myself.
I was at... a party. Well, not really at the party, but I was down the road and I could see it from where I was standing. There were clusters of people chatting out in front, mostly old men in fancy cowboy hats and women in big, flourishing hoop skirts. They all held drinks in their hands and were shouting and talking. There weren't any young children around, but a group that pretty much consisted of girls my age giggling over the tall, dark and handsom men that occassionally waved at them.
Suze had to be around here somewhere.
I had to walk in the shadows, because people would definetely suspect things if they saw me wearing these close that were a century-and-a-half ahead of their time. I would stick out like a green horse.
But, on my quest to find her, I ran into someone very unexpected. She was standing alone outside, holding a glass of champagne in her hand and tapping her heel to the music that blared from inside the house. I walked up right next to her and stood there, silently, until she turned around and gasped, taking a few steps backwards.
I only walked in closer and twirled one of her dark, black ringlets around my index finger. She watched me cautiously through narrowed eyes.
"Well if it isn't the great Maria de Silva," I said into her ear. "So we meet again. Listen, I've got a plan that will give us both what we want," I said flatly. I was a get-to-the-point type of guy.
She looked completely disgusted at first and I laughed out loud, telling her that that's not what I meant. "Please," she cooed. "Enlighten me, won't you?"
I nodded and rubbed my hands together. "What do you say we get you properly married to the RIGHT man and send little Susannah back where she belongs, huh?" She liked the sound of this and a slow smile spread across her face.
"Could you really do that?" She asked, her doe eyes wide.
"Of course I can, with your help. You love Diego, don't you? I have a way the two of you can be together for all eternity, Maria." I reached out and turned her face so she was looking right into my eyes. Her eyes were such a cold, focused brown it was hard to see into her. "Isn't that what you want?" I asked.
She shook her head and nodded at the same time before letting out a strangled, "Yes." Then, in a clearer, more confident tone, she went, "Yes, I accept your offer."
So I guess you could say I'm a troublemaker.
I just can't stand to live a boring life where everyone is happy and it's all butterflies and hearts. You just need some excitement sometimes. Something to help you let loose. And the thrill of a fight, the adrenaline pumping through your veins, it's the ultimate good time for me.
It'd be just for fun. Things would begin to grow dull so I'd spread a rumor here and there and I'd be engaged in this thrilling ride of emotions and words and anger. The fact that people's lives and friendships and loves were on the line was always so exhilerating. So appealing.
I love the anger. The rush.
I fed off of their pain.
And boy, was I starving.
(a/n: lol i just thought that was ultracheesy so i had to keep it in)
Isn't it just my luck that I was forced to attend my boyfriend's engagement party that night?
It so is. Everyone was all hyped up about the little fiesta. The girls were all fussing over their dresses and hair and all that jazz, trying to get me all worked up about it, too. But come on, do they actually expect me to be all, "Oh, okay girls let me get all pretty so I can celebrate my boyfriend's wedding to another woman?"
Please. And not to mention the fact that Lucero and Rosa, who were supposed to be my friends, totally disreguarded my feelings and bought into this whole party thing, ignoring my requests to stay at Rosa's house and chill, kind of like a protest against their wedding. They only laughed at me. Lucero just needed to go because her sometimes-flame, Juan, would be there and she can't miss out on the chance to steal a dance. Rosa said she wanted to be there to support her friends and their decision, but I knew she was just looking for her own Prince Charming.
Which left me to the choice of either staying at Rosa's house, alone and miserable, with nothing to do (Can you believe they don't even have cable? What am I going to do without my usual Saturday night Lifetime movie? ... Just kidding... I'm not that thick.), or going to the party and totally going against all of my principals.
Of course, I chose the latter. Therefore, I wasn't really 'forced' to go to the party, like I might or might not have stated earlier. I just chose to. Kind of an attempt to, I don't know, fight the system from the inside? Yeah?
No.
Okay, fine, you got me:
I wanted to sabotage Jesse's wedding. Well, no that might have sounded bad, I didn't exactly want to sabotage it, more so as to spy on Jesse and Maria a little.
But come on, can you really blame me? Was I really supposed to just take this sitting down?
Again, no.
(a/n: yeah i dont know if they had make-up back then but I'm just guessing, alright? plus, they were kind of rich, I'm sure they could have something done...)
That's why I put on one of Rosa's best dresses--a bright red one with see-through sleeves and neck area and with little black flowers embroidered into the hems--and put on some of Rosa's make-up to enhance my wonderful, peaches-and-cream complexion (ha ha, yeah right). The make-up wasn't much, this being the nineteenth century, and all. But, God, why couldn't I have been holding my makeup bag when I shifted here? I could have introduced these girls to the miracle of concealer.
I was pretty much ready to go. But not before having Rosa do my hair into a thick, high bun with lots of small ringlets curling down and framing my face. Looking in the mirror, all I could think was, Damn, I look hot. Ha ha, I'm vain, I know.
Anyway, I was feeling pretty darn good about myself until I realized why I had gotten all dressed up:
Jesse was engaged. "Gah," I said as I let my head fall into my arms, defeated. "This really sucks," I grumbled.
The girls were silent pretty much everytime I complained about Maria. I assume it's because she wasn't really someone they could actually hate with me. She was Lucero's cousin and, well, they liked her. I, for one, am not really up to befriending homicidal chicks in hoop skirts, but that's just me.
So other than that little moment, I was pretty confident that whole night. I walked into the place, standing tall and proud, even when everyone began to stare and whisper because, Lucero told me later, I was wearing something so 'revealing'. Sure. Whatever.
I pranced over to the other side of the room when the girls found some friends and began chatting animatedly. Everything was really lavishly decorated with all these little Mexican ornaments hanging on the walls. There were large tables piled high with all kinds of Mexican foods, each of them piping hot as the people came and helped themselves, stacking steaming tamales and tortillas onto their plates.
In the corner opposite where I was, there was a live Mariachi band playing. They were all dressed up in their tight black pants and coats, sombreros and little red bow-tie thingys, too. They played their violins, accordions and guitars with great feeling, often grinning at eachother.
The party was just as lively. The men were swinging around the floor, their wives in their arms, to the music. Almost everyone seemed to be dancing and if they weren't they were engaged in what appeared to be a very amusing conversation with someone else. The place was bursting with people, all of them teeming with this convivial energy and an insatiable craving for a good time.
I was the only one who wasn't dancing. A few guys had come up and asked me--none of them old and scary, thank God--but I had turned them down with a polite smile and continued looking for Jesse over the dozens of moving heads. After five rejected dance partners and a half-hour of standing there, straining my eyes and searching for Jesse, I decided to take a break and get some fresh air.
I followed a thick, marble staircase up to a beautiful, marble and oak-trimmed balcony that looked out into the night and away from all the hectic fesivities. I sighed and leaned forward on the railing, inhailing the fresh, night air when I discovered that I wasn't alone up there.
"Susannah, was it?" Maria asked in her crisp, precise English.
I nodded silently. Oh, this was my chance! I should have told her off, I really should have. Or at least given her a taste of her own medicine. But leave it to me to freeze up and only be able to nod and smile at her. GAH!!!
"I can't marry Hector," she confessed, stirring the drink she was holding as she leaned over the ledge. "Diego is waiting for me back home. What will he say when he hears that I'm engaged to be married?" But immediately after she said that, her hand clapped over her mouth as if she wasn't supposed to.
Then, slowly, she let her hand fall back down to her side. Not looking so guilty anymore, she walked around behind me so that her chin was hovering just centimeters above my shoulder. She whispered, "But you won't tell, will you Suzie? Because, of course, it would just break Jesse's heart if he heard that his precious 'Querida' had lost her life in a terrible, terrible accident, wouldn't it?"
I could only gape at her, opening my mouth to speak, only to find that nothing would come out. How-- what--- How did she know?? About me and Jesse, I mean. What the HELL??!!
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Oh, I was trapped in from all sidesCaught in a slew of massive lies
No there is no escape
Only flailing arms and bellyaches
When it all started coming down tonight
Boy, did you run and hide
Well, I guess that we all make mistakes
I guess I forgave you didn't I?
You're such a big brat
Yeah you're always up to no good
You're always up to no good
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"Maria," I said in a harsh and angry voice as I spun around on my heel. But Maria was already walking away, her hips swaying fashionably as she walked. Oh, I wasn't going to just let her get away that easy, was I?"Jesse's going to hear about this!" I shouted at her.
"Even better," she said as she strolled out the door and down the stairs.
I let out a real, angry growl and stomped my foot angirly. She was right, I'd only be doing what she wanted if I told Jesse, but I didn't have a choice. If I didn't warn Jesse, she'd KILL him! Or... would she? If I told Jesse about Maria and Diego then Jesse would call off the wedding, which is exactly what got him killed before.
So I didn't have many options, you see, but I had to do something. Anything. I couldn't let her hurt Jesse. So, with a determined look molded on my face, I stomped down the stairs and onto the dance floor.
Couples were still swinging about, laughing and talking loudly over the music. Then I saw Jesse:
His hands were wrapped around Maria's waist and they were smiling at eachother. Her hands were wrapped around his neck, but when he turned around to look at me, and his smile faded, she put her hand on his cheek and turned his face back so he was looking at her. Maria shot me a warning glare and then they disappeared in a slew of other dancers.
I scratched my head, my face controted in a look of real disgust. What was up with Jesse and why was he just letting Maria control him like that?? I had to talk to him alone, I'd tell him everything.
I walked out into the de Silva's back yard, where Jesse had brought me early that morning. I sat on that same swinging bench and put my head down. supporting it with my hands. I was only sitting there like that for a minute or two before I heard a male voice above me.
"Hola," he said in a harsh and grating whisper. "What is a beautiful senorita such as yourself doing alone on a night like this?"
God, could he come up with an even lamer pick-up line? Next, I practically expected him to be all, "Are you tired? 'Cause you've been running through my mind all day." to me. This guy was already making me sick and I hadn't even said a word to him yet.
Slowly, I rose my head but as soon as I saw this guy, my eyes widened and I flew backward, my hand on my chest. Standing in front of me, holding his hand out to help me up, was none other than Felix Diego in the flesh.
He was dressed up in these outrageous garbs, like a cape and these knee high boots and this brightly beaded little jacket, that I'm sure were hideous even in his time. I raised an eyebrow and covered my mouth with my palm. It was all I could do to keep from bursting out in an uncontrollable fit of laughter. This guy actually thought he was all smooth and slick and that he could get any girl he wanted just by reciting these lame lines. Only someone desperate would actually fall for this guy.
Which is why he and Maria are such a perfect match.
Wait a second... Maria.... Could it be possible that she had Felix come over here and try to fool me into going with him or whatever just so he could try and off me, too?
Oh, who was I kidding, it was entirely possibly from a couple of freaks like those two. But it was also just as likely that Felix didn't have a clue who I was and was just trying to offer a helping hand. Hah, sure. I wasn't letting my guard down, but I had a plan to give Maria a little taste of her own medicine.
"Would you like to dance?" Felix asked with a sly, coniving smile as he extended his hand to me.
"Yes, of course," I whispered with a sweet-but-not-so-innocent smile as I took his hand and let him lead me inside to the dance floor. So, I could be a little thick sometimes but I knew what I was doing this time. And if I played my cards right this time, things would come out exactly as I planned and Jesse and I would get away scott-free.
The band was playing a considerably slower song now-- a Waltz, I think it was. I recognized the 1-2-3 rhythm. Felix rested his hand on my waist and pulled me close to him. I wrapped my arms around his neck and we began to fall into step with the other couples.
But honestly, the whole thing was really creepy. Not just because I was dancing with a possible slave-driver but because he was totally like SNIFFING my hair as we danced. His nose was buried in it and I kept hearing him inhale sharply every now-and-then. I mean, come on! Way to gross a girl out. It was just that Pantene Pro-V, anyway.
Except that when Jesse and Maria fluttered by us, I rested my head on Diego's shoulder, totally playing the part.
And it was then that I tried, with every bit of will-power I possessed, to keep from laughing my head off when I saw their faces when they saw Diego and I dancing like that. I swear, that look was PRICELESS!
At least I knew that Felix Diego and Maria weren't in cahoots. Not yet, anyway.
Maria really looked like a really cheap, made-up deer caught in headlights, her eyes were so wide and her jaw was hanging so low. I, of course, would never compare the godly Jesse to something so insignificant like a deer, but that won't stop me from commenting on how terrified his face looked when he saw the two of us. I actually couldn't help it any more and snickered into Felix's shoulder.
But whatever. I wasn't trying to make Jesse jealous now. I decided, that while I had the chance, I had to ask Felix Diego here a few questions. You know, to see if he really was hiding anything up his sleeve.
"And what could your name be, Senorita?" Felix said as he swept me across the floor.
He kept calling me that: Senorita. It would never, of course, in a million years, compare to Jesse's "Querida" but, I had to admit, the way he rolled out that "R" on his toungue and in that deep, menacing, sexy growl, "Senorita" sure did come pretty close. But then again, Felix's was a lot less mysterious then "Querida" was for a while.
Wait. WHAT AM I SAYING!?!?!
THIS WAS FELIX DIEGO. FELIX DIEGO WHO KILLED JESSE!
Did he really expect me to just forget about what he did to him just by calling me this proper, sexy Spanish word and by letting his hand find just the right spot on my waist??!!
GOD NO! FELIX WAS A SICK, SICK MAN. He could never, ever, come close to Jesse's perfection.
"Susannah," I said in response to his question. "My name is Susannah."
"Ah, what a beautiful name," he drawled in a sexy, spanish accent--
NO! WHY WAS I LETTING MYSELF FALL UNDER HIS SPELL SO EASILY?? He was--no-- IS a murderer, Suze, focus!
It was time to get back to business:
"So, what do you think of the couple?" I asked as he handed me a glass of sparkling, white wine. We were standing in the corner of the room near the food and all the young children, peeping through the doors at the party they weren't allowed to attend.
But, I have to say, Felix looked pretty taken aback at my question. Like it wasn't a standard thing to say at an engagement celebration or whatever this was.
"Well, I think they're perfect for each other," he responded with a grin. "And you?"
I took a big gulp, letting the bitter-sweet liquid trickle down my throat. I laughed nervously, "Yeah, same here. Totally." Even though I totally DIDN'T. There couldn't be anything that was more wrong and vile in the world than the wedding of Jesse and Maria. It honestly wasn't meant to happen. I mean, look what happened before.
Oh God. I'm messed up. I picked up another glass, swallowed it all in one gulp and plunked it back down on the table. It would have been an understatement to say that I got a few dirty, disgusted looks.
"Actually," Felix said, stepping closer until my forehead was kind of right underneath his chin. "I'm looking for a wife myself." I gulped and looked up at him, already getting a little woozy. I'd had one too many glasses of wine and champagne, if you took into account all that was offered to me earlier.
And, for one totally, crazy, irrisponsible second, Felix looked exactly like Jesse and before I knew it I had already pulled his head down and planted a big wet one on his lips. Right in front of EVERYONE at the party, too.
And did I mention that this kind of thing was completely UNNACCEPTABLE back in 1850? Yeah, well, if you couldn't already guess, it IS.
God, only in my completely intoxicated state could I have EVER thought that Felix Diego was good-looking. Oh, this was so embarassing.
So not only did everyone stop and stare at me, but Jesse and Maria were watching also. God. I thought their faces were surprised BEFORE! Jeez, they looked like they had just shitted their pants, or something. I swear.
But then agian, I probably did, too, when I ran out of there. My face was still in flames when I had bolted out of there without looking back.
Oh, God, I was crazy. How did I expect to stay there? I don't BELONG there. I'm sure Jesse loved me but there was no way I could've stayed there in the past. I can't change the past. What's done is done.
I was ready to find a way back.
I was finally ready to go back home, whether Jesse came with me or not.
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Wow!!!! Will she leave? What are Paul and Maria planning? Was the Felix thing a set-up? Will Jesse survive this story safely (if you know me well enough you'd know im perfectly capable of killing him, i've done it before lol)? Will Paul take Suze back with him?
Why don't I even know the answers to these questions? lol
Alright well....
I think I sometimes get writers block because I'm busy with other things. But here, without internet (darn it) or cable or my dogs or my cd player, I'm actually having fun writing. And it's coming out semi-okay. So here's a tip for those of you who are stuck: Just clear your mind of everything that's bugging you, maybe go in your room and put on some music and just write. :-)
That reminds me, the lyrics used in this chapter are from the song Big Brat by Phantom Planet.
::::cracks up at The Simpsons and Ned Flanders saying, "Well, get out the crayola's and color me 'Tickled Pink'" and Bart giving the boys Pixie Stix LOL:::
A lot of you brought up really good points that made me feel a little, er, dumb lol. Some stuff doesn't really make sense withthe rest of the story but I'm kinda too lazy to fix it. I won't say what it is though. But oh well.
REVIEW!!
.... please? 333
