Sorry this took so long to update, and sorry in advance for any errors. There's only one chapter after this, so says I. You know, assuming I don't change my crazy ickle mind. Pfft. ONE SAM, ONE! Yergh. This sucks. Humor me as usual though, if you will.

Dedicated to Char, everyone who has taken exams lately, and to the pointfest line up. It made my day precious :D

Disclaimer: I don't own the excerpt from Shadowland. Meg Cabot does. Go her.

Ch 19: Shattered Glass

"Excuse me, miss," a low voice impeded my rest. I wearily opened my crusty eyes at the man next to me. Tall, skinny, elderly...

And glowing.

"Sorry to bother you," the ghost ran a shaky hand over his bald head. My body begged me to go back to sleep, but I knew I needed to assist the poor gentleman next to me.

Would you look at that? Nearly dying has turned me soft. Fabulous.

"How can I help you, sir?" I croaked attractively.

Stupid phlegm.

"A young man told me to visit you. Pool, was it?"

"Paul?" I raised an eyebrow at him and propped myself up in the firm bed.

"Yes, him. I told him I died of a heart attack, and that I still needed to tell my daughter about the bonds in my attic. They'll give her the financial aid she needs. I asked Pel to give them to her, but he sent me to you. He said you were more trustworthy with such matters."

I smirked at the man and reached by my bed to grab a "Get Well" card and a pen.

"Can you give me your name, your address, and your daughter's name please."

The elderly gentleman sighed in relief and rattled off the information to me.

"Thank you so much."

"No problem," I smiled gently and watched as the soul before me began to fade.

"And tell her," he sniffed. "That I love her."

I nodded and he disappeared completely, leaving me in the dark.

With a sigh, I placed the card and pen back on the table, and laid back down. I'll have to have Jesse take care of it. I'm stuck in here for another week. Yergh.

A tingling sensation in my gut alerted me to the attendance of yet another ghost. Oh boy. Here we go.

"Is everything alright, Susannah?" Hector asked curiously. Oops, I thought his name. "I felt a presence here a moment ago."

"Just a lost soul looking for guidance," I sighed, my eyes still closed. Hector chuckled beside me.

"Do tell me you were kind and didn't scare them off."

I opened my eyes and glared at him.

"Of course I was nice," I said, affronted. Hector chuckled again, this time lighter. I narrowed my eyes further and punched him the arm. He didn't even flinch as I touch him.

"What else is bothering you, Susannah? You've been restless for days."

I looked away from him quickly. He'd noticed. I'd here I thought I was being such a good actress.

"I'm just confused," I answered truthfully. Hector took a seat beside me on the bed, and stretched out.

"What's on your mind, querida?"

God I hate when he does that. Jesse is alive. Jesse is mine. Jesse loves me. Be rational Suze.

I need therapy.

I watched Hector take in unnecessary breaths as he lay next to me.

"Why..." I hesitated, not quite sure how to put my thoughts together. Hector opened his eyes and stared down at me.

"What is it?"

"Why was I so easy to kill? I mean Saben. It just seemed to easy."

Hector furrowed his eyebrows a bit. "You were fighting for love, she was fighting for survival. She was broken, you're not. Her faults made her weak and vulnerable. They were her undoing."

"Oh," was all I could say. I'd just been complimented. Well, sort of. According to Hector, I was less weak than the other me.

Yeah. That sounded better in my mind.

Hector grinned at me softly. "Is that all that was on your mind?'

No. I had a lot on my mind. Most of which didn't make sense. And oven half of it wasn't about to voice –especially to him. So I thought of something else that bugged me.

"Why was Jesse so mad during the fight? He was fine when I left."

"Ah," Hector smiled knowingly. "I wondered if you'd caught that."

His tone make me think he'd hoped I hadn't noticed. How could I not have? They arrived about 2 minutes after I did. Plus, I'd never seen Jesse so mad before.

Scratch that–it paralleled the time he beat the hell out of Paul at my house. While still a ghost.

Never going to live that down.

"Well?" I prodded when he didn't explain. I don't like being left high and dry.

Now I sound like an alcoholic.

"Charles Paquin destroyed the woman I loved; I wanted his death on my hands, not Jesse's. He wanted to kill Charles for hurting you, but it was my fight; and I told him so. I asked him to have minimal participation in the death of Charles. This angered him greatly, but he obliged."

I averted my gaze to the clock on the wall. I don't think Saben was the only one from his parallel broken.

"Jesse loves you, Susannah. Every time you time think someone else would be better for him, it breaks my heart. I know how he feels. If only you could see."

I closed my heavy eyes, as they began to water. I just want what's best for Jesse..even if it's not me.

"Look," Hector sighed heartily and got up. 'You've been stuck in here for two weeks. How about I take you somewhere?"

I snorted loudly. "What? Are you going to smuggle me out through the window?"

Hector laughed lightly at my sarcasm. "No, querida. Astral projection was more what I had in mind."

I shut my eyes and concentrated. God, this was going to be tacky. I'm in a back-tying hospital gown.

But before I could ask for a shirt, I heard Hector speak.

"Take my hand."

I grimaced down at myself.

Damn. Too late.

I did as Hector instructed. As soon as my hand was in his, my surroundings dissolved. The hospital walls were replaced by the Carmel-by-the-Sea Historical Society.

And here I was hoping for a beach.

"Wow," I breathed facetiously. Hector gave my hand a quick squeeze before releasing it.

"We need to destroy the mirror," he said, and lead me over to what he was referring to.

I touched the fading writing along the side of the mirror with my fingers.

"It is real."

"What?" Hector looked at me inquisitively.

"The mirror. It was in my... dream."

Hector sighed to himself. "Remember, some of Saben's memories were real."

Oh. Right.

Heh.

"Destroying this mirror creates one less portal for shifters to rule by. The less the better."

"Are you sure?" I asked and scrutinized the mirror on the wall.

"Yes, Susannah," he chuckled once more. "Now, would you like the honors of shattering this hellish tool?"

Yes, get the girl in the hospital gown to bend over. Classic.

Wait...I wonder if...

I squinted at the chair behind ol' Clive's desk and smirked to myself when it levitated off the floor. Score one Suze.

Using my mind, I threw the chair in to the mirror mercilessly. Millions of glass shards erupted from the wall and littered the wooden floor. The chair bounced off the mirror paneling and fell to the ground, upside down.

I looked up to see Hector's reaction but I blinded by a blaze of white light.

And my mom wonders why I like black.

The light steadily faded, revealing the Shadowland.

I am so ready to go back to my body now. Bad memories are flooding me.

"I caught mommy kissing Santa!" Adias chimed merrily. Hector and I glanced at each other, both slightly confused and apprehensive.

"Oh, you two are no fun," he frowned and ushered us forward. Adias was in his usual gladiator attire, but this time also carried a mirror. One similar to the mirror I'd just shattered–only smaller.

"I already returned the dagger," Hector said slowly, as though talking to a child.

"Yes, we know. We are eternally grateful. Which brings me to why I brought you two here."

I looked over at Hector again. He was tense, seemingly alarmed. Adias caught my eye and winked.

"For all of your assistance to us, we wish to reward you, Hector 'Jesse' De Silva."

Oh.

Squee!

Hector's face fell in shock. "W-what?"

"Right this way, amigo. Come claim your prize."

Adias traipsed over to one of the doors in the endless Shadowland hallway. Hector looked at me for instruction and I nodded from him to go. Timidly, he approached the door.

"For your service, we reward you with a second chance at life."

O.O

Hector reached for the door knob, then pulled back hesitantly. "Wait."

Adias and I eyed one another, trying to figure out what his dilemma was. I was so busy "eye conversing' with Adias, that I didn't detect Hector approach me. Not until he stopped right in front of me, cupped my face...

And kissed me.

A soft, sweet kiss.

"Goodbye, querida," he breathed once he released his claim on my lips.

I couldn't stop the words form spilling form my tingling mouth. "Don't make me her."

Hector kissed me one last time, then let me go. He approached the door more confidently this time, and grabbed the handle.

"You're not her," Hector smiled back at me gently. "You're better."

With a mere twist of the knob and a slight push, he disappeared. Leaving me behind as a puddle of mush.

God I need Jesse.

Damn hormones.

"Care to see what adventures our young compadre is about to embark on?" Adias looked at me, amused, and waved the mirror in his hand. I raised an eyebrow at him as he approached, and handed me the mirror. Gazing down into the glass was like watching a recording of me life.

I was in my new home for the first time. Andy was showing me around my pink room. Everything was great except for one small thing. Actually, he isn't small, but still.

There was a ghost on my window seat. A ghost I recognized, but the me in this parallel didn't. Andy left the room but my mom stayed behind to see if I was okay.

"Do you think you can be happy here?" she asked and I have her a hug.

"Sure, mom," I said. "Sure, I'll be happy here. I feel at home already."

My mom sniffed. "Really? You swear?"

"I do."

I watched my mom leave my room and shut the door behind her. As soon as she was gone, I saw myself turn on the ghost on the window seat.

"All right," I said a bit harshly. "Who the hell are you?"

I looked up at Adias, slightly shocked.

"Look familiar?" he smirked at me as I nodded. "We sent Hector to a parallel very close to yours."

"So his life will wind up being like Jesse's?"

"Close," he took the mirror from my hands gently. "There will be a few differences, but nothing major."

I blinked. "So he'll have a good life?"

"Yes, he will."

I gave him a genuine smile. "Tha–"

Adias interrupted me like usual. "It's time for you to go."

"See you around," I gave him a small wave goodbye.

"No," he grinned pertly. "You won't."

If you're lost you can look and you will find me
Time after time
If you fall I will catch you I'll be waiting
Time after time

The lyrics are "Time after time" by Quietdrive. I don't remember who originally sang it. Cyndi L or something? yeah. I prefer the Qd version, but that's just me.
Thanks for reading.

Pudding and drum sticks all.
XO