A/N: I know, I know. Pathetically long time since I have updated. I won't blame you guys for hating me and never reading my stories again, much less review for it. But I request you, please review. I was really busy after starting a new school. Catching up sure is hard work. Anyway, without further ado, here is the new chapter!!

Jesse's POV

I was excited. I do not know why, but as the three of us made our way across the cliffs with the waves pounding down below, a bizarre sensation swooped through my stomach. I remembered the moment in the morning when I had caught Susannah. I couldn't help remembering the softness of her lips against mine and her slender waist wrapped in my arms and how good it had felt. Coming back to my senses, I shook my head vigorously. I watched Susannah's glossy tresses fly in the soft breeze as she tried with all her might to control her horse. I laughed quietly. I knew that I was supposed to be upset with the news that she and her…colleague (people from the future sure use strange words) had brought. But, I wasn't. Actually I felt as if a great load had been lifted from my shoulders.

I rode over to Susannah and helped her gain control over her horse. "Thanks" she said. "You're welcome, querida" I replied. As soon as the words left my lips, or to be precise, the last word, I hit myself inside. What was happening to me? I couldn't just go around calling random girls that. My padre would be furious if he had seen me being so ungentlemanly. But what I said had an odd effect on Susannah too. Her beautiful emerald orbs filled up with tears. I was confused. She couldn't have understood what I had said. She didn't understand Spanish. "Susannah!? Why are you crying?" But she just blinked back her tears and forced a smile and rode forward.

My previously joyous spirits disappeared. My heart felt as if a herd of wild stallions had stampeded on it. I didn't understand why, but seeing Susannah's tears made me feel the worst I had ever felt. Even worse than when I had heard I was betrothed to Maria. I had seen Susannah in a similar state in the O'Neil's barn the night before, though I was sure she didn't know that I had seen her. As the three of us rode into the glorious sunset, I made a promise to myself. I was going to find out the cause of Susannah's tears. Never would I let her sparkling gems shed another tear. And a gentleman never breaks his word.

Suze's POV

After a day and a half of riding, we finally reached the De Silva ranch. My legs were aching like hell and my back was paining from sitting upright without a backrest for so long. I simply didn't understand how people in the past did it. Ride horses on hours at and end. Not to mention have absolutely no shopping boutiques around, no Diet Coke, and no lip gloss. I would have died.

Anyway, back to the topic. At noon the following day, Jesse, Paul and I came to a huge, cracked, wooden sign saying "De Silva Ranch". "At last" muttered Paul. He had been really quiet during our journey and hadn't shown much sign of tiredness but I knew he was relieved to reach our destination at last.

Our horses trotted along with us astride along the dirt path. On both our sides were fresh, green pastures dotted with cattle, fenced sandy areas for horses and cowboys. I was amazed. I was actually seeing cowboys. And not those fake ones that they have on the rodeos in my time, but the real, Wild West ones. Oh My God. I looked at Paul and he had the same look of pure fascination plastered across his face. I laughed. Seeing Paul like this was surely a once in a lifetime experience.

Jesse led us through the doors of a barn. He helped me get off my horse and then he led us through a quaint little garden to a wooden house. It was like a hunter's log cabin, only ten times bigger with two storeys. (A/N I don't know if they actually had two storey houses back then but it's what I always imagined Jesse's house to be. If you know if they existed or not could you please tell me?) Suddenly, a little girl came rushing out of the house and flew straight into Jesse's arms. He swooped her up and embraced her tightly. "Jesse!¡Te extraño mucho!" she shrieked as soon as she came out of the embrace. Her complexion was, I saw, slightly paler than Jesse's and she had his same huge, black eyes. Her hair was much curlier than Jesse's but it was the same healthy black color. Before Jesse had time to say anything, many other people came out of the house. It was the rest of Jesse's huge family.

After their reunion, one of Jesse's sisters, who looked about my age and I could only conclude was Josefina, noticed Paul and I. She did a double take. Her beautiful light-brown eyes which were bordered with long lashes widened to their limit and her jaw slackened. Jesse noticed this and he finally turned to introduce us to his family. "Everyone, this is Miss Susannah Simon and Paul…" he began but trailed off. "Slater" finished Paul. Jesse's mother, a petite woman who couldn't have been more than five feet with a perfect olive complexion and flawless facial features that Jesse had inherited, widened her eyes into a stunned expression as she took in my clothes. Jesse's father, a tall, burly man, wore an expression of utter disgust and anger. "Hector!" He then muttered a string of angry Spanish words. I was sure he thought that I was a hoochie mama. Jesse turned a bright shade of red (which was a great feat considering how dark he is) and muttered some soothing Spanish words back to his father. He then turned to Paul and me and said "Please excuse us for a minute". I noticed that he didn't look at me in the eye. I nodded and Paul and I walked away.

The two of us walked to the end of the garden and stood there, gazing out onto the rest of the ranch. Men were working with the animals and crops; women were carrying pails of water from wells and onto the fields; cowboys on top of their horses were keeping the cattle together as they changed pastures. Everything was so carefree. I didn't know how such a manipulative person like Maria de Silva could have been born in a time with people like this. I took a deep breath of the clean, pollution-free air to purge my mind of her thought. I suddenly had a deep desire to have my mom, Andy and my stepbrothers here with me. Even Dopey. I almost laughed at the thought. Losing those brain cells really must have affected my sanity. But still…I missed all of them. "Paul?" I said quietly. "Hm?" he said staring straight ahead. "D...Do you think that our people are missing us? Or has no time gone by over there since we came?" He sighed. "I dunno, Suze. I'm confused. At the moment I'm confused of everything" he replied. I frowned. It was unusual of Paul to be so serious and helpless. We settled into a peaceful silence as we watched the daily activities of the people of 1850.

My thoughts turned back to Jesse. Both the human Jesse and the ghost Jesse. I wondered what Ghost Jesse was doing at the moment. I remembered his soft, deep voice murmuring sweet Spanish words into my hair, and the way he always called me querida. Sweetheart. The human Jesse had also called me that once during our journey. That single word had caused so many emotions to well up inside me that it was a miracle I hadn't broken down then and there. But I wondered if human Jesse had meant it when he had said it.

As Paul and I stood side by side, each lost in our thoughts, Jesse appeared by our side. He wore a kind smile. "Come, my family is ready to meet you now" he said and ushered us into the house. Inside the sitting room, the whole of Jesse's family, from his father to his six-year-old little sister, were present. They were seated on the wooden sofa, wooden stools, and chairs. As Paul and I entered the room, they all stared at us wonderingly. The two of us found two stools and sat down. I felt uncomfortable under all their stares and averted my own gaze to the floor. I guess Jesse understood how I was feeling and decided to break the silence. "I have told my family what you have told me" he started. "And they believed you??" I cut in. Jesse glanced at his dad. "They-" He was cut of as cloud of silvery smoke began to form at the center of the room.

A/N: There! Try guessing what that was! Please review!! Thanks!