A/N OMG, you guys! You rock! Thanks so much for all your reviews! Much appreciated. The poll from last time proved that Lily was mostly liked, a little loved, but no hates, thank goodness. After all, she's Jesse's sidekick! Keep up the reviews, and enjoy the chapter.

Summary: After long term romances with both Jesse and Paul, Suze shocks them both by embarking on a whirlwind romance with a complete stranger, and is gone one morning from Carmel without trace. Can Jesse fight for the girl he wants, or wil Paul get there first?

Chapter Four: Turbulence

"I'd like to purchase two-" Lily nudged me in the ribs. "-one ticket to Cairns, please."

"Ouch," I said, as we were walking away. "You didn't have to nudge quite so hard."

"Yes, I did," Lily replied firmly, tugging the bottom of her lace dress straight. "You were forgetting that nobody else can see me. Do you want to be taken to a mental institute?"

"No, Lily. Sorry, Lily," I said, humbly, digging in my carry case for my passport.

"Very well," said Lily, but she continued her patronising lecture. "You know, Mr De Silva, for someone very talented in the field of medicine, you do not have an awful amount of common sense-"

"Jesse," I corrected her.

"I beg your pardon?"

"You called me Mr De Silva. Its OK to call me Jesse."

"Oh." Lily blushed. "Alright then."

"And," I continued, as I still had the upper hand over a seemingly stunned Lily. "You can quit your.. motherly manner. I am about 30 years your senior!"

"I find that impossible," Lily declared, obviously finding her voice again. "Ive been dead for over 100 years, long before you were born-"

"You keep thinking that, then," I said amusedly, enjoying the look of confusion on her face. I handed my passport and ticket to a stern-looking collector.

"Are you alright, sir?" he asked me. "You haven't taken any type of drug, have you?"

I smiled uneasily. "No sir," I replied. "Uh... I have been a little sleepless, due to business. I appear to just be a little jumpy. Just trying to calm myself down..."

OK, a lie. But I did not want to appear as if I was talking to myself in a conversational manner...

"Very well done Mr - I mean, Jesse," Lily corrected herself. "Quick thinking."

"Yes," I said, righting myself.

"So," she said, scurrying alongside of me. "How are you older than me? I've been dead for-"

"Yes, I know," I interrupted impatiently. "But can we concentrate on boarding the plane right now?"

"Fine," Lily sighed. "But you owe me a mighty explanation."

xxxx

"Are you OK?" Lily asked me.

I wretched, and held a hand to my mouth. "I don't believe I am," I said. "I don't think I have been since they mentioned turbulence."

Lily laughed, but stopped once I shot her a disapproving look.

"I'm sorry," she said meekly. "I cannot get used to these.. contraptions. I cannot feel this.. turbulence you speak of."

I smiled. "You'll catch on quick, I promise."

Lily grinned. "I'll hold you to that." She rested her head on my shoulder. "I never thought of you to suffer from travel sickness."

"I guess I'm not used to these... 'contraptions', either," I replied, looking down at Lily's mousy head.

"Hm..." whispered Lily, looking disgustedly at the filled carrier bag hanginf from the arm rest. "Anyway... do you really love Suze?"

"Of course!" I replied, exasperated. "We were engaged - betrothed -" I added for her benefit.

"Wow," Lily said, admirably. "I've never been in love."

I smiled sadly and amde a non-commital noise. "What am I going to do with you?" I said instead. "Do you want to be mediated?"

"I don't know," whispered Lily, settling on my shoulder. "I want to be alive again."

"No can do," I said simply. "But I suppose I wouldn't mind you being alive these days..."

I waited a while, I suppose, waiting for an answer. Any sort of reply, really. But none came. "Lily?" I repeated.

She was snoring softly on my shoulder, and her hand was gently clasped over mine.

And the weirdest thing?

I didn't even mind.

A/N How do you want this story to end? Will Jesse or Paul get the girl? Or possibly Marco...?