I'm back from my Mediator Hiatus, and let me say that it was a wonderful vacation, but now I'm back in the fanfic world.

Thanks to everyone who reads and reviews my stories. You guys have no idea how much it means to me.

Things start going wrong in this chapter for Suze and Jesse. We all love little obstacles, don't we?

Drop your thoughts after you've read this!

-Aina-

Suze

There's nothing like seeing the man you love smiling at you after a hard day at work.

I didn't actually plan to prepare the dinner for Jesse, but I got off early from work after my Levington case was settled; the 8-year-old boy ended up living with his mother. I came home and showered, and as I was about to start cooking, I suddenly thought about Jesse. I wondered if he would mind if I sprung a surprise dinner for him.

So I went to buy some groceries, and went over to his place. He had told me that he kept a spare key on top of the wall lamp besides the front door and yep, it was there. After opening the door and replacing the key, I set about to cook dinner.

It was an hour later, sitting at the table waiting for him that I realized my stupidity. Of course Jesse was supposed to be home already, but what if he ate dinner outside? With Dylan, maybe?

Stupid me.

I was reheating the food when I heard a car pulled up the driveway. And it wasn't long before this gorgeous man of mine was standing right in front of me.

"Hello querida. You look beautiful."

"Thank you. I hope you don't mind, me coming here and cooking dinner," I smiled, as he walked towards me.

"Susannah, I don't mind having food here, and I definitely don't mind having you here," he grinned before pulling me closer for a kiss.

Hmm. I definitely don't mind kisses.

He smelled so good, the soapy clean smell plus that perfect Jesse essence which I can never figure out. His hair was still wet from the shower, and I had a helluva time running my fingers through it. I felt his hand on the small of my back before I realized that he had pressed me against the wall, kissing me so sweetly and thoroughly.

After a moment, we pulled up for air and I realized we had to stop making out if we were going to have dinner at all. So reluctantly, I said, "Dinner. Food's getting cold."

Jesse smiled cheekily. "Can't it wait a few more minutes?" Then he bent down to kiss my neck.

Giggling like a foolish schoolgirl, I pushed him away playfully. "No, Jesse, it can't. You must be hungry…unless you've already eaten?"

He pulled away, sighing. "No, I haven't. Maybe I had a feeling you would be here."

"Call it mediator sense then. Well, let's eat," I pulled him to the dining room.

"Something smells delicious," Jesse said, sitting down at the end of the table. Then instantly he got up again, shaking his head. "What am I doing? Susannah, let me help you."

I laughed and made him sit down again. "It's okay, Jesse. I got it. You just sit down, okay?"

He protested of course, but I shushed him and went over to the kitchen. I scooped out the chicken and potatoes from the oven and took the Greek salad from the counter. Then I brought them to the dining table, before returning to the kitchen to get the drinks.

Since Jesse was sitting at the head of the table, it seemed only appropriate that I sit at the other end, you know, like the normal way people do. Oh well, screw that. I sat down at the side on Jesse's right instead.

"This looks wonderful, querida," Jesse said, leaning over to give me a peck on the lips.

"Let's hope they taste wonderful too," I joked, putting the napkin on my lap.

He smiled. "I doubt if they don't."

So we ate. I must admit that the food didn't disappoint. I had the right to be apprehensive though since I haven't been cooking in a long time. I only really started to cook when Cee Cee left the apartment that we shared together to move in with Adam a few months ago. Usually, she's the cook of the house, while I try to make up by washing the dishes and cleaning the house. Then she left, and I had to call up my mom to remind me all the recipes that she had taught me when I was living by myself during my university years.

Of course, when I've gotten the hang of this, I'll think up my own recipes. Why not? I might even try cooking some Spanish dishes for Jesse. I'm sure he would love that.

We talked about work. I told him about the boy in the Levington case, and he told me about some of his patients. One of them was a guy who suffered heart attack, and Jesse said he suspected it was caused by genes or old age, before something else made him rethink his decision.

"A ghost visited you?" I repeated, pausing in the midst of cutting my chicken.

Jesse nodded. "He said he was a friend of the patient, Mr. Stanley. He appeared younger though, in his twenties I would assume, even though when he died he was in his fifties. He claimed that he was murdered, and that his friends, Mr. Stanley and another man he only mentioned as Robert are both in danger of being murdered too."

"But how would he know that?"

Jesse then explained about the three men owning Hotel Twenty (a very grand hotel I must say, five stars all the way) and about a company called YLN Corporation trying to buy the hotel. Wait, YLN Corporation….

"I've heard of YLN Corporation," I said, realizing something. "I read something about them having this genius CEO or something who's heading the company, and that their shares are doing really well in the first half of this year even though they only registered in Nasdaq late last year."

"Understandable, since they had bought some of the most successful hotels in San Francisco and made them their own," Jesse agreed.

"Except for Hotel Twenty," I said.

Jesse frowned at me. "Susannah, what are you thinking? You don't think that the Darren ghost was actually right, do you?"

I shrugged. "You have to admit Jesse, it does sound suspicious. I mean, it wouldn't hurt to check it out, right?"

"No, you're not checking anything out," Jesse said firmly. "He came to me, and I'll think of a way to handle this."

"But…Jesse, I'm not new in this mediator business. What if he had come to me instead of you? I would have to help him, wouldn't I?" I said, feeling a little uneasy.

He sighed. "I know, Susannah. But he came to me. I'm not implying that you don't know how to mediate, I just…I just don't want to be worried about you. If Darren is right, we're facing a dangerous opponent here, one capable of murder. I don't want you to get involved in something like this."

In spite of my feminism-girl-power feelings, I smiled. How can I be mad at him when I know that he was just looking out for me?

"Jesse, don't worry. I'm not going to do something stupid like march up the company and demand that they confess to the murder. I'm just gonna do some searches – online searches - about the company. Maybe it will help you figure out what to do," I said, reaching over to clasp his hand.

He squeezed my hand, still with that worried look on his handsome face. "You don't have to. It will interfere with your work, and –"

"Jesse…" I couldn't help but laugh. "Stop worrying! Finding stuff on the Internet is hardly called interfering. Just tell me if you need any help, okay? I'm right here. I can help you. You think I want you to get involved with this too? I mean, you know what they say, two heads are better than one. You don't have to deal with this alone."

He looked at me for a moment before slowly breaking into a smile. "Well, I guess you're right."

I smirked. "Of course I am. More potatoes?"

Jesse rolled his eyes and took the plate from me. I continued my meal, my thoughts straying back to YLN Corp. I think I'll ask Cee Cee about them, seeing that being a reporter she would be privy to stuff that other people are not.

"Oh, I forgot to say. Dylan knows about us."

'Hmmm?" I asked distractedly.

"Dylan. Remember him? He knows about us."

My mind screeched to a halt. What? "What? How did he know about us?"

For some reason, Jesse looked uncomfortable. "He…he just guessed. He saw that I was in a good mood and…just assumed."

"Weren't you in a good mood before?" I didn't understand what he was saying. And I thought we had managed to keep this a secret!

"Not when we were…apart. When we had separated."

Oh. OH. I made Jesse to have good moods! Hmm, I wonder WHY. If only the bedroom walls can tell, whoo boy, what would they say…

"Susannah?"

Pushing away all inappropriate thoughts, I said, "Is he going to tell anyone? He better not!"

Jesse shook his head. "He said he won't. I believe him. I just thought you should know about it. Besides, I think this might help us. If anything comes up and you need to see me but I'm not available at the hospital, you can contact him. I'm sure he wouldn't mind."

"…Okay."

We finished up, and I moved to take away the plates. This time, Jesse insisted on helping and I relented. Then he insisted on washing the dishes too, and after a few minutes of protesting, I gave in.

Men. Always have to have their ways. Not that I mind, cleaning dishes isn't exactly on my Favorite Chores list. I don't even have such a list.

I went to the fridge and rummaged around for some fruits. That's when I found…

"Strawberries! Jesse, how could you buy strawberries and not tell me!"

Jesse glanced from the sink, a bored look on his face. "I would assume you already know, since you were the one who bought it. Last week, when you came over. Remember?"

No I didn't, I wanted to say. Hold on…oh yeah, I did. I smiled sheepishly at him and quickly opened the plastic packet, popping one of the strawberries in my mouth. Yummy.

I walked over to Jesse, picking up another one of the juicy fruits. "Want one?"

"Even if I said no, you would still give me, wouldn't you?" Jesse grinned. I feigned an innocent look before reaching over and putting a strawberry in his mouth. He chewed without taking his eyes off me, looking mischievous.

I leaned against the counter besides the sink and picked up another strawberry. Then I realized that he was still eyeing me, and decided to give him something to eye about.

Slowly, without taking my eyes of his, I brought the strawberry to my mouth and slowly licked it. After a few long seconds, I started to suck on the poor harmless strawberry. I saw that Jesse wasn't looking so mischievous anymore. In fact, he looked like he wanted to be the strawberry. Hehe. I held in my laughter and bit on the fruit instead.

Jesse watched me, the dishes forgotten, as I bit the strawberry until it was gone. Then, still holding his gaze, I licked the juices from my fingers slowly, tempting him.

Two seconds later, I had my lower back pressed against the counter as he leaned against me, kissing me like mad. I managed to put the strawberry packet on the counter before losing my thoughts to feeling.

Oh yeah. Kisses like these don't come often.

Next thing I knew I was sitting on top of the counter, my legs wrapped around Jesse's hips, our lips tussling for each other. He slipped in his tongue between my lips and I could taste the strawberry in his mouth as he caressed my tongue. His hand gripped my left hip, before moving down to my leg and pulling up my skirt higher and higher, his fingers brushing against my thigh. His other hand was playing with my hair, then it was holding my face, and then it was warm against my breasts.

I grasped his shoulders, pulling him closer, feeling like I was drowning in his touch. I ran my hands along his chest, trying to give him some of what I was feeling, but as selfish as it sounded, at that moment all I could think about was taking in everything that he was giving.

Then he started moving downwards, kissing my throat, my neck, my shoulder. I leaned my head back, relishing on his tantalizing kisses. The feeling was… beyond words. His lips were still a little cool from the strawberry, and the coolness of his lips against the hotness of his breath made my senses practically havoc. Then I felt his tongue, hot and moist against my neck, sucking gently on the flesh, his teeth just grazing my sensitive skin.

Oh God. I think I might get a little moist down there.

I think I already did.

Wait a sec, this didn't feel moist…

It felt wet.

I guessed Jesse felt it too, because we both pulled back at the same time and immediately saw the damage around us. It was the water from the tap! It had overflowed, over the sink and onto the counter, even on to the kitchen floor.

"Nombre de Dios!" Jesse exclaimed, looking at the flooded counter and the puddle that was growing on the floor, before leaping to the sink and turning the tap off.

I hopped of the counter, my Somerset Bay floaty skirt completely drenched on the back. I looked like I had peed on myself!

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," Jesse said apologetically, taking some dishtowels and moving towards me. "I forgot to turn off the tap, and the cloth clogged the sink and…your skirt! It's ruined!"

I looked over at Jesse and saw that one side of his pants was wet too. I started giggling, even though I was a little mad that we had to stop our little rendezvous, and the fact that even my underwear was wet, and not for the reasons which I would have been glad for.

Major ewww-ness!

Jesse didn't seem to notice though. He was only eyeing my black skirt as if surveying the damage. "I can put your skirt in the dryer, I hope it's not dry clean only, because then we have to wait until tomorrow to send –"

I allowed my laugh to bubble out, and tiptoed over the water to him before wrapping my arms around his neck. "Am I rubbing off on you?"

He snapped out of his thoughts and looked at me, puzzled. "What?"

I smiled and placed a kiss on his lips. "You're kinda babbling. Like I do sometimes. It's really funny."

He gave a short laugh. "Am I? I'm sorry. I was just…I ruined your skirt. "

"No, you didn't. It'll be fine after one round in the dryer. Besides, it was my fault too…I distracted you."

"You certainly did," Jesse grinned. "Do you want me to put your skirt in the dryer?"

"Well…" I pulled away from him and slipped off my skirt, holding it up by the waistline. "You could, but isn't the laundry room over there?"

He dragged his eyes away from my black lace panties (especially put on for tonight) and looked behind me to where I was pointing. "Yes."

"But aren't we going over there?"

He followed my gaze to behind him, in the direction of the stairs to the second floor where it resides the rooms in his house. Including his bedroom. He turned back towards me, grinning slowly. "Yes..?"

I let the skirt fall onto the floor. It was already wet anyway. "Well, what do you say we stop wasting time and go to where we're supposed to go?"

Jesse raised his scarred eyebrow, probably feeling a little weirded out by my boldness. Hey, a girl has needs too. Especially after the counter-top incident, there was no way I was going to go home without getting some.

He leaned down and gave me a hard, deep kiss before whispering, "Whatever you say, mi querida."

Just LOVE it when he calls me that. Gave me chills.

I made to move to his room when he walked back to the counter and picked up the packet of strawberries. This time I raised my eyebrows at him (I can't raise just one eyebrow, damn it), and he smirked.

"We don't want these to go to waste, do we?"

I blew him a kiss, then turned to walk up the stairs. "I like your thinking, Hector."

"Oh, please, don't call me that," he groaned, following me up the stairs and along the hall.

"Why not?" I said lightly, pushing open the door to his room.

"How would you like it if I call you Suzie?"

"No! Okay, I won't call you Hector."

Then he closed the door, and well…you know the rest. No need to explain. Just use your imagination, people.

-0-0-0-0-

I woke up with the sun shining on my face, feeling as contented as I could ever be.

Closing my eyes, I tried to slip back into the comforting world of dreamless sleep, even though the sounds of real life were seeping into my mind. Like birds chirping….and the morning breeze through the window…

Okay, so the sounds were more like cars honking and people slamming their front doors. Even though I didn't know how I could hear that, seeing that the closest house to this one was like a block away.

Pulling the covers tighter to my body, I tried to block the stupid sounds and go to sleep again.

"Good morning, querida."

On the other hand, waking up might be better.

I felt a kiss being dropped on my bare shoulder. Smiling, I shifted my body so that I could turn to look at the gorgeous man lying beside me. It wasn't so hard to open your eyes when there's a pair of deep brown eyes looking at you like you're the most beautiful thing in the world.

Coming from a girl who's only had one serious relationship before this, you know I'm telling the truth.

"Morning, Jesse."

I really should think of a nickname for him. I mean, he calls me that, which I know means 'sweetheart' or 'beloved' (see why I love him?), but I don't call him anything except Jesse. I really should think of some sexy-sounding nickname that he doesn't understand…maybe in French!

And this was a moment where I wished that I had paid more attention in French Class at high school. Oh well, there's always the dictionary. Not as authentic as it would have been if I had thought of it myself, but anything goes.

"What are you thinking?" Jesse asked, pushing a strand of my hair back from my face.

"Oh, nothing in particular," I lied. "What time is it?"

"8.15." His fingers were dancing on my back.

8.15….8.15!

"Jesse, I have to go to work! I have to punch in before 9!" I said, a little panicky. I have every reason to be, seeing that I only have about 45 minutes to drive back home, take a shower, choose an outfit, blow dry my hair, put on makeup and drive to work! Even an hour usually isn't enough!

I started to sit up, but Jesse held me close. "Can't you stay a little longer? You said you've settled that Levington case, what could be so urgent at the office?"

I groaned, torn between doing what was right and what was pleasurable. "You know I can't…besides, aren't you going to work too?"

Jesse grinned. "I have the afternoon shift. 2pm until midnight."

"Lucky you," I grumbled.

Then I started to sit up again, but Jesse pulled me back onto him and started kissing me. This is so not fair! He knew that I couldn't say no to this…

So we were kissing and his hands were going places that should not be mentioned and my will to go to work was basically almost none, when the most unexpected thing happened.

I heard a woman's voice coming from downstairs.

At first it didn't registered to me. Maybe I put that voice as belonging to the neighbors, or the newspaperman, I mean, newspaperwoman, or somebody else. It wasn't until that person called out again that I knew it was for real.

"Jesse!" The voice called out.

What the heck? I pulled away, looking at Jesse's confused face, which promptly turned to horror.

"That's my mother," he whispered.

GOD DAMN IT!

"What is she doing here?" I whispered, feeling panicky again. But this was nowhere near the panic I experienced relating to work. That ranked about 5.0 on the Richter scale. This was like a full-blown tsunami panic attack.

"I have no idea!" Jesse whispered back as I scrambled to sit up from him, and he too sat up.

Something was nagging at me…something I couldn't put my finger on...

His mom called out again, only in Spanish words which I obviously don't understand at all. Jesse answered back in his native language.

"I better go and see what she wants. Stay here," he said, getting off the bed and putting on his pants.

It's not like I have anywhere else to go, I wanted to say. Well, there's the window but…

Oh My God!

"Jesse, myskirtinthekitchen!" I hissed, my heart racing like crazy, feeling like it might burst any second now.

"What did you say?" He was putting on his shirt.

"My skirt! In the kitchen!" I could barely get the words out of my mouth, I was so scared.

He turned to look at me for a second and I swear all the blood drained from his face. Then he motioned for me to be quiet, and left the room.

Oh God. Oh God. I'm dead. No, I'm not dead, he's dead.

Why am I so stupid to leave that skirt in the kitchen?

Then again, why would she come here at this ungodly hour? Doesn't she have her other children to feed? Her husband?

I'm being a mean biatch, I know. But can you blame me? It's bad enough that we had to sneak around, but to get surprises like this was just too much. Why couldn't I fall in love with a guy whose parents would at least like me?

Thank God I had parked my car at the street, and not on his driveway. Or else we would have been dead for real. Although I don't think she recognizes my car…

Argh. Whatever.

I slowly got off the bed and looked around for my clothes. Of course, there weren't much, since my skirt was missing. I wondered if I have to borrow one of Jesse's pants and sneak out of the window. It's not like I haven't climbed down from the second floor before. Although there is a tree at my house, which made it easier, plus the roof…

Jesse came back into the room, my skirt balled up in his hand. "I'm sorry, Susannah. It's not completely dry yet..."

"Did she found out? What did she say?" I asked, dread creeping in my stomach again.

"No, she didn't. She was on the way to the market, and thought she should drop by to ask me whether I can come to dinner tonight. She has left though," he explained.

"Can't she just call you?" I put on my damp, wrinkly skirt. No time to think about my image.

"She's not too fond of the telephone…I don't know why. Besides, in my hometown, we used to drop by each other's houses without informing beforehand. She's still used to that, I guess." Jesse sighed and sat down at the edge of the bed.

"And she used the key that was on the lamp," I stated rather than asked, knowing the answer already. Darn it, I should have taken the key inside with me.

"Yes. Susannah…you don't have to go. She's gone," Jesse said, but his tone indicated that he knew I wasn't going to stay.

I shook my head. "Sorry, Jesse, I really have to go to work." Then I went out of the room.

As I was walking down the stairs, it took me a moment to realize that I was angry. Angry at Jesse's mom for being so interfering, angry at Jesse for making me fall in love with him, and angry at myself for not being good enough for him in his parents' eyes.

I knew it wasn't his fault that his parents are a bunch of old nitpicks, yet I couldn't help but think that he could have stood his ground a little harder. But it wasn't his fault. It was not. I was wrong to even think that way.

Taking my purse from under the coffee table (forgot about this, luckily she didn't see it), I made my way to the front door when Jesse called out to me. He was coming down the stairs, looking upset.

"Susannah. Please don't be angry. I know that this isn't the best way to be in a relationship, but I promise to you that I will work it out with my parents. They'll see that you're the one for me, and they'll just have to accept that." He took one of my hands in his, his eyes full of concern.

And when might that be? That was the first thing that popped into my head but I quickly dismissed it. He had gotten enough grief without me pressuring him.

Instead, I answered with an "I know", kissed him goodbye and walked out of the front door.

I didn't know why, and it didn't make any sense, but I had a feeling that it would be the last time I would ever walk out of those doors again.