A.N - One chapter to go after this. I'm kind of sad. I only have one more WIP progress going - which will probably be finished soon as well - and then I have no more ideas. And I won't be able to write any more.

Well, hope you guys like this anyway.

Chapter 16

"Jesse?"

My voice echoed around the corridor full of doors.

"Jesse?"

What if I was too late? What if Jesse had already moved on? Maybe Paul was right - Jesse did ask him to exorcise him - and what Jack had heard was just Jesse telling Paul to do it faster.

"Jesse!"

My voice was frantic now and I stepped further into the shadowed hall.

"You should not be here."

Despite how I knew that the voice that spoke was way too deep and imposing to be Jesse's, I still turned around hopefully.

"It is not your time."

As I'd suspected, it wasn't Jesse.

"Who are you?" I asked.

"I am the gatekeeper."

Um, the what?

"Oh," I pretended like I knew what he was talking about. "You mean, you see everybody who comes past here?"

"That is correct."

I smiled.

"So, you'll have seen Jesse?" I was getting excited. "He's about this tall, brown eyes, tanned, Spanish?"

The gatekeeper raised his eyebrow.

"The ghost is none of your concern," he told me. "He is supposed to be here. You, however, are not."

"No." This was so frustrating. "No, he's not supposed to be here. I'm a mediator, and -"

"You are a mediator?" The gatekeeper cut me off. Rude, much?

"Um, yeah."

Then the guy moved aside to let me pass.

"You may go through," he instructed. "But don't walk into the light. And don't open any doors. The ghost should still be here."

I resisted the urge to throw my arms around him - I don't think he'd appreciate it very much.

"Thank you!" I called as I ran past.

"Remember," the gatekeeper started to say, but the rest of his words were lost as I ran further away.

"Jesse?" I began calling for him again. "Jesse! Where are you?"

My head whipped around the corridor in my desperation to find him quickly. I had to find him. I had to explain why I'd found out how he died, that I didn't want him to go but I would let him if he wanted to. I just needed to find him.

"Jes-" I began to hiss his name once again but I was cut off as a warm, strong hand grasped hold of my shoulder and span me around.

"Querida?" Jesse asked confused as I jumped up and down inside my head. He called me Querida, that had to be a good sign. "What are you doing here? Did you …?"

He trailed off as his face paled. With a start I realised what he was thinking and rushed to convince him otherwise.

"No," I said. "No. No, I'm not dead. At all."

The look of relief on Jesse's face was obvious.

"Then," his eyebrows dipped in confusion. "Why are you here?"

"Well," I took a deep breath. Here goes. "For you. I came to see if you would come back. I mean, if you wanted to stay and finally move on, I get that, but I was just wondering if you would come back and stay until we figure out the real reason that you've stayed around so long and -"

Jesse cut me off when his grip tightened almost painfully on my arm.

"You mean to tell me," Oh no. Jesse was angry. Not good. "That you are risking your life, to save me."

"Yes?"

My voice was so small, I'm not even sure if he heard it.

"Come on," he started pulling me back in the direction I came from. "We're getting you home."

My heart dropped. We're getting you home? As in me? Alone? I pulled my arm out of his grip.

"Jesse!" I shouted. "If you want to stay here, be my guest. I can find my own way out of here."

"What are you on about?" Jesse asked obviously frustrated. "I'm coming with you! We just need to get you home. Now! Stop wasting time."

He reached for my hand again but stopped as I stepped back.

"You're coming back?"

"Yes, I am, querida." Jesse repeated tiredly. "Now, can we please …?"

His gesture in the general direction I'd came from was forgotten as I leaned in and kissed him happily.

"Susannah," Jesse said, pulling away even as I pulled him back in to kiss him. "We." Kiss. "Have to." Kiss. "Go." Kiss. "Now!"

With a final pull away from me, Jesse succeeded in separating us and began searching for the way out.

We hadn't gotten very far before Jesse froze in his steps, staring at the figure standing in front of us.

Paul Slater. Hadn't he caused us enough trouble?

"Suze," he said sardonically. "I'm shocked. Really. I didn't think that you'd actually come up here to save him. You love him that much?"

"Yes, I do." I stated. "But, why are you here? Did you exorcise yourself too?"

Jesse whipped his head around to stare at me.

"You exorcised yourself?" He asked me incredulously.

"Well," I began. "How else was I going to get up here?"

"You could have shifted." Paul interrupted whatever it was Jesse was about to say. "That's what I did."

Jesse rounded on him.

"Listen Slater, you are going to tell me how to get us out of here," he threatened. "And you are going to tell me now."

Paul laughed.

"And why would I do that?" He asked. "You, Señor, broke up my relationship. I should leave you here."

"And what about Susannah?" Jesse almost pleaded. But only almost. "You are willing to leave her up here with me?"

Paul's face visibly fell at that. Something he'd obviously not thought of.

"Of course not," he spat. "She's coming home with me."

Then he reached out to grab me out of Jesse's grip. Who let me go. Oh, no you don't mister. You are not going to stay up here in some wacky attempt to save me and risk yourself.

I slipped out of Paul's grip.

"Um, excuse me?" I sent glaring looks at both of them. "I can make my own decision you know. I'm standing right here."

"Susannah," Jesse looked really tired - which was strange, seeing as he's a ghost. "Just go with Paul."

"And leave you here?" I scoffed. "Not likely."

"Yeah Suze," Paul reached out his hand to grab me again. "Listen to him."

"I'll go with you," I turned to face Paul. "As long as you tell Jesse how to get home again as well."

"I'm not going to do that!" Paul insisted. "Why would I? Without Jesse, you're free to be my girlfriend again."

Jesse tensed at those words.

"I'll never be your girlfriend again!" I shouted. "You lost me when you went and kissed Kelly Prescott!"

"Which I only did," Paul shouted back. "Because you were with Rico Suave here."

Jesse punched Paul then. Right in the nose.

"How dare you?" Jesse demanded, raining punches down on Paul's face. "You cheated on her?"

"Because she cheated on me." Paul pushed Jesse off and stood up. "With you."

Then Paul punched Jesse, only Jesse ducked, and Paul's punch missed.

"Well then," Jesse spoke calmly, easily evading Paul's attacks. "I guess we know who's the better man."

"You're not a man!" Paul shouted. "A ghost! You're a ghost! What life could you possibly give her?"

"Um, guys?!" I shouted again. Seriously, two guys fighting over you is no fun at all. "I can make decisions for myself."

"Alright then," Paul stood again. "Choose. Me or him."

This was probably going to be the most stupid thing I have ever done. Especially considering what the gatekeeper said. But I was going to do it anyway.

"Um," I took a deep breath. "How about neither?"

"What?" Paul demanded whilst Jesse just looked on with an expression that looked so much like hurt plastered on his face.

I'm sorry Jesse.

Then, ignoring both the people staring at me like I was crazy - which I probably was - I turned around and ran towards the closest door.

Which was when Jesse realised what I was going to do.

"Susannah, No!" He shouted even as I wrenched open the door and was drowned in a burst of white light.

"Susannah!"

"Suze!"

The shouts of both boys was lost as the brightness over took me.

The next thing I knew, a hand was resting upon my arm trying to pull me back.

Then everything was forgotten.