A/N: Okay, this fic is set way after twilight, six years after, actually. Suze is twenty two. If I did the math wrong, just roll with it, k? This is the LONGEST chapter I have ever posted/written and I actually have an idea where I'm going with this story.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

I took the phone away from my ear, stared at it, unbelieving.

"Simon? Simon? God damit Simon, answer me," I put the phone back to my ear.

You want me to go back to Carmel? Are you freaking insane?" I said.

"That's debatable," Upton's voice came through the receiver, calmly for once, "But you're going back there whether you like it or not. You can go or I can drag your ass there, but you're going." I stared at the piece of paper in my hand.

You're Invited to the Wedding of Jacob Ackerman and Aria Johnson.

For one thing: Jake? Getting married? Woah.

"You can't make me," the automatic response poured from my lips before I realized that he could actually make me. Keith Upton was tall, handsome, strong, my co-worker and my best friend for the last three years. It was his new goal to make me go back to Carmel, California, to the place I had left so long ago….My eyes drifted out of focus as I remembered…

I walked inside the door and into the kitchen, I tossed my bag on the counter. I was nineteen years old, I was happy. I had been living with the love of my life, Jesse, for the last six months. It was going great. We were sharing a little two bedroom one and a half bathroom apartment while he was in medical school. I had been studying to be a fashion designer. I know, I know, but hey, I loved fashion.

I walked over to the cupboard and yanked it open, looking for something to eat. Jesse is an excellent cook. Not as good as Andy, but way better than me.

That's when I heard it. The door swung open and there was laughter coming from the front room. What was Jesse doing home so early? I knew he got home before me, but not this early…

There was more laughter and then silence. I walked into the living room. Jesse was pinned up against the wall by none other than Shannon Dupree.

I gasped. They were standing there, her hands were on his shoulders and he was frozen. But that could have been that he'd heard me. He wrenched his lips from hers and his hands which had been pressed against her shoulders shoved, hard. She flew back from him a few feet. He stared at me. Just stared.

The box of cereal I'd been holding slipped out of my hands and I ran back a few steps How could he? And with Shannon, too. Shannon was his blonde, tall, co-worker. They worked at the local hospital twice a week together. She was beautiful and filthy rich due to her daddy being a lawyer or something. She'd seemed nice enough, and I had never thought that the two of them had something going on. Plus, she was Paul's girlfriend.

I clenched my jaw and grabbed my suit case out of the hall closet. I fled to our bedroom, stuffed my clothes into it, fumbling with the zipper. Tears were blurring in my eyes all I could think was 'how could he? I thought we were happy. I thought everything was great.'

He walked into the bedroom. "Susannah, I…we weren't…I didn't…" I growled at him and said, "Save it asshole."

He didn't. Save it, I mean, "Susannah, it was not what it looked like, she kissed me and…"I cut him off by sticking my index fingers in my ears and going, "La la la! I can't hear you!" at the top of my lungs. I know, childish, but I didn't particularly care right then.

"Susannah! Listen to me!" his voice was louder than mine and god was he pissed, I'd never seen him this angry, "Susannah! It was not what it looked like. I brought her home because I thought she and Paul could come over for dinner tonight, I never thought," I cut him off.

"I'm sorry Jesse! I didn't know!" I was screaming by now, I lifted up my suitcase and began to march out of the bedroom, "I didn't know that I'm supposed to ignore what I see," he grabbed me by the shoulders and turned me around. I dropped the suitcase.

"Susannah, I love you. Stop this. I would never hurt you," he looked desperate. But how was I supposed to ignore what I'd seen. Which had been, quite frankly, him and Shannon making out.

I voiced this, he looked agitated, "Susannah, I would never hurt you," he kissed me softly and I almost gave in. Almost.

"Save it Jesse," I brought my right hand up and smacked him across the face, moderately hard. He stepped back and stared at me in shock.

"If you ever talk to me again I'll…I don't know what I'll do, but you better stay away from me." He just stared as I grabbed my purse, suitcase and marched straight out the door and out of his life.

The first thing I did after I'd driven a few blocks away and parked crying my eyes out was call Paul.

I know what your thinking. Paul? Slater?

Yes, Paul. He and I had become really, really good friends, but were way over the whole 'boyfriend/girlfriend' thing. He and Jesse had actually managed to get along as well.

"Paul?" I sniffled, "it's Suze," I sobbed into the phone some more.

"Jesus Suze, what's wrong?"

"Jess—Jess—Jesse—he—he cheated on me," I burst into fresh tears.

"HE WHAT?" Paul had become very protective of me, like a big brother.

"Cheated on me with Shannon," that made me cry even harder.

"I don't believe it Suze, I believe Shannon would do that, but not Jesse. He loves you Suze," there was disbelief in his voice, "There's got to be some sort of logical explanation…"

"I saw them, I came home early and and and," I began to blubber again.

"Come over to my place and we'll get this all straightened out." So I did.

I drove over to his place and said I was going back to New York, that only he and Cee Cee (and Adam and my Mom and Andy and Doc) were going to know about it. I made them all promise to never tell Jesse where I was(or anyone who might tell him), to pretend I had just disappeared, and three days later I left. I haven't been back to Carmel since.

It's been three years.

Suze? Suze? What the fu…Suze? Answer me!"

"Sorry, sorry I was lost there for a minute. I know we can do this the easy way or the hard way, so I'll pick the easy way. Pick me up on Friday, the wedding is on Sunday. We can stay at my parents." I hung up, flopped back on the bed.

Everything was different now. I had a job. I wasn't fashion designer, I couldn't be. I gave everything up. I spoke 8 different languages now, I had always had a thing for learning new languages, and I was strong, athletic, smart. I had applied for a position with the FBI.

And got in.

Now I was one of their best agents. Keith was my partner. I hadn't loved anyone since Jesse, I had given up on love, decided that all men were pigs with the exceptions of Paul, Keith, Adam, Doc and Andy.

I loved Keith, but only as a friend. He was married, his wife, Angelina, was probably my second best friend. I loved them both. Their three kids called me 'Aunt Suze'. They included me in most family things.

I looked around the room of my apartment. New York City was where my part of the agency was based. The city had seemed like the logical place to go…somewhere that I could escape to. Plus, happy as I had been in Carmel, I missed New York.

My apartment was large, I made good money. Probably more than I would have made as a designer, even if I had been the best.

I stared at the piece of paper in my hand. No, this would be okay. He would have moved on by now. He would have given up on me ever coming back. As far as he knew it, I had simply disappeared. That stupid son of a…cough

I remembered every day what that moment felt like. For the first year I'd been here, I'd relived that moment over and over again in my nightmares. I wanted to cut off my connections from Carmel, but Paul wouldn't allow it.

Paul had been great these last few years. When I'd first moved here I'd had almost no money, no friends, no where to stay. He'd supported me, been my friend and found me this apartment. As soon as I was able to, I paid him back, but he didn't want to take it. He also brought Cee, Adam, my mom, Doc and Andy on frequent visits with his private jet.

Yah, you don't need me to tell you, but he was LOADED. Unfortunately his grandfather had died a few years ago, and he was really sad for a while. I'd never seen Paul truly depressed. The last few years that I'd lived in Carmel, he and his grandfather had become really close. Having to mediate him wasn't the easiest thing.

So Paul threw himself into his work and became a billionaire. He's a lawyer and a really good one. He's also the only one that knows the whole truth. I just told my parents that Jesse and I broke up; I didn't tell them why we broke up. But all that was done now. With any amount of good luck, Jesse would be in another country or something.

Maybe living with the skank.

Er, Shannon.

I got off my bed and looked around the room. The furniture was wood, painted black. Everything was black and white, literally. From the paintings to the chairs to the walls. The whole house was that way. It was cold, distant, but I liked it. It suited me.

There was a disturbance in the air. I felt it before I saw the ghost appear at my side. She was small and cute. She couldn't have been more than twelve. Her dark eyes held fear and she fiddled nervously with some of her black hair.

"Are you the shifter?"

"Yes." OH, I forgot to mention. Since I'm a shifter; my job with the FBI is to investigate ghosts. Keith does it too.

"What's the problem?"

"I don't know why I'm here."

"You don't have any problems? Unfinished business so to speak? Your not very old, honey."

"Oh, that's what's confusing, I'm actually…seventy two years old," right. That's one for Maybelline, "but I don't have anything left to do."

Damn. That whole 'taking on the form they were most comfortable in' will get you every time.

"Then you'll move on soon enough." As if my words had triggered it, she was sucked up into a white light, shock went over her face, but then she smiled and when the light vanished she was gone.

I lay back down and fell asleep shortly after, but thoughts of Jesse occupied my brain like they had before. Like I was nineteen, like it was three years ago, like I was in love.

A/N: Did you like? Review please! I love reviews! Anyway, I'll update when I finish the next chapter. :)